diff --git a/c_src/sqlite3_drv.c b/c_src/sqlite3_drv.c
index 4ba530d..1b2e42a 100644
--- a/c_src/sqlite3_drv.c
+++ b/c_src/sqlite3_drv.c
@@ -250,8 +250,10 @@ static int sql_exec(sqlite3_drv_t *drv, char *command, int command_size) {
   fflush(drv->log);
 #endif
   result = sqlite3_prepare_v2(drv->db, command, command_size, &statement, &rest);
-  if ((result != SQLITE_OK) || (statement == NULL)) {
+  if (result != SQLITE_OK) {
     return output_db_error(drv);
+  } else if (statement == NULL) {
+    return output_error(drv, SQLITE_MISUSE, "empty statement");
   }
 
   return sql_exec_statement(drv, statement);
@@ -471,8 +473,10 @@ static int sql_bind_and_exec(sqlite3_drv_t *drv, char *buffer, int buffer_size)
   result = sqlite3_prepare_v2(drv->db, command, size, &statement, &rest);
   driver_free(command);
 
-  if ((result != SQLITE_OK) || (statement == NULL)) {
+  if (result != SQLITE_OK) {
     return output_db_error(drv);
+  } else if (statement == NULL) {
+    return output_error(drv, SQLITE_MISUSE, "empty statement");
   }
 
   result = bind_parameters(drv, buffer, buffer_size, &index, statement, &type, &size);
@@ -924,8 +928,10 @@ static int prepare(sqlite3_drv_t *drv, char *command, int command_size) {
   fflush(drv->log);
 #endif
   result = sqlite3_prepare_v2(drv->db, command, command_size, &statement, &rest);
-  if ((result != SQLITE_OK) || (statement == NULL)) {
+  if (result != SQLITE_OK) {
     return output_db_error(drv);
+  } else if (statement == NULL) {
+    return output_error(drv, SQLITE_MISUSE, "empty statement");
   }
 
   if (drv->prepared_count >= drv->prepared_alloc) {
diff --git a/test/sqlite3_test.erl b/test/sqlite3_test.erl
index 5f117d0..e7bf266 100644
--- a/test/sqlite3_test.erl
+++ b/test/sqlite3_test.erl
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ basic_functionality() ->
     AbbyOnly = [{1, <<"abby">>, 20, 2000}],
     TableInfo = [{id, integer, [primary_key]}, {name, text, [not_null, unique]}, {age, integer}, {wage, integer}],
     drop_all_tables(ct),
+    ?debugMsg("Error message \"sqlite3 driver error: empty statement\" should be shown..."),
+    ?assertEqual(
+        {error, 21, "empty statement"},
+        sqlite3:sql_exec(ct, "-- Comment")),
     ?assertEqual(
         [], 
         sqlite3:list_tables(ct)),