diff --git a/libtorrent/include/libtorrent/peer_connection.hpp b/libtorrent/include/libtorrent/peer_connection.hpp
index b459c491e..2c01e4dfb 100755
--- a/libtorrent/include/libtorrent/peer_connection.hpp
+++ b/libtorrent/include/libtorrent/peer_connection.hpp
@@ -395,6 +395,9 @@ namespace libtorrent
 #ifndef TORRENT_DISABLE_ENCRYPTION
 		buffer::interval wr_recv_buffer()
 		{
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+			if (m_recv_buffer.empty()) return buffer::interval(0,0);
+#endif
 			return buffer::interval(&m_recv_buffer[0]
 				, &m_recv_buffer[0] + m_recv_pos);
 		}
@@ -402,6 +405,9 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		
 		buffer::const_interval receive_buffer() const
 		{
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+			if (m_recv_buffer.empty()) return buffer::const_interval(0,0);
+#endif
 			return buffer::const_interval(&m_recv_buffer[0]
 				, &m_recv_buffer[0] + m_recv_pos);
 		}