diff --git a/ouroboros.go b/ouroboros.go
index ab079d4d..b6e836b6 100644
--- a/ouroboros.go
+++ b/ouroboros.go
@@ -103,10 +103,14 @@ func (o *Ouroboros) Dial(proto string, address string) error {
 
 func (o *Ouroboros) Close() error {
 	// Gracefully stop the muxer
-	o.muxer.Stop()
+	if o.muxer != nil {
+		o.muxer.Stop()
+	}
 	// Close the underlying connection
-	if err := o.conn.Close(); err != nil {
-		return err
+	if o.conn != nil {
+		if err := o.conn.Close(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/ouroboros_test.go b/ouroboros_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..77207368
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ouroboros_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+package ouroboros_test
+
+import (
+	ouroboros "github.com/cloudstruct/go-ouroboros-network"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// Ensure that we don't panic when closing the Ouroboros object after a failed Dial() call
+func TestDialFailClose(t *testing.T) {
+	oOpts := &ouroboros.OuroborosOptions{}
+	oConn, err := ouroboros.New(oOpts)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error when creating Ouroboros object: %s", err)
+	}
+	err = oConn.Dial("unix", "/path/does/not/exist")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("did not get expected failure on Dial()")
+	}
+	// Close Ouroboros connection
+	oConn.Close()
+}