diff --git a/lib/client.js b/lib/client.js
index 4c8c646..5c463e2 100644
--- a/lib/client.js
+++ b/lib/client.js
@@ -78,8 +78,20 @@ function BinaryClient(socket, options) {
       
       data = data.data;
       
-      
-      data = util.unpack(data);
+      try {
+          data = util.unpack(data);
+      } catch (ex) {
+          return self.emit('error', 'Received unparsable message: ' + ex);
+      }
+      if (!(data instanceof Array))
+          return self.emit('error', 'Received non-array message');
+      if (data.length != 3)
+          return self.emit('error', 'Received message with wrong part count: ' + data.length);
+      if ('number' != typeof data[0])
+          return self.emit('error', 'Received message with non-number type: ' + data[0]);
+      if ('number' != typeof data[2])
+          return self.emit('error', 'Received message with non-number streamId: ' + data[2]);
+
       switch(data[0]) {
         case 0:
           // Reserved