diff --git a/src/js/crypto/pgp.js b/src/js/crypto/pgp.js
index 36e9587..e6ecd5d 100644
--- a/src/js/crypto/pgp.js
+++ b/src/js/crypto/pgp.js
@@ -153,7 +153,16 @@ define(function(require) {
             receiverKeys[i] = openpgp.read_publicKey(receiverKeys[i])[0];
         }
 
-        ct = openpgp.write_signed_and_encrypted_message(privateKey, receiverKeys, plaintext);
+        // encrypt and sign the plaintext
+        try {
+            ct = openpgp.write_signed_and_encrypted_message(privateKey, receiverKeys, plaintext);
+        } catch (err) {
+            callback({
+                errMsg: 'Error encrypting plaintext!',
+                err: err
+            });
+            return;
+        }
 
         callback(null, ct);
     };
@@ -162,12 +171,20 @@ define(function(require) {
      * Decrypt and verify a pgp message for a single sender
      */
     PGP.prototype.decrypt = function(ciphertext, senderKey, callback) {
-        var privateKey = openpgp.keyring.exportPrivateKey(0).obj;
+        var privateKey, msg, keymat, sesskey, decrypted;
+
+        privateKey = openpgp.keyring.exportPrivateKey(0).obj;
         senderKey = openpgp.read_publicKey(senderKey)[0];
 
-        var msg = openpgp.read_message(ciphertext)[0];
-        var keymat = null;
-        var sesskey = null;
+        try {
+            msg = openpgp.read_message(ciphertext)[0];
+        } catch (err) {
+            callback({
+                errMsg: 'Error decrypting PGP message!',
+                err: err
+            });
+            return;
+        }
 
         // Find the private (sub)key for the session key of the message
         for (var i = 0; i < msg.sessionKeys.length; i++) {
@@ -190,15 +207,26 @@ define(function(require) {
                 }
             }
         }
-        if (keymat !== null) {
-            var decrypted = msg.decryptAndVerifySignature(keymat, sesskey, senderKey);
-            callback(null, decrypted.text);
 
-        } else {
+        if (!keymat) {
             callback({
                 errMsg: 'No private key found!'
             });
+            return;
         }
+
+        // decrypt and verify ciphertext
+        try {
+            decrypted = msg.decryptAndVerifySignature(keymat, sesskey, senderKey);
+        } catch (err) {
+            callback({
+                errMsg: 'Error decrypting PGP message!',
+                err: err
+            });
+            return;
+        }
+
+        callback(null, decrypted.text);
     };
 
     return PGP;
diff --git a/src/js/dao/email-dao.js b/src/js/dao/email-dao.js
index 9d8dcee..65b5997 100644
--- a/src/js/dao/email-dao.js
+++ b/src/js/dao/email-dao.js
@@ -296,8 +296,7 @@ define(function(require) {
                 // decrypt and verfiy signatures
                 self._crypto.decrypt(email.body, senderPubkey.publicKey, function(err, decrypted) {
                     if (err) {
-                        callback(err);
-                        return;
+                        decrypted = err.errMsg;
                     }
 
                     email.body = decrypted;
diff --git a/test/new-unit/pgp-test.js b/test/new-unit/pgp-test.js
index 62fa570..3cb7387 100644
--- a/test/new-unit/pgp-test.js
+++ b/test/new-unit/pgp-test.js
@@ -147,6 +147,16 @@ define(function(require) {
             });
 
             describe('Encrypt', function() {
+                it('should fail', function(done) {
+                    var input = null;
+
+                    pgp.encrypt(input, [pubkey], function(err, ct) {
+                        expect(err).to.exist;
+                        expect(ct).to.not.exist;
+                        done();
+                    });
+                });
+
                 it('should work', function(done) {
                     pgp.encrypt(message, [pubkey], function(err, ct) {
                         expect(err).to.not.exist;
@@ -158,6 +168,16 @@ define(function(require) {
             });
 
             describe('Decrypt', function() {
+                it('should fail', function(done) {
+                    var input = 'asdfa\rsdf';
+
+                    pgp.decrypt(input, pubkey, function(err, pt) {
+                        expect(err).to.exist;
+                        expect(pt).to.not.exist;
+                        done();
+                    });
+                });
+
                 it('should work', function(done) {
                     pgp.decrypt(ciphertext, pubkey, function(err, pt) {
                         expect(err).to.not.exist;