diff --git a/cid.go b/cid.go
index baefae8..1be6544 100644
--- a/cid.go
+++ b/cid.go
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ type Cid struct {
 }
 
 func Decode(v string) (*Cid, error) {
+	if len(v) < 2 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cid too short")
+	}
+
 	if len(v) == 46 && v[:2] == "Qm" {
 		hash, err := mh.FromB58String(v)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/cid_test.go b/cid_test.go
index 20f5c88..48bb1e4 100644
--- a/cid_test.go
+++ b/cid_test.go
@@ -52,6 +52,13 @@ func TestBasicMarshaling(t *testing.T) {
 	assertEqual(t, cid, out2)
 }
 
+func TestEmptyString(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := Decode("")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("shouldnt be able to parse an empty cid")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestV0Handling(t *testing.T) {
 	old := "QmdfTbBqBPQ7VNxZEYEj14VmRuZBkqFbiwReogJgS1zR1n"
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 0a5a114..83beafe 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@
     },
     {
       "author": "whyrusleeping",
-      "hash": "QmYiTi9mKBMjfiup7na7PhJK7QEZPdMTJenLdgFYVQ2NUv",
+      "hash": "QmUq3H9YpcPphbRj6ct6rBgBE377A8wANP8zPMRqe1WYbf",
       "name": "go-multibase",
-      "version": "0.2.0"
+      "version": "0.2.1"
     }
   ],
   "gxVersion": "0.8.0",