diff --git a/src/binding.cc b/src/binding.cc
index 30627224..8c016134 100644
--- a/src/binding.cc
+++ b/src/binding.cc
@@ -79,8 +79,11 @@ public:
   {
     HandleScope scope;
     Connection *self = ObjectWrap::Unwrap<Connection>(args.This());
-    String::Utf8Value queryText(args[0]->ToString());
+    if(!args[0]->IsString()) {
+      return ThrowException(Exception::Error(String::New("First parameter must be a string query")));
+    }
 
+    String::Utf8Value queryText(args[0]->ToString());
     int result = self->Send(*queryText);
     if(result == 0) {
       THROW("PQsendQuery returned error code");
diff --git a/test/native/error-tests.js b/test/native/error-tests.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6619c53f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/native/error-tests.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+var helper = require(__dirname + "/../test-helper");
+var Client = require(__dirname + "/../../lib/native").Client;
+var conString = helper.connectionString();
+
+test('query with non-text as first parameter throws error', function() {
+  var client = new Client(conString);
+  client.connect();
+  assert.emits(client, 'connect', function() {
+    var err;
+    try{
+      client.query({text:{fail: true}});
+    } catch(e) {
+      err = e;
+    }
+    assert.ok(err != null, "Expected exception to be thrown")
+    client.end();
+  })
+})