diff --git a/epan/tvbtest.c b/epan/tvbtest.c
index 57deeba73d..fb5984d1c8 100644
--- a/epan/tvbtest.c
+++ b/epan/tvbtest.c
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ test(tvbuff_t *tvb, const gchar* name,
 		ex_thrown = TRUE;
 	}
 	CATCH_ALL {
-		printf("02: Caught wrong exception: %lu\n", exc->except_id.except_code);
+		printf("03: Caught wrong exception: %lu\n", exc->except_id.except_code);
 	}
 	ENDTRY;
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ test(tvbuff_t *tvb, const gchar* name,
 		printf("04: Caught wrong exception: ReportedBoundsError\n");
 	}
 	CATCH_ALL {
-		printf("02: Caught wrong exception: %lu\n", exc->except_id.except_code);
+		printf("04: Caught wrong exception: %lu\n", exc->except_id.except_code);
 	}
 	ENDTRY;
 
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ test(tvbuff_t *tvb, const gchar* name,
 	/* Test boundary case. A BoundsError exception should not be thrown. */
 	ex_thrown = FALSE;
 	TRY {
-		tvb_get_ptr(tvb, 0, 1);
+		tvb_get_ptr(tvb, 0, length ? 1 : 0);
 	}
 	CATCH(BoundsError) {
 		ex_thrown = TRUE;
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ test(tvbuff_t *tvb, const gchar* name,
 		printf("05: Caught wrong exception: ReportedBoundsError\n");
 	}
 	CATCH_ALL {
-		printf("02: Caught wrong exception: %lu\n", exc->except_id.except_code);
+		printf("05: Caught wrong exception: %lu\n", exc->except_id.except_code);
 	}
 	ENDTRY;
 
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ test(tvbuff_t *tvb, const gchar* name,
 	/* Test boundary case. A BoundsError exception should not be thrown. */
 	ex_thrown = FALSE;
 	TRY {
-		tvb_get_ptr(tvb, -1, 1);
+		tvb_get_ptr(tvb, -1, length ? 1 : 0);
 	}
 	CATCH(BoundsError) {
 		ex_thrown = TRUE;
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ test(tvbuff_t *tvb, const gchar* name,
 		printf("06: Caught wrong exception: ReportedBoundsError\n");
 	}
 	CATCH_ALL {
-		printf("02: Caught wrong exception: %lu\n", exc->except_id.except_code);
+		printf("06: Caught wrong exception: %lu\n", exc->except_id.except_code);
 	}
 	ENDTRY;
 
@@ -258,7 +258,8 @@ test(tvbuff_t *tvb, const gchar* name,
 
 	/* One big memdup */
 	ptr = (guint8*)tvb_memdup(NULL, tvb, 0, -1);
-	if (memcmp(ptr, expected_data, length) != 0) {
+	if ((length != 0 && memcmp(ptr, expected_data, length) != 0) ||
+	    (length == 0 && ptr != NULL)) {
 		printf("12: Failed TVB=%s Offset=0 Length=-1 "
 				"Bad memdup\n", name);
 		failed = TRUE;
@@ -279,9 +280,11 @@ run_tests(void)
 	int		i, j;
 
 	tvbuff_t	*tvb_parent;
+	tvbuff_t	*tvb_empty;
 	tvbuff_t	*tvb_small[3];
 	tvbuff_t	*tvb_large[3];
 	tvbuff_t	*tvb_subset[6];
+	tvbuff_t	*tvb_empty_subset;
 	guint8		*small[3];
 	guint		small_length[3];
 	guint		small_reported_length[3];
@@ -326,6 +329,10 @@ run_tests(void)
 		tvb_set_free_cb(tvb_large[i], g_free);
 	}
 
+	/* Test empty tvb */
+	tvb_empty = tvb_new_child_real_data(tvb_parent, NULL, 0, 1);
+	test(tvb_empty, "Empty", NULL, 0, 1);
+
 	/* Test the "real" tvbuff objects. */
 	test(tvb_small[0], "Small 0", small[0], small_length[0], small_reported_length[0]);
 	test(tvb_small[1], "Small 1", small[1], small_length[1], small_reported_length[1]);
@@ -373,6 +380,10 @@ run_tests(void)
 	test(tvb_subset[4], "Subset 4", subset[4], subset_length[4], subset_reported_length[4]);
 	test(tvb_subset[5], "Subset 5", subset[5], subset_length[5], subset_reported_length[5]);
 
+	/* Subset of an empty tvb. */
+	tvb_empty_subset = tvb_new_subset_length_caplen(tvb_empty, 0, 0, 1);
+	test(tvb_empty_subset, "Empty Subset", NULL, 0, 1);
+
 	/* One Real */
 	printf("Making Composite 0\n");
 	tvb_comp[0]		= tvb_new_composite();
diff --git a/epan/tvbuff.c b/epan/tvbuff.c
index e40401075a..c759b91a26 100644
--- a/epan/tvbuff.c
+++ b/epan/tvbuff.c
@@ -762,6 +762,14 @@ ensure_contiguous_no_exception(tvbuff_t *tvb, const gint offset, const gint leng
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * Special case: if the caller (e.g. tvb_get_ptr) requested no data,
+	 * then it is acceptable to have an empty tvb (!tvb->real_data).
+	 */
+	if (length == 0) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * We know that all the data is present in the tvbuff, so
 	 * no exceptions should be thrown.
@@ -783,7 +791,7 @@ ensure_contiguous(tvbuff_t *tvb, const gint offset, const gint length)
 	const guint8 *p;
 
 	p = ensure_contiguous_no_exception(tvb, offset, length, &exception);
-	if (p == NULL) {
+	if (p == NULL && length != 0) {
 		DISSECTOR_ASSERT(exception > 0);
 		THROW(exception);
 	}