diff --git a/core/types/transaction.go b/core/types/transaction.go
index 6f438ad9da..2f23a79604 100644
--- a/core/types/transaction.go
+++ b/core/types/transaction.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto/secp256k1"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger/glog"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rlp"
 )
 
@@ -129,7 +130,12 @@ func (tx *Transaction) PublicKey() []byte {
 
 	//pubkey := crypto.Ecrecover(append(hash[:], sig...))
 	//pubkey, _ := secp256k1.RecoverPubkey(hash[:], sig)
-	pubkey := crypto.FromECDSAPub(crypto.SigToPub(hash[:], sig))
+	p, err := crypto.SigToPub(hash[:], sig)
+	if err != nil {
+		glog.V(0).Infof("Could not get pubkey from signature: ", err)
+		return nil
+	}
+	pubkey := crypto.FromECDSAPub(p)
 	return pubkey
 }
 
diff --git a/core/vm/address.go b/core/vm/address.go
index df801863fc..c6db1d5ff1 100644
--- a/core/vm/address.go
+++ b/core/vm/address.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger/glog"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/params"
 )
 
@@ -80,9 +81,10 @@ func ecrecoverFunc(in []byte) []byte {
 
 	// v needs to be moved to the end
 	rsv := append(in[64:128], byte(v.Uint64()))
-	pubKey := crypto.Ecrecover(in[:32], rsv)
+	pubKey, err := crypto.Ecrecover(in[:32], rsv)
 	// make sure the public key is a valid one
-	if pubKey == nil || len(pubKey) != 65 {
+	if err != nil {
+		glog.V(0).Infof("EC RECOVER FAIL: ", err)
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/crypto/crypto.go b/crypto/crypto.go
index 9a1559fbfb..7d1d51fa6c 100644
--- a/crypto/crypto.go
+++ b/crypto/crypto.go
@@ -68,10 +68,8 @@ func Ripemd160(data []byte) []byte {
 	return ripemd.Sum(nil)
 }
 
-func Ecrecover(hash, sig []byte) []byte {
-	r, _ := secp256k1.RecoverPubkey(hash, sig)
-
-	return r
+func Ecrecover(hash, sig []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	return secp256k1.RecoverPubkey(hash, sig)
 }
 
 // New methods using proper ecdsa keys from the stdlib
@@ -145,14 +143,14 @@ func GenerateKey() (*ecdsa.PrivateKey, error) {
 	return ecdsa.GenerateKey(S256(), rand.Reader)
 }
 
-func SigToPub(hash, sig []byte) *ecdsa.PublicKey {
-	s := Ecrecover(hash, sig)
-	if s == nil || len(s) != 65 {
-		return nil
+func SigToPub(hash, sig []byte) (*ecdsa.PublicKey, error) {
+	s, err := Ecrecover(hash, sig)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	x, y := elliptic.Unmarshal(S256(), s)
-	return &ecdsa.PublicKey{S256(), x, y}
+	return &ecdsa.PublicKey{S256(), x, y}, nil
 }
 
 func Sign(hash []byte, prv *ecdsa.PrivateKey) (sig []byte, err error) {
diff --git a/whisper/message.go b/whisper/message.go
index 5d9e5b5c13..407cfb1e8c 100644
--- a/whisper/message.go
+++ b/whisper/message.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger/glog"
 )
 
 type Message struct {
@@ -32,7 +33,12 @@ func (self *Message) sign(key *ecdsa.PrivateKey) (err error) {
 
 func (self *Message) Recover() *ecdsa.PublicKey {
 	defer func() { recover() }() // in case of invalid sig
-	return crypto.SigToPub(self.hash(), self.Signature)
+	pub, err := crypto.SigToPub(self.hash(), self.Signature)
+	if err != nil {
+		glog.V(0).Infof("Could not get pubkey from signature: ", err)
+		return nil
+	}
+	return pub
 }
 
 func (self *Message) Encrypt(to *ecdsa.PublicKey) (err error) {