diff --git a/crypto/crypto.go b/crypto/crypto.go
index 77dadb7a5..bfb00d953 100644
--- a/crypto/crypto.go
+++ b/crypto/crypto.go
@@ -204,13 +204,23 @@ func (k *EncryptionKey) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// ErrInvalidCiphertext is returned when trying to encrypt into the slice that
+// holds the plaintext.
+var ErrInvalidCiphertext = errors.New("invalid ciphertext, same slice used for plaintext")
+
 // Encrypt encrypts and signs data. Stored in ciphertext is IV || Ciphertext ||
 // MAC. Encrypt returns the new ciphertext slice, which is extended when
 // necessary. ciphertext and plaintext may not point to (exactly) the same
 // slice or non-intersecting slices.
 func Encrypt(ks *Key, ciphertext, plaintext []byte) ([]byte, error) {
-	// extend ciphertext slice if necessary
 	ciphertext = ciphertext[:cap(ciphertext)]
+
+	// test for same slice, if possible
+	if len(plaintext) > 0 && len(ciphertext) > 0 && &plaintext[0] == &ciphertext[0] {
+		return nil, ErrInvalidCiphertext
+	}
+
+	// extend ciphertext slice if necessary
 	if len(ciphertext) < len(plaintext)+Extension {
 		ext := len(plaintext) + Extension - cap(ciphertext)
 		ciphertext = append(ciphertext, make([]byte, ext)...)
diff --git a/crypto/crypto_test.go b/crypto/crypto_test.go
index bf1863abf..2a8375035 100644
--- a/crypto/crypto_test.go
+++ b/crypto/crypto_test.go
@@ -95,6 +95,28 @@ func TestSameBuffer(t *testing.T) {
 		"wrong plaintext returned")
 }
 
+func TestCornerCases(t *testing.T) {
+	k := crypto.NewKey()
+
+	// nil plaintext should encrypt to the empty string
+	// nil ciphertext should allocate a new slice for the ciphertext
+	c, err := crypto.Encrypt(k, nil, nil)
+	OK(t, err)
+
+	Assert(t, len(c) == crypto.Extension,
+		"wrong length returned for ciphertext, expected 0, got %d",
+		len(c))
+
+	// this should decrypt to an empty slice
+	p, err := crypto.Decrypt(k, nil, c)
+	OK(t, err)
+	Equals(t, []byte{}, p)
+
+	// test encryption for same slice, this should return an error
+	_, err = crypto.Encrypt(k, c, c)
+	Equals(t, crypto.ErrInvalidCiphertext, err)
+}
+
 func TestLargeEncrypt(t *testing.T) {
 	if !*testLargeCrypto {
 		t.SkipNow()