diff --git a/conn.go b/conn.go
index 5161ef8..8b416fb 100644
--- a/conn.go
+++ b/conn.go
@@ -336,28 +336,46 @@ func (c *Conn) setReadRemaining(n int64) error {
 
 // Subprotocol returns the negotiated protocol for the connection.
 func (c *Conn) Subprotocol() string {
+	if c == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
 	return c.subprotocol
 }
 
 // Close closes the underlying network connection without sending or waiting
 // for a close message.
 func (c *Conn) Close() error {
+	if c == nil {
+		return ErrNilConn
+	}
+	if c.conn == nil {
+		return ErrNilNetConn
+	}
 	return c.conn.Close()
 }
 
 // LocalAddr returns the local network address.
 func (c *Conn) LocalAddr() net.Addr {
+	if c == nil || c.conn == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return c.conn.LocalAddr()
 }
 
 // RemoteAddr returns the remote network address.
 func (c *Conn) RemoteAddr() net.Addr {
+	if c == nil || c.conn == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return c.conn.RemoteAddr()
 }
 
 // Write methods
 
 func (c *Conn) writeFatal(err error) error {
+	if c == nil {
+		return ErrNilConn
+	}
 	err = hideTempErr(err)
 	c.writeErrMu.Lock()
 	if c.writeErr == nil {
@@ -368,6 +386,9 @@ func (c *Conn) writeFatal(err error) error {
 }
 
 func (c *Conn) read(n int) ([]byte, error) {
+	if c == nil {
+		return nil, ErrNilConn
+	}
 	p, err := c.br.Peek(n)
 	if err == io.EOF {
 		err = errUnexpectedEOF
@@ -377,6 +398,9 @@ func (c *Conn) read(n int) ([]byte, error) {
 }
 
 func (c *Conn) write(frameType int, deadline time.Time, buf0, buf1 []byte) error {
+	if c == nil {
+		return ErrNilConn
+	}
 	<-c.mu
 	defer func() { c.mu <- struct{}{} }()
 
@@ -386,7 +410,9 @@ func (c *Conn) write(frameType int, deadline time.Time, buf0, buf1 []byte) error
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-
+	if c.conn == nil {
+		return ErrNilNetConn
+	}
 	c.conn.SetWriteDeadline(deadline)
 	if len(buf1) == 0 {
 		_, err = c.conn.Write(buf0)
@@ -411,6 +437,9 @@ func (c *Conn) writeBufs(bufs ...[]byte) error {
 // WriteControl writes a control message with the given deadline. The allowed
 // message types are CloseMessage, PingMessage and PongMessage.
 func (c *Conn) WriteControl(messageType int, data []byte, deadline time.Time) error {
+	if c == nil {
+		return ErrNilConn
+	}
 	if !isControl(messageType) {
 		return errBadWriteOpCode
 	}
@@ -459,7 +488,9 @@ func (c *Conn) WriteControl(messageType int, data []byte, deadline time.Time) er
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-
+	if c.conn == nil {
+		return ErrNilNetConn
+	}
 	c.conn.SetWriteDeadline(deadline)
 	_, err = c.conn.Write(buf)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -473,6 +504,9 @@ func (c *Conn) WriteControl(messageType int, data []byte, deadline time.Time) er
 
 // beginMessage prepares a connection and message writer for a new message.
 func (c *Conn) beginMessage(mw *messageWriter, messageType int) error {
+	if c == nil {
+		return ErrNilConn
+	}
 	// Close previous writer if not already closed by the application. It's
 	// probably better to return an error in this situation, but we cannot
 	// change this without breaking existing applications.
@@ -516,6 +550,9 @@ func (c *Conn) beginMessage(mw *messageWriter, messageType int) error {
 // All message types (TextMessage, BinaryMessage, CloseMessage, PingMessage and
 // PongMessage) are supported.
 func (c *Conn) NextWriter(messageType int) (io.WriteCloser, error) {
+	if c == nil {
+		return nil, ErrNilConn
+	}
 	var mw messageWriter
 	if err := c.beginMessage(&mw, messageType); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -555,6 +592,9 @@ func (w *messageWriter) endMessage(err error) error {
 // final argument indicates that this is the last frame in the message.
 func (w *messageWriter) flushFrame(final bool, extra []byte) error {
 	c := w.c
+	if c == nil {
+		return ErrNilConn
+	}
 	length := w.pos - maxFrameHeaderSize + len(extra)
 
 	// Check for invalid control frames.
@@ -733,6 +773,9 @@ func (w *messageWriter) Close() error {
 
 // WritePreparedMessage writes prepared message into connection.
 func (c *Conn) WritePreparedMessage(pm *PreparedMessage) error {
+	if c == nil {
+		return ErrNilConn
+	}
 	frameType, frameData, err := pm.frame(prepareKey{
 		isServer:         c.isServer,
 		compress:         c.newCompressionWriter != nil && c.enableWriteCompression && isData(pm.messageType),
@@ -756,7 +799,9 @@ func (c *Conn) WritePreparedMessage(pm *PreparedMessage) error {
 // WriteMessage is a helper method for getting a writer using NextWriter,
 // writing the message and closing the writer.
 func (c *Conn) WriteMessage(messageType int, data []byte) error {
-
+	if c == nil {
+		return ErrNilConn
+	}
 	if c.isServer && (c.newCompressionWriter == nil || !c.enableWriteCompression) {
 		// Fast path with no allocations and single frame.
 
@@ -785,6 +830,9 @@ func (c *Conn) WriteMessage(messageType int, data []byte) error {
 // all future writes will return an error. A zero value for t means writes will
 // not time out.
 func (c *Conn) SetWriteDeadline(t time.Time) error {
+	if c == nil {
+		return ErrNilConn
+	}
 	c.writeDeadline = t
 	return nil
 }
@@ -977,6 +1025,9 @@ func (c *Conn) advanceFrame() (int, error) {
 }
 
 func (c *Conn) handleProtocolError(message string) error {
+	if c == nil {
+		return ErrNilConn
+	}
 	data := FormatCloseMessage(CloseProtocolError, message)
 	if len(data) > maxControlFramePayloadSize {
 		data = data[:maxControlFramePayloadSize]
@@ -996,6 +1047,9 @@ func (c *Conn) handleProtocolError(message string) error {
 // permanent. Once this method returns a non-nil error, all subsequent calls to
 // this method return the same error.
 func (c *Conn) NextReader() (messageType int, r io.Reader, err error) {
+	if c == nil {
+		return 0, nil, ErrNilConn
+	}
 	// Close previous reader, only relevant for decompression.
 	if c.reader != nil {
 		c.reader.Close()
@@ -1037,6 +1091,9 @@ type messageReader struct{ c *Conn }
 
 func (r *messageReader) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
 	c := r.c
+	if c == nil {
+		return 0, ErrNilConn
+	}
 	if c.messageReader != r {
 		return 0, io.EOF
 	}
@@ -1089,6 +1146,9 @@ func (r *messageReader) Close() error {
 // ReadMessage is a helper method for getting a reader using NextReader and
 // reading from that reader to a buffer.
 func (c *Conn) ReadMessage() (messageType int, p []byte, err error) {
+	if c == nil {
+		return 0, nil, ErrNilConn
+	}
 	var r io.Reader
 	messageType, r, err = c.NextReader()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -1103,6 +1163,12 @@ func (c *Conn) ReadMessage() (messageType int, p []byte, err error) {
 // all future reads will return an error. A zero value for t means reads will
 // not time out.
 func (c *Conn) SetReadDeadline(t time.Time) error {
+	if c == nil {
+		return ErrNilConn
+	}
+	if c.conn == nil {
+		return ErrNilNetConn
+	}
 	return c.conn.SetReadDeadline(t)
 }
 
@@ -1110,11 +1176,17 @@ func (c *Conn) SetReadDeadline(t time.Time) error {
 // message exceeds the limit, the connection sends a close message to the peer
 // and returns ErrReadLimit to the application.
 func (c *Conn) SetReadLimit(limit int64) {
+	if c == nil {
+		return
+	}
 	c.readLimit = limit
 }
 
 // CloseHandler returns the current close handler
 func (c *Conn) CloseHandler() func(code int, text string) error {
+	if c == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return c.handleClose
 }
 
@@ -1133,6 +1205,9 @@ func (c *Conn) CloseHandler() func(code int, text string) error {
 // application must perform some action before sending a close message back to
 // the peer.
 func (c *Conn) SetCloseHandler(h func(code int, text string) error) {
+	if c == nil {
+		return
+	}
 	if h == nil {
 		h = func(code int, text string) error {
 			message := FormatCloseMessage(code, "")
@@ -1145,6 +1220,9 @@ func (c *Conn) SetCloseHandler(h func(code int, text string) error) {
 
 // PingHandler returns the current ping handler
 func (c *Conn) PingHandler() func(appData string) error {
+	if c == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return c.handlePing
 }
 
@@ -1156,6 +1234,9 @@ func (c *Conn) PingHandler() func(appData string) error {
 // reader Read methods. The application must read the connection to process
 // ping messages as described in the section on Control Messages above.
 func (c *Conn) SetPingHandler(h func(appData string) error) {
+	if c == nil {
+		return
+	}
 	if h == nil {
 		h = func(message string) error {
 			err := c.WriteControl(PongMessage, []byte(message), time.Now().Add(writeWait))
@@ -1172,6 +1253,9 @@ func (c *Conn) SetPingHandler(h func(appData string) error) {
 
 // PongHandler returns the current pong handler
 func (c *Conn) PongHandler() func(appData string) error {
+	if c == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return c.handlePong
 }
 
@@ -1183,6 +1267,9 @@ func (c *Conn) PongHandler() func(appData string) error {
 // reader Read methods. The application must read the connection to process
 // pong messages as described in the section on Control Messages above.
 func (c *Conn) SetPongHandler(h func(appData string) error) {
+	if c == nil {
+		return
+	}
 	if h == nil {
 		h = func(string) error { return nil }
 	}
@@ -1193,6 +1280,9 @@ func (c *Conn) SetPongHandler(h func(appData string) error) {
 // Note that writing to or reading from this connection directly will corrupt the
 // WebSocket connection.
 func (c *Conn) NetConn() net.Conn {
+	if c == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return c.conn
 }
 
@@ -1200,6 +1290,9 @@ func (c *Conn) NetConn() net.Conn {
 // modifications to connection specific flags.
 // Deprecated: Use the NetConn method.
 func (c *Conn) UnderlyingConn() net.Conn {
+	if c == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return c.conn
 }
 
@@ -1207,6 +1300,9 @@ func (c *Conn) UnderlyingConn() net.Conn {
 // subsequent text and binary messages. This function is a noop if
 // compression was not negotiated with the peer.
 func (c *Conn) EnableWriteCompression(enable bool) {
+	if c == nil {
+		return
+	}
 	c.enableWriteCompression = enable
 }
 
@@ -1215,6 +1311,9 @@ func (c *Conn) EnableWriteCompression(enable bool) {
 // with the peer. See the compress/flate package for a description of
 // compression levels.
 func (c *Conn) SetCompressionLevel(level int) error {
+	if c == nil {
+		return ErrNilConn
+	}
 	if !isValidCompressionLevel(level) {
 		return errors.New("websocket: invalid compression level")
 	}
diff --git a/errors.go b/errors.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..865a843
--- /dev/null
+++ b/errors.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+package websocket
+
+import "errors"
+
+var (
+	ErrNilConn    = errors.New("nil *Conn")
+	ErrNilNetConn = errors.New("nil net.Conn")
+)