diff --git a/events/producer/events.go b/events/producer/events.go
index d0a33f006ed..69e96b076b2 100644
--- a/events/producer/events.go
+++ b/events/producer/events.go
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ type chaincodeHandlerList struct {
 }
 
 func (hl *chaincodeHandlerList) add(ie *pb.Interest, h *handler) (bool, error) {
+	if h == nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("cannot add nil chaincode handler")
+	}
+
 	hl.Lock()
 	defer hl.Unlock()
 
@@ -157,6 +161,9 @@ func (hl *chaincodeHandlerList) foreach(e *pb.Event, action func(h *handler)) {
 }
 
 func (hl *genericHandlerList) add(ie *pb.Interest, h *handler) (bool, error) {
+	if h == nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("cannot add nil generic handler")
+	}
 	hl.Lock()
 	if _, ok := hl.handlers[h]; ok {
 		hl.Unlock()
diff --git a/events/producer/events_test.go b/events/producer/events_test.go
index 0b83c24fd5a..e3a8eddaaf7 100644
--- a/events/producer/events_test.go
+++ b/events/producer/events_test.go
@@ -127,6 +127,8 @@ func TestRegister(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// attempt to register handlers (invalid type or nil handlers)
 	assert.Error(t, registerHandler(&peer.Interest{EventType: 100}, nil))
+	assert.Error(t, registerHandler(&peer.Interest{EventType: peer.EventType_BLOCK}, nil))
+	assert.Error(t, registerHandler(&peer.Interest{EventType: peer.EventType_CHAINCODE}, nil))
 
 	// attempt to register valid handler
 	recvChan := make(chan *streamEvent)