diff --git a/pgtype/date_test.go b/pgtype/date_test.go
index 65d743e9..3a473b6a 100644
--- a/pgtype/date_test.go
+++ b/pgtype/date_test.go
@@ -94,4 +94,20 @@ func TestDateAssignTo(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("%d: expected %v to assign %v, but result was %v", i, tt.src, tt.expected, dst)
 		}
 	}
+
+	errorTests := []struct {
+		src pgtype.Date
+		dst interface{}
+	}{
+		{src: pgtype.Date{Time: time.Date(2015, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), InfinityModifier: pgtype.Infinity, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &tim},
+		{src: pgtype.Date{Time: time.Date(2015, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), InfinityModifier: pgtype.NegativeInfinity, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &tim},
+		{src: pgtype.Date{Time: time.Date(2015, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), Status: pgtype.Null}, dst: &tim},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range errorTests {
+		err := tt.src.AssignTo(tt.dst)
+		if err == nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d: expected error but none was returned (%v -> %v)", i, tt.src, tt.dst)
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/pgtype/int2_test.go b/pgtype/int2_test.go
index 1074c9b5..8601309d 100644
--- a/pgtype/int2_test.go
+++ b/pgtype/int2_test.go
@@ -118,4 +118,24 @@ func TestInt2AssignTo(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("%d: expected %v to assign %v, but result was %v", i, tt.src, tt.expected, dst)
 		}
 	}
+
+	errorTests := []struct {
+		src pgtype.Int2
+		dst interface{}
+	}{
+		{src: pgtype.Int2{Int: 150, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i8},
+		{src: pgtype.Int2{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui8},
+		{src: pgtype.Int2{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui16},
+		{src: pgtype.Int2{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui32},
+		{src: pgtype.Int2{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui64},
+		{src: pgtype.Int2{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui},
+		{src: pgtype.Int2{Int: 0, Status: pgtype.Null}, dst: &i16},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range errorTests {
+		err := tt.src.AssignTo(tt.dst)
+		if err == nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d: expected error but none was returned (%v -> %v)", i, tt.src, tt.dst)
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/pgtype/int4_test.go b/pgtype/int4_test.go
index cd57e2c9..0ac2e5b5 100644
--- a/pgtype/int4_test.go
+++ b/pgtype/int4_test.go
@@ -118,4 +118,25 @@ func TestInt4AssignTo(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("%d: expected %v to assign %v, but result was %v", i, tt.src, tt.expected, dst)
 		}
 	}
+
+	errorTests := []struct {
+		src pgtype.Int4
+		dst interface{}
+	}{
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 150, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i8},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 40000, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i16},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui8},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui16},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui32},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui64},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui},
+		{src: pgtype.Int4{Int: 0, Status: pgtype.Null}, dst: &i32},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range errorTests {
+		err := tt.src.AssignTo(tt.dst)
+		if err == nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d: expected error but none was returned (%v -> %v)", i, tt.src, tt.dst)
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/pgtype/int8_test.go b/pgtype/int8_test.go
index f9d8646f..15762a50 100644
--- a/pgtype/int8_test.go
+++ b/pgtype/int8_test.go
@@ -118,4 +118,26 @@ func TestInt8AssignTo(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("%d: expected %v to assign %v, but result was %v", i, tt.src, tt.expected, dst)
 		}
 	}
+
+	errorTests := []struct {
+		src pgtype.Int8
+		dst interface{}
+	}{
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 150, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i8},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 40000, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i16},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 5000000000, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &i32},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui8},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui16},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui32},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui64},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: -1, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &ui},
+		{src: pgtype.Int8{Int: 0, Status: pgtype.Null}, dst: &i64},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range errorTests {
+		err := tt.src.AssignTo(tt.dst)
+		if err == nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d: expected error but none was returned (%v -> %v)", i, tt.src, tt.dst)
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/pgtype/timestamptz.go b/pgtype/timestamptz.go
index 4f08cd2a..721c8084 100644
--- a/pgtype/timestamptz.go
+++ b/pgtype/timestamptz.go
@@ -55,10 +55,7 @@ func (src *Timestamptz) AssignTo(dst interface{}) error {
 			// if dst is a pointer to pointer, strip the pointer and try again
 			case reflect.Ptr:
 				if src.Status == Null {
-					if !el.IsNil() {
-						// if the destination pointer is not nil, nil it out
-						el.Set(reflect.Zero(el.Type()))
-					}
+					el.Set(reflect.Zero(el.Type()))
 					return nil
 				}
 				if el.IsNil() {
diff --git a/pgtype/timestamptz_test.go b/pgtype/timestamptz_test.go
index adb72620..8f80ca81 100644
--- a/pgtype/timestamptz_test.go
+++ b/pgtype/timestamptz_test.go
@@ -103,4 +103,20 @@ func TestTimestamptzAssignTo(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("%d: expected %v to assign %v, but result was %v", i, tt.src, tt.expected, dst)
 		}
 	}
+
+	errorTests := []struct {
+		src pgtype.Timestamptz
+		dst interface{}
+	}{
+		{src: pgtype.Timestamptz{Time: time.Date(2015, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), InfinityModifier: pgtype.Infinity, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &tim},
+		{src: pgtype.Timestamptz{Time: time.Date(2015, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), InfinityModifier: pgtype.NegativeInfinity, Status: pgtype.Present}, dst: &tim},
+		{src: pgtype.Timestamptz{Time: time.Date(2015, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.Local), Status: pgtype.Null}, dst: &tim},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range errorTests {
+		err := tt.src.AssignTo(tt.dst)
+		if err == nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d: expected error but none was returned (%v -> %v)", i, tt.src, tt.dst)
+		}
+	}
 }