diff --git a/cursor.go b/cursor.go
index 0e235ff..d9b69fc 100644
--- a/cursor.go
+++ b/cursor.go
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ func (c *Cursor) Seek(key string) {
 		rec, err = c.collection.readRecord(c.collection.Head)
 		c.collection.metaLock.RUnlock()
 		if err != nil {
-			if atomic.LoadInt64(&c.current.Next) != 0 {
+			if c.current != nil && atomic.LoadInt64(&c.current.Next) != 0 {
 				c.err = err
 			}
 			c.current = nil
diff --git a/lm2_test.go b/lm2_test.go
index 89dcf79..08cef60 100644
--- a/lm2_test.go
+++ b/lm2_test.go
@@ -693,3 +693,22 @@ func TestSeekOverwrittenKey(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestEmptyCollectionCursorSeekPanic(t *testing.T) {
+	c, err := NewCollection("/tmp/test_emptycollectioncursorseekpanic.lm2", 100)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer c.Destroy()
+
+	cur, err := c.NewCursor()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	cur.Seek("asdf")
+
+	if cur.Valid() {
+		t.Errorf("expected cur.Valid() to return false")
+	}
+}