diff --git a/db/db_versioned.go b/db/db_versioned.go
index f414f6073b..532d647df1 100644
--- a/db/db_versioned.go
+++ b/db/db_versioned.go
@@ -105,6 +105,9 @@ func (b *BoltDBVersioned) Put(version uint64, ns string, key, value []byte) erro
 	if !b.db.IsReady() {
 		return ErrDBNotStarted
 	}
+	if len(value) == 0 {
+		return errors.Wrap(ErrInvalid, "not allowed to write nil value")
+	}
 	// check namespace
 	vn, err := b.checkNamespace(ns)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/db/db_versioned_test.go b/db/db_versioned_test.go
index 3980f70410..3ce8599671 100644
--- a/db/db_versioned_test.go
+++ b/db/db_versioned_test.go
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ func TestVersionedDB(t *testing.T) {
 	vn, err = db.checkNamespace(_bucket1)
 	r.NoError(err)
 	r.EqualValues(len(_k2), vn.keyLen)
+	// cannot write nil value
+	r.Equal(ErrInvalid, errors.Cause(db.Put(1, _bucket1, _k2, nil)))
 	km, err = db.checkKey(_bucket1, _k2)
 	r.Zero(km.firstVersion)
 	r.Zero(km.lastVersion)