diff --git a/go/libraries/doltcore/schema/encoding/schema_marshaling.go b/go/libraries/doltcore/schema/encoding/schema_marshaling.go
index 4cd078f48a..4644386c85 100644
--- a/go/libraries/doltcore/schema/encoding/schema_marshaling.go
+++ b/go/libraries/doltcore/schema/encoding/schema_marshaling.go
@@ -466,6 +466,9 @@ func UnmarshalSchemaAtAddr(ctx context.Context, vr types.ValueReader, addr hash.
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if schemaVal == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("database malformed: no schema found at address %s", addr.String())
+	}
 
 	sch, err := UnmarshalSchema(ctx, vr.Format(), schemaVal)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/go/libraries/doltcore/schema/encoding/schema_marshaling_test.go b/go/libraries/doltcore/schema/encoding/schema_marshaling_test.go
index 7358775e00..86561ff128 100644
--- a/go/libraries/doltcore/schema/encoding/schema_marshaling_test.go
+++ b/go/libraries/doltcore/schema/encoding/schema_marshaling_test.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/dolthub/dolt/go/store/hash"
 	"github.com/dolthub/go-mysql-server/sql"
 	gmstypes "github.com/dolthub/go-mysql-server/sql/types"
 	"github.com/dolthub/vitess/go/sqltypes"
@@ -51,6 +52,13 @@ func createTestSchema() schema.Schema {
 	return sch
 }
 
+func TestSchemaUnmarshal(t *testing.T) {
+	_, vrw, _, err := dbfactory.MemFactory{}.CreateDB(context.Background(), types.Format_Default, nil, nil)
+	val, err := UnmarshalSchemaAtAddr(context.Background(), vrw, hash.Parse("badaddrvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv"))
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	require.Nil(t, val)
+}
+
 func TestNomsMarshalling(t *testing.T) {
 	tSchema := createTestSchema()
 	_, vrw, _, err := dbfactory.MemFactory{}.CreateDB(context.Background(), types.Format_Default, nil, nil)