diff --git a/peer/peer.go b/peer/peer.go
index f98825926..b3d3a7db7 100644
--- a/peer/peer.go
+++ b/peer/peer.go
@@ -209,6 +209,10 @@ func (p *peer) Addresses() []ma.Multiaddr {
 // AddAddress adds the given Multiaddr address to Peer's addresses.
 // Returns whether this address was a newly added address
 func (p *peer) AddAddress(a ma.Multiaddr) bool {
+	if a == nil {
+		panic("adding a nil Multiaddr")
+	}
+
 	p.Lock()
 	defer p.Unlock()
 
diff --git a/routing/dht/dht_test.go b/routing/dht/dht_test.go
index e440964dc..524ebc763 100644
--- a/routing/dht/dht_test.go
+++ b/routing/dht/dht_test.go
@@ -64,6 +64,14 @@ func setupDHTS(ctx context.Context, n int, t *testing.T) ([]ma.Multiaddr, []peer
 	return addrs, peers, dhts
 }
 
+func makePeerString(t *testing.T, addr string) peer.Peer {
+	maddr, err := ma.NewMultiaddr(addr)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	return makePeer(maddr)
+}
+
 func makePeer(addr ma.Multiaddr) peer.Peer {
 	sk, pk, err := ci.GenerateKeyPair(ci.RSA, 512)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/routing/dht/ext_test.go b/routing/dht/ext_test.go
index fa536edd4..e0cae2a88 100644
--- a/routing/dht/ext_test.go
+++ b/routing/dht/ext_test.go
@@ -125,10 +125,10 @@ func TestGetFailures(t *testing.T) {
 	fs := &fauxSender{}
 
 	peerstore := peer.NewPeerstore()
-	local := makePeer(nil)
+	local := makePeerString(t, "")
 
 	d := NewDHT(ctx, local, peerstore, fn, fs, ds.NewMapDatastore())
-	other := makePeer(nil)
+	other := makePeerString(t, "")
 	d.Update(ctx, other)
 
 	// This one should time out
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ func TestNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 	fn := &fauxNet{}
 	fs := &fauxSender{}
 
-	local := makePeer(nil)
+	local := makePeerString(t, "")
 	peerstore := peer.NewPeerstore()
 	peerstore.Add(local)
 
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ func TestLessThanKResponses(t *testing.T) {
 	u.Debug = false
 	fn := &fauxNet{}
 	fs := &fauxSender{}
-	local := makePeer(nil)
+	local := makePeerString(t, "")
 	peerstore := peer.NewPeerstore()
 	peerstore.Add(local)