diff --git a/bind.go b/bind.go
index 7a9ece4e..1ad53823 100644
--- a/bind.go
+++ b/bind.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package ldap
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 
 	"gopkg.in/asn1-ber.v1"
 )
@@ -90,7 +91,11 @@ func (l *Conn) SimpleBind(simpleBindRequest *SimpleBindRequest) (*SimpleBindResu
 
 	if len(packet.Children) == 3 {
 		for _, child := range packet.Children[2].Children {
-			result.Controls = append(result.Controls, DecodeControl(child))
+			decodedChild, err := DecodeControl(child)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode child control: %s", err)
+			}
+			result.Controls = append(result.Controls, decodedChild)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/compare.go b/compare.go
index 82dca33c..c76fdb9e 100644
--- a/compare.go
+++ b/compare.go
@@ -77,5 +77,5 @@ func (l *Conn) Compare(dn, attribute, value string) (bool, error) {
 			return false, NewError(resultCode, errors.New(resultDescription))
 		}
 	}
-	return false, fmt.Errorf("Unexpected Response: %d", packet.Children[1].Tag)
+	return false, fmt.Errorf("unexpected Response: %d", packet.Children[1].Tag)
 }
diff --git a/control.go b/control.go
index b7f181f2..bc946fae 100644
--- a/control.go
+++ b/control.go
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ func FindControl(controls []Control, controlType string) Control {
 }
 
 // DecodeControl returns a control read from the given packet, or nil if no recognized control can be made
-func DecodeControl(packet *ber.Packet) Control {
+func DecodeControl(packet *ber.Packet) (Control, error) {
 	var (
 		ControlType = ""
 		Criticality = false
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ func DecodeControl(packet *ber.Packet) Control {
 	switch len(packet.Children) {
 	case 0:
 		// at least one child is required for control type
-		return nil
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("at least one child is required for control type")
 
 	case 1:
 		// just type, no criticality or value
@@ -292,17 +292,20 @@ func DecodeControl(packet *ber.Packet) Control {
 
 	default:
 		// more than 3 children is invalid
-		return nil
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("more than 3 children is invalid for controls")
 	}
 
 	switch ControlType {
 	case ControlTypeManageDsaIT:
-		return NewControlManageDsaIT(Criticality)
+		return NewControlManageDsaIT(Criticality), nil
 	case ControlTypePaging:
 		value.Description += " (Paging)"
 		c := new(ControlPaging)
 		if value.Value != nil {
-			valueChildren := ber.DecodePacket(value.Data.Bytes())
+			valueChildren, err := ber.DecodePacketErr(value.Data.Bytes())
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode data bytes: %s", err)
+			}
 			value.Data.Truncate(0)
 			value.Value = nil
 			value.AppendChild(valueChildren)
@@ -314,12 +317,15 @@ func DecodeControl(packet *ber.Packet) Control {
 		c.PagingSize = uint32(value.Children[0].Value.(int64))
 		c.Cookie = value.Children[1].Data.Bytes()
 		value.Children[1].Value = c.Cookie
-		return c
+		return c, nil
 	case ControlTypeBeheraPasswordPolicy:
 		value.Description += " (Password Policy - Behera)"
 		c := NewControlBeheraPasswordPolicy()
 		if value.Value != nil {
-			valueChildren := ber.DecodePacket(value.Data.Bytes())
+			valueChildren, err := ber.DecodePacketErr(value.Data.Bytes())
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode data bytes: %s", err)
+			}
 			value.Data.Truncate(0)
 			value.Value = nil
 			value.AppendChild(valueChildren)
@@ -331,7 +337,10 @@ func DecodeControl(packet *ber.Packet) Control {
 			if child.Tag == 0 {
 				//Warning
 				warningPacket := child.Children[0]
-				packet := ber.DecodePacket(warningPacket.Data.Bytes())
+				packet, err := ber.DecodePacketErr(warningPacket.Data.Bytes())
+				if err != nil {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode data bytes: %s", err)
+				}
 				val, ok := packet.Value.(int64)
 				if ok {
 					if warningPacket.Tag == 0 {
@@ -346,7 +355,10 @@ func DecodeControl(packet *ber.Packet) Control {
 				}
 			} else if child.Tag == 1 {
 				// Error
-				packet := ber.DecodePacket(child.Data.Bytes())
+				packet, err := ber.DecodePacketErr(child.Data.Bytes())
+				if err != nil {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode data bytes: %s", err)
+				}
 				val, ok := packet.Value.(int8)
 				if !ok {
 					// what to do?
@@ -357,22 +369,22 @@ func DecodeControl(packet *ber.Packet) Control {
 				c.ErrorString = BeheraPasswordPolicyErrorMap[c.Error]
 			}
 		}
-		return c
+		return c, nil
 	case ControlTypeVChuPasswordMustChange:
 		c := &ControlVChuPasswordMustChange{MustChange: true}
-		return c
+		return c, nil
 	case ControlTypeVChuPasswordWarning:
 		c := &ControlVChuPasswordWarning{Expire: -1}
 		expireStr := ber.DecodeString(value.Data.Bytes())
 
 		expire, err := strconv.ParseInt(expireStr, 10, 64)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse value as int: %s", err)
 		}
 		c.Expire = expire
 		value.Value = c.Expire
 
-		return c
+		return c, nil
 	default:
 		c := new(ControlString)
 		c.ControlType = ControlType
@@ -380,7 +392,7 @@ func DecodeControl(packet *ber.Packet) Control {
 		if value != nil {
 			c.ControlValue = value.Value.(string)
 		}
-		return c
+		return c, nil
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/control_test.go b/control_test.go
index 11527463..4c7637d1 100644
--- a/control_test.go
+++ b/control_test.go
@@ -39,7 +39,10 @@ func runControlTest(t *testing.T, originalControl Control) {
 	encodedBytes := encodedPacket.Bytes()
 
 	// Decode directly from the encoded packet (ensures Value is correct)
-	fromPacket := DecodeControl(encodedPacket)
+	fromPacket, err := DecodeControl(encodedPacket)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("%sdecoding encoded bytes control failed: %s", header, err)
+	}
 	if !bytes.Equal(encodedBytes, fromPacket.Encode().Bytes()) {
 		t.Errorf("%sround-trip from encoded packet failed", header)
 	}
@@ -48,7 +51,14 @@ func runControlTest(t *testing.T, originalControl Control) {
 	}
 
 	// Decode from the wire bytes (ensures ber-encoding is correct)
-	fromBytes := DecodeControl(ber.DecodePacket(encodedBytes))
+	pkt, err := ber.DecodePacketErr(encodedBytes)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("%sdecoding encoded bytes failed: %s", header, err)
+	}
+	fromBytes, err := DecodeControl(pkt)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("%sdecoding control failed: %s", header, err)
+	}
 	if !bytes.Equal(encodedBytes, fromBytes.Encode().Bytes()) {
 		t.Errorf("%sround-trip from encoded bytes failed", header)
 	}
diff --git a/dn.go b/dn.go
index 1ee9a1b9..e10a21b7 100644
--- a/dn.go
+++ b/dn.go
@@ -100,15 +100,15 @@ func ParseDN(str string) (*DN, error) {
 			}
 			// Not a special character, assume hex encoded octet
 			if len(str) == i+1 {
-				return nil, errors.New("Got corrupted escaped character")
+				return nil, errors.New("got corrupted escaped character")
 			}
 
 			dst := []byte{0}
 			n, err := enchex.Decode([]byte(dst), []byte(str[i:i+2]))
 			if err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to decode escaped character: %s", err)
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode escaped character: %s", err)
 			} else if n != 1 {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("Expected 1 byte when un-escaping, got %d", n)
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("expected 1 byte when un-escaping, got %d", n)
 			}
 			buffer.WriteByte(dst[0])
 			i++
@@ -131,9 +131,12 @@ func ParseDN(str string) (*DN, error) {
 				}
 				rawBER, err := enchex.DecodeString(data)
 				if err != nil {
-					return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to decode BER encoding: %s", err)
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode BER encoding: %s", err)
+				}
+				packet, err := ber.DecodePacketErr(rawBER)
+				if err != nil {
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode BER packet: %s", err)
 				}
-				packet := ber.DecodePacket(rawBER)
 				buffer.WriteString(packet.Data.String())
 				i += len(data) - 1
 			}
diff --git a/dn_test.go b/dn_test.go
index af5fc146..7e631691 100644
--- a/dn_test.go
+++ b/dn_test.go
@@ -76,10 +76,10 @@ func TestSuccessfulDNParsing(t *testing.T) {
 func TestErrorDNParsing(t *testing.T) {
 	testcases := map[string]string{
 		"*":                       "DN ended with incomplete type, value pair",
-		"cn=Jim\\0Test":           "Failed to decode escaped character: encoding/hex: invalid byte: U+0054 'T'",
-		"cn=Jim\\0":               "Got corrupted escaped character",
+		"cn=Jim\\0Test":           "failed to decode escaped character: encoding/hex: invalid byte: U+0054 'T'",
+		"cn=Jim\\0":               "got corrupted escaped character",
 		"DC=example,=net":         "DN ended with incomplete type, value pair",
-		"1=#0402486":              "Failed to decode BER encoding: encoding/hex: odd length hex string",
+		"1=#0402486":              "failed to decode BER encoding: encoding/hex: odd length hex string",
 		"test,DC=example,DC=com":  "incomplete type, value pair",
 		"=test,DC=example,DC=com": "incomplete type, value pair",
 	}
diff --git a/ldap.go b/ldap.go
index fe774b54..079f9fe0 100644
--- a/ldap.go
+++ b/ldap.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package ldap
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 
@@ -97,13 +98,13 @@ func addLDAPDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) (err error) {
 
 	switch application {
 	case ApplicationBindRequest:
-		addRequestDescriptions(packet)
+		err = addRequestDescriptions(packet)
 	case ApplicationBindResponse:
-		addDefaultLDAPResponseDescriptions(packet)
+		err = addDefaultLDAPResponseDescriptions(packet)
 	case ApplicationUnbindRequest:
-		addRequestDescriptions(packet)
+		err = addRequestDescriptions(packet)
 	case ApplicationSearchRequest:
-		addRequestDescriptions(packet)
+		err = addRequestDescriptions(packet)
 	case ApplicationSearchResultEntry:
 		packet.Children[1].Children[0].Description = "Object Name"
 		packet.Children[1].Children[1].Description = "Attributes"
@@ -116,37 +117,37 @@ func addLDAPDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) (err error) {
 			}
 		}
 		if len(packet.Children) == 3 {
-			addControlDescriptions(packet.Children[2])
+			err = addControlDescriptions(packet.Children[2])
 		}
 	case ApplicationSearchResultDone:
-		addDefaultLDAPResponseDescriptions(packet)
+		err = addDefaultLDAPResponseDescriptions(packet)
 	case ApplicationModifyRequest:
-		addRequestDescriptions(packet)
+		err = addRequestDescriptions(packet)
 	case ApplicationModifyResponse:
 	case ApplicationAddRequest:
-		addRequestDescriptions(packet)
+		err = addRequestDescriptions(packet)
 	case ApplicationAddResponse:
 	case ApplicationDelRequest:
-		addRequestDescriptions(packet)
+		err = addRequestDescriptions(packet)
 	case ApplicationDelResponse:
 	case ApplicationModifyDNRequest:
-		addRequestDescriptions(packet)
+		err = addRequestDescriptions(packet)
 	case ApplicationModifyDNResponse:
 	case ApplicationCompareRequest:
-		addRequestDescriptions(packet)
+		err = addRequestDescriptions(packet)
 	case ApplicationCompareResponse:
 	case ApplicationAbandonRequest:
-		addRequestDescriptions(packet)
+		err = addRequestDescriptions(packet)
 	case ApplicationSearchResultReference:
 	case ApplicationExtendedRequest:
-		addRequestDescriptions(packet)
+		err = addRequestDescriptions(packet)
 	case ApplicationExtendedResponse:
 	}
 
-	return nil
+	return err
 }
 
-func addControlDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) {
+func addControlDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) error {
 	packet.Description = "Controls"
 	for _, child := range packet.Children {
 		var value *ber.Packet
@@ -155,7 +156,7 @@ func addControlDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) {
 		switch len(child.Children) {
 		case 0:
 			// at least one child is required for control type
-			continue
+			return fmt.Errorf("at least one child is required for control type")
 
 		case 1:
 			// just type, no criticality or value
@@ -184,8 +185,9 @@ func addControlDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) {
 
 		default:
 			// more than 3 children is invalid
-			continue
+			return fmt.Errorf("more than 3 children for control packet found")
 		}
+
 		if value == nil {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -193,7 +195,10 @@ func addControlDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) {
 		case ControlTypePaging:
 			value.Description += " (Paging)"
 			if value.Value != nil {
-				valueChildren := ber.DecodePacket(value.Data.Bytes())
+				valueChildren, err := ber.DecodePacketErr(value.Data.Bytes())
+				if err != nil {
+					return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode data bytes: %s", err)
+				}
 				value.Data.Truncate(0)
 				value.Value = nil
 				valueChildren.Children[1].Value = valueChildren.Children[1].Data.Bytes()
@@ -206,7 +211,10 @@ func addControlDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) {
 		case ControlTypeBeheraPasswordPolicy:
 			value.Description += " (Password Policy - Behera Draft)"
 			if value.Value != nil {
-				valueChildren := ber.DecodePacket(value.Data.Bytes())
+				valueChildren, err := ber.DecodePacketErr(value.Data.Bytes())
+				if err != nil {
+					return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode data bytes: %s", err)
+				}
 				value.Data.Truncate(0)
 				value.Value = nil
 				value.AppendChild(valueChildren)
@@ -216,7 +224,10 @@ func addControlDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) {
 				if child.Tag == 0 {
 					//Warning
 					warningPacket := child.Children[0]
-					packet := ber.DecodePacket(warningPacket.Data.Bytes())
+					packet, err := ber.DecodePacketErr(warningPacket.Data.Bytes())
+					if err != nil {
+						return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode data bytes: %s", err)
+					}
 					val, ok := packet.Value.(int64)
 					if ok {
 						if warningPacket.Tag == 0 {
@@ -231,7 +242,10 @@ func addControlDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) {
 					}
 				} else if child.Tag == 1 {
 					// Error
-					packet := ber.DecodePacket(child.Data.Bytes())
+					packet, err := ber.DecodePacketErr(child.Data.Bytes())
+					if err != nil {
+						return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode data bytes: %s", err)
+					}
 					val, ok := packet.Value.(int8)
 					if !ok {
 						val = -1
@@ -242,18 +256,20 @@ func addControlDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) {
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	return nil
 }
 
-func addRequestDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) {
+func addRequestDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) error {
 	packet.Description = "LDAP Request"
 	packet.Children[0].Description = "Message ID"
 	packet.Children[1].Description = ApplicationMap[uint8(packet.Children[1].Tag)]
 	if len(packet.Children) == 3 {
-		addControlDescriptions(packet.Children[2])
+		return addControlDescriptions(packet.Children[2])
 	}
+	return nil
 }
 
-func addDefaultLDAPResponseDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) {
+func addDefaultLDAPResponseDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) error {
 	resultCode, _ := getLDAPResultCode(packet)
 	packet.Children[1].Children[0].Description = "Result Code (" + LDAPResultCodeMap[resultCode] + ")"
 	packet.Children[1].Children[1].Description = "Matched DN"
@@ -262,8 +278,9 @@ func addDefaultLDAPResponseDescriptions(packet *ber.Packet) {
 		packet.Children[1].Children[3].Description = "Referral"
 	}
 	if len(packet.Children) == 3 {
-		addControlDescriptions(packet.Children[2])
+		return addControlDescriptions(packet.Children[2])
 	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // DebugBinaryFile reads and prints packets from the given filename
@@ -273,8 +290,13 @@ func DebugBinaryFile(fileName string) error {
 		return NewError(ErrorDebugging, err)
 	}
 	ber.PrintBytes(os.Stdout, file, "")
-	packet := ber.DecodePacket(file)
-	addLDAPDescriptions(packet)
+	packet, err := ber.DecodePacketErr(file)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode packet: %s", err)
+	}
+	if err := addLDAPDescriptions(packet); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	ber.PrintPacket(packet)
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/passwdmodify.go b/passwdmodify.go
index 7d8246fd..20ae6ba3 100644
--- a/passwdmodify.go
+++ b/passwdmodify.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func (l *Conn) PasswordModify(passwordModifyRequest *PasswordModifyRequest) (*Pa
 			return nil, NewError(resultCode, errors.New(resultDescription))
 		}
 	} else {
-		return nil, NewError(ErrorUnexpectedResponse, fmt.Errorf("Unexpected Response: %d", packet.Children[1].Tag))
+		return nil, NewError(ErrorUnexpectedResponse, fmt.Errorf("unexpected Response: %d", packet.Children[1].Tag))
 	}
 
 	extendedResponse := packet.Children[1]
diff --git a/search.go b/search.go
index d1f0386f..8d3967da 100644
--- a/search.go
+++ b/search.go
@@ -309,10 +309,10 @@ func (l *Conn) SearchWithPaging(searchRequest *SearchRequest, pagingSize uint32)
 	} else {
 		castControl, ok := control.(*ControlPaging)
 		if !ok {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Expected paging control to be of type *ControlPaging, got %v", control)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("expected paging control to be of type *ControlPaging, got %v", control)
 		}
 		if castControl.PagingSize != pagingSize {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Paging size given in search request (%d) conflicts with size given in search call (%d)", castControl.PagingSize, pagingSize)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("paging size given in search request (%d) conflicts with size given in search call (%d)", castControl.PagingSize, pagingSize)
 		}
 		pagingControl = castControl
 	}
@@ -433,7 +433,11 @@ func (l *Conn) Search(searchRequest *SearchRequest) (*SearchResult, error) {
 			}
 			if len(packet.Children) == 3 {
 				for _, child := range packet.Children[2].Children {
-					result.Controls = append(result.Controls, DecodeControl(child))
+					decodedChild, err := DecodeControl(child)
+					if err != nil {
+						return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode child control: %s", err)
+					}
+					result.Controls = append(result.Controls, decodedChild)
 				}
 			}
 			foundSearchResultDone = true