diff --git a/rtmp/chunk.go b/rtmp/chunk.go
index 430aaa3..52bf060 100644
--- a/rtmp/chunk.go
+++ b/rtmp/chunk.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"time"
 	"encoding/binary"
+	"errors"
 )
 
 // data intake object, only needed since most of the work is
@@ -189,7 +190,9 @@ func read_message_header_1(conn net.Conn, chnk_stream_ptr *ChunkStream, msg_ptr
 func read_message_header_2(conn net.Conn, chnk_stream_ptr *ChunkStream, msg_ptr *Message, chunk_bufs_ptr *ChunkBuffers) (error) {
 	var extended_time bool
 	var err error
-
+	if chnk_stream_ptr == nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
 	chnk_stream_ptr.timedelta, extended_time, err = read_time(conn, chunk_bufs_ptr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -269,6 +272,9 @@ func ReadChunk(conn net.Conn, open_chnkstrms map[uint32]*ChunkStream, open_msgs
 		// format 1, chunkstream with this csid MUST have been opened before, but message is just starting since
 		// message metadata is being declared
 		chnkstream_ptr = open_chnkstrms[csid]
+		if chnkstream_ptr == nil {
+			return nil, errors.New("Chunkstream was not opened, bad obs")
+		}
 		msg_ptr = new(Message)
 
 		if err := read_message_header_1(conn, chnkstream_ptr, msg_ptr, chunk_bufs_ptr); err != nil {
@@ -281,6 +287,9 @@ func ReadChunk(conn net.Conn, open_chnkstrms map[uint32]*ChunkStream, open_msgs
 	case 2:
 		// format 2, same as 1
 		chnkstream_ptr = open_chnkstrms[csid]
+		if chnkstream_ptr == nil {
+			return nil, errors.New("Chunkstream was not opened, bad obs")
+		}
 		msg_ptr = new(Message)
 
 		if err := read_message_header_2(conn, chnkstream_ptr, msg_ptr, chunk_bufs_ptr); err != nil {
@@ -294,6 +303,9 @@ func ReadChunk(conn net.Conn, open_chnkstrms map[uint32]*ChunkStream, open_msgs
 		// format 3 has no header, only happens when either a previous message over the csid was too large for the chunksize
 		// or a new message with the same exact metadata including timedelta is being sent.
 		chnkstream_ptr = open_chnkstrms[csid]
+		if chnkstream_ptr == nil {
+			return nil, errors.New("Chunkstream was not opened, bad obs")
+		}
 		msg_prev, ok := open_msgs[chnkstream_ptr.last_msg_strm_id]
 		if !ok {
 			msg_ptr = new(Message)