diff --git a/lib/linux_admin/disk.rb b/lib/linux_admin/disk.rb
index 783047f..25b2ac6 100644
--- a/lib/linux_admin/disk.rb
+++ b/lib/linux_admin/disk.rb
@@ -25,9 +25,12 @@ def partitions
 
         # requires sudo
         out = run(cmd(:parted),
+                  :return_exitstatus => true,
                   :return_output => true,
                   :params => { nil => [@path, 'print'] })
 
+        return [] if out.kind_of?(Fixnum)
+
         out.each_line do |l|
           if l =~ /^ [0-9].*/
             p = l.split
diff --git a/spec/disk_spec.rb b/spec/disk_spec.rb
index cd05a03..3174ce2 100644
--- a/spec/disk_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/disk_spec.rb
@@ -17,11 +17,19 @@
       disk = LinuxAdmin::Disk.new :path => '/dev/hda'
       disk.should_receive(:run).
         with(disk.cmd(:parted),
+             :return_exitstatus => true,
              :return_output => true,
              :params => { nil => ['/dev/hda', 'print'] }).and_return ""
       disk.partitions
     end
 
+    it "returns [] on non-zero parted rc" do
+      disk = LinuxAdmin::Disk.new :path => '/dev/hda'
+      disk.stub(:exitstatus => 1)
+      disk.stub(:launch)
+      disk.partitions.should == []
+    end
+
     it "sets partitons" do
       partitions = <<eos
 Model: ATA TOSHIBA MK5061GS (scsi)