diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 26e0983..b1230ba 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -116,7 +116,16 @@ module.exports = function (Adapter) {
                 if (error)
                   return error.code === 'ENOENT' ? resolve() : reject(error)
 
-                record = msgpack.decode(buffer)
+                if(buffer.length === 0) {
+                  return reject(new Error(`Decode record failed. File is empty: ${filePath}`))
+                }
+                else {
+                  try {
+                    record = msgpack.decode(buffer)
+                  } catch (e) {
+                    return reject(new Error(`Decode record failed. File is corrupt: ${filePath}`, { cause: e }))
+                  }
+                }
 
                 if (!(type in self.db)) self.db[type] = {}
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 45bb4d1..8b4868c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
     "lint": "eslint index.js",
     "postpublish": "npm run tag",
     "tag": "git tag `npm v fortune-fs version` && git push origin --tags",
-    "test": "npm run lint && node test.js"
+    "test": "npm run lint && node test/test.js"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "lockfile": "^1.0.4",
diff --git a/test/corrupt-file b/test/corrupt-file
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..549dd39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/corrupt-file
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+‚¢id£bar
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/empty-file b/test/empty-file
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/test/test.js b/test/test.js
index 280f631..5b3016b 100644
--- a/test/test.js
+++ b/test/test.js
@@ -1,22 +1,80 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var testAdapter = require('fortune/test/adapter')
-var fsAdapter = require('./index')
+var fsAdapter = require('../index')
 const fortune = require('fortune')
-const assert = require('node:assert/strict')
+const fs = require('node:fs')
+const run = require('tapdance')
 
 testAdapter(fsAdapter)
 
-assert.doesNotThrow(() => {
-  const concurrentReads = 1
-  const store = fortune({}, {
-    adapter: [fsAdapter, { concurrentReads }],
-  })
-  assert.equal(store.adapter.options.concurrentReads, concurrentReads)
-})
+run((assert, comment) => {
+  comment('concurrentReads validation')
+
+  let thrown = false
+
+  try {
+    const concurrentReads = 1
+    const store = fortune({}, {
+      adapter: [fsAdapter, { concurrentReads }],
+    })
+    assert(store.adapter.options.concurrentReads === concurrentReads, `adapter has expected concurrentReads value --- expected: ${store.adapter.options.concurrentReads} --- actual: ${concurrentReads}`)
+  } catch (e) {
+    thrown = true
+    console.error(e)
+  }
+
+  assert(!thrown, 'concurrentReads 1 is valid')
+
+  thrown = false
+  let expectedError
+
+  try {
+    fortune({}, {
+      adapter: [fsAdapter, { concurrentReads: 0 }],
+    })
+  } catch (e) {
+    thrown = true
+    expectedError = e.message === 'concurrentReads must be > 0'
+    if(!expectedError) {
+      // only log the error if it was something we did not expect
+      console.error(e)
+    }
+  }
+
+  assert(thrown, 'concurrentReads 0 is not valid')
+  assert(expectedError, 'got expected error for concurrentReads 0')
+});
+
+(async () => {
+
+  run(async (assert, comment) => {
+    comment('msgpack decode validation')
+
+    const store = fortune(
+      { foo: { bar: Boolean } },
+      { adapter: [fsAdapter] })
+
+    fs.mkdirSync('db/foo', { recursive: true })
+    fs.copyFileSync('test/empty-file', 'db/foo/1')
+    fs.copyFileSync('test/valid-file', 'db/foo/3')
+    fs.copyFileSync('test/corrupt-file', 'db/foo/6')
+
+    try {
+      await store.find('foo', [1])
+    } catch (error) {
+      assert(error.message.includes('Decode record failed. File is empty'), `empty error message is present: ${error.message}`)
+    }
+
+    try {
+      await store.find('foo', [6])
+    } catch (error) {
+      assert(error.message.includes('Decode record failed. File is corrupt'), `corrupt error message is present ${error.message}`)
+    }
+
+    const result = await store.find('foo', [3])
+    assert(result.payload.records.length === 1, 'valid record is found')
 
-assert.throws(() => {
-  fortune({}, {
-    adapter: [fsAdapter, { concurrentReads: 0 }],
   })
-})
+
+})()
diff --git a/test/valid-file b/test/valid-file
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..232ca77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/valid-file
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+‚¢id£barĂ
\ No newline at end of file