diff --git a/c_src/exml.cpp b/c_src/exml.cpp
index 56d188c..ab64b18 100644
--- a/c_src/exml.cpp
+++ b/c_src/exml.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <chrono>
+#include <cstring>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <string>
 #include <thread>
@@ -551,6 +552,13 @@ static ERL_NIF_TERM parse_next(ErlNifEnv *env, int argc,
         enif_make_string(env, result.error_message.c_str(), ERL_NIF_LATIN1));
   }
 
+  // Raise an exception when null character is found.
+  std::size_t rest_size = &Parser::buffer.back() - result.rest;
+  if (std::strlen(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(result.rest)) != rest_size)
+    return enif_make_tuple2(
+        env, atom_error,
+        enif_make_string(env, "null character found in buffer", ERL_NIF_LATIN1));
+
   return enif_make_tuple3(
       env, atom_ok, element,
       enif_make_uint64(env, result.rest - Parser::buffer.data()));
diff --git a/test/exml_stream_tests.erl b/test/exml_stream_tests.erl
index 5420f3a..99b8e0a 100644
--- a/test/exml_stream_tests.erl
+++ b/test/exml_stream_tests.erl
@@ -191,18 +191,24 @@ stream_max_child_size_test() ->
 
 infinite_stream_partial_chunk_test() ->
     {ok, Parser0} = exml_stream:new_parser([{infinite_stream, true}, {autoreset, true}]),
-	{ok, Parser1, Open} = exml_stream:parse(Parser0, <<"<open xmlns='urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-framing' to='i.am.banana.com' version='1.0'/>">>),
+    {ok, Parser1, Open} = exml_stream:parse(Parser0, <<"<open xmlns='urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-framing' to='i.am.banana.com' version='1.0'/>">>),
     ?assertEqual(
        [#xmlel{name = <<"open">>,
-			   attrs = [{<<"xmlns">>, <<"urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-framing">>},
-						{<<"to">>, <<"i.am.banana.com">>},
-						{<<"version">>, <<"1.0">>}]}],
+               attrs = [{<<"xmlns">>, <<"urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-framing">>},
+                        {<<"to">>, <<"i.am.banana.com">>},
+                        {<<"version">>, <<"1.0">>}]}],
        Open),
     {ok, Parser2, A} = exml_stream:parse(Parser1, <<"<a></a>">>),
-	?assertEqual([#xmlel{name = <<"a">>, attrs = []}], A),
-	{ok, Parser3, Empty0} = exml_stream:parse(Parser2, <<" ">>),
-	?assertEqual([], Empty0),
-	{ok, Parser4, Empty1} = exml_stream:parse(Parser3, <<"<b></b">>),
-	?assertEqual([], Empty1),
-	{ok, _Parser5, B} = exml_stream:parse(Parser4, <<">">>),
-	?assertEqual([#xmlel{name = <<"b">>, attrs = []}], B).
+    ?assertEqual([#xmlel{name = <<"a">>, attrs = []}], A),
+    {ok, Parser3, Empty0} = exml_stream:parse(Parser2, <<" ">>),
+    ?assertEqual([], Empty0),
+    {ok, Parser4, Empty1} = exml_stream:parse(Parser3, <<"<b></b">>),
+    ?assertEqual([], Empty1),
+    {ok, _Parser5, B} = exml_stream:parse(Parser4, <<">">>),
+    ?assertEqual([#xmlel{name = <<"b">>, attrs = []}], B).
+
+null_character_test() ->
+    {ok, P1} = exml_stream:new_parser(),
+    ?assertMatch({error, _}, exml_stream:parse(P1, <<"\0<stream>">>)),
+    {ok, P2} = exml_stream:new_parser(),
+    ?assertMatch({error, _}, exml_stream:parse(P2, <<"<stream>\0">>)).