diff --git a/lib/parser.js b/lib/parser.js
index f3337b1b..cbd31be8 100644
--- a/lib/parser.js
+++ b/lib/parser.js
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@ p.parse68 = function() {
   var fieldCount = this.readInt16();
   var fields = [];
   for(var i = 0; i < fieldCount; i++) {
-    fields[i] = this.readString(this.readInt32());
+    var length = this.readInt32();
+    fields[i] = (length == -1 ? null : this.readString(length))
   };
   msg.fieldCount = fieldCount;
   msg.fields = fields;
diff --git a/test/unit/simple-query-tests.js b/test/unit/simple-query-tests.js
index b51db050..c72ba979 100644
--- a/test/unit/simple-query-tests.js
+++ b/test/unit/simple-query-tests.js
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ test('simple query', function() {
   test('after query is ended, it emits nothing else', function() {
     stream.emit('data', buffers.dataRow(["X","Y","Z"]));
     stream.emit('data', buffers.commandComplete());
-    assert.length(rowData, 1);
+    assert.length(rowData, 2);
     assert.equal(ended, 1);
   });