diff --git a/rados/ioctx.go b/rados/ioctx.go
index ab17196..d487070 100644
--- a/rados/ioctx.go
+++ b/rados/ioctx.go
@@ -141,17 +141,18 @@ func (ioctx *IOContext) Append(oid string, data []byte) error {
 // Read reads up to len(data) bytes from the object with key oid starting at byte
 // offset offset. It returns the number of bytes read and an error, if any.
 func (ioctx *IOContext) Read(oid string, data []byte, offset uint64) (int, error) {
-	if len(data) == 0 {
-		return 0, nil
-	}
-
 	c_oid := C.CString(oid)
 	defer C.free(unsafe.Pointer(c_oid))
 
+	var buf *C.char
+	if len(data) > 0 {
+		buf = (*C.char)(unsafe.Pointer(&data[0]))
+	}
+
 	ret := C.rados_read(
 		ioctx.ioctx,
 		c_oid,
-		(*C.char)(unsafe.Pointer(&data[0])),
+		buf,
 		(C.size_t)(len(data)),
 		(C.uint64_t)(offset))