diff --git a/rai/core_test/interface.cpp b/rai/core_test/interface.cpp
index cf64a673..1c5a0386 100644
--- a/rai/core_test/interface.cpp
+++ b/rai/core_test/interface.cpp
@@ -100,6 +100,12 @@ TEST (interface, sign_transaction)
 	free (transaction);
 }
 
+TEST (interface, fail_sign_transaction)
+{
+	rai::uint256_union data (0);
+	xrb_sign_transaction ("", data.bytes.data ());
+}
+
 TEST (interface, work_transaction)
 {
 	rai::raw_key key;
@@ -117,3 +123,9 @@ TEST (interface, work_transaction)
 	ASSERT_FALSE (rai::work_validate (*block));
 	free (transaction);
 }
+
+TEST (interface, fail_work_transaction)
+{
+	rai::uint256_union data (0);
+	xrb_work_transaction ("");
+}
diff --git a/rai/lib/interface.cpp b/rai/lib/interface.cpp
index cb2c802c..40f24e3a 100644
--- a/rai/lib/interface.cpp
+++ b/rai/lib/interface.cpp
@@ -78,21 +78,27 @@ void xrb_key_account (const xrb_uint256 key, xrb_uint256 pub)
 char * xrb_sign_transaction (const char * transaction, const xrb_uint256 private_key)
 {
 	char * result (nullptr);
-	boost::property_tree::ptree block_l;
-	std::string transaction_l (transaction);
-	std::stringstream block_stream (transaction_l);
-	boost::property_tree::read_json (block_stream, block_l);
-	auto block (rai::deserialize_block_json (block_l));
-	if (block != nullptr)
+	try
+	{
+		boost::property_tree::ptree block_l;
+		std::string transaction_l (transaction);
+		std::stringstream block_stream (transaction_l);
+		boost::property_tree::read_json (block_stream, block_l);
+		auto block (rai::deserialize_block_json (block_l));
+		if (block != nullptr)
+		{
+			rai::uint256_union pub;
+			ed25519_publickey (private_key, pub.bytes.data ());
+			rai::raw_key prv;
+			prv.data = *reinterpret_cast <rai::uint256_union *> (private_key);
+			block->signature_set (rai::sign_message (prv, pub, block->hash ()));
+			auto json (block->to_json ());
+			result = reinterpret_cast <char *> (malloc (json.size () + 1));
+			strncpy (result, json.c_str (), json.size () + 1);
+		}
+	}
+	catch (std::runtime_error const & err)
 	{
-		rai::uint256_union pub;
-		ed25519_publickey (private_key, pub.bytes.data ());
-		rai::raw_key prv;
-		prv.data = *reinterpret_cast <rai::uint256_union *> (private_key);
-		block->signature_set (rai::sign_message (prv, pub, block->hash ()));
-		auto json (block->to_json ());
-		result = reinterpret_cast <char *> (malloc (json.size () + 1));
-		strncpy (result, json.c_str (), json.size () + 1);
 	}
 	return result;
 }
@@ -100,19 +106,25 @@ char * xrb_sign_transaction (const char * transaction, const xrb_uint256 private
 char * xrb_work_transaction (const char * transaction)
 {
 	char * result (nullptr);
-	boost::property_tree::ptree block_l;
-	std::string transaction_l (transaction);
-	std::stringstream block_stream (transaction_l);
-	boost::property_tree::read_json (block_stream, block_l);
-	auto block (rai::deserialize_block_json (block_l));
-	if (block != nullptr)
+	try
+	{
+		boost::property_tree::ptree block_l;
+		std::string transaction_l (transaction);
+		std::stringstream block_stream (transaction_l);
+		boost::property_tree::read_json (block_stream, block_l);
+		auto block (rai::deserialize_block_json (block_l));
+		if (block != nullptr)
+		{
+			rai::work_pool pool (std::thread::hardware_concurrency ());
+			auto work (pool.generate (block->root ()));
+			block->block_work_set (work);
+			auto json (block->to_json ());
+			result = reinterpret_cast <char *> (malloc (json.size () + 1));
+			strncpy (result, json.c_str (), json.size () + 1);
+		}
+	}
+	catch (std::runtime_error const & err)
 	{
-		rai::work_pool pool (std::thread::hardware_concurrency ());
-		auto work (pool.generate (block->root ()));
-		block->block_work_set (work);
-		auto json (block->to_json ());
-		result = reinterpret_cast <char *> (malloc (json.size () + 1));
-		strncpy (result, json.c_str (), json.size () + 1);
 	}
 	return result;
 }