diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 8d9191b..fadbb73 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -62,6 +62,16 @@ function equalConstTime(b1, b2) {
  */
 var getPublic = exports.getPublic = secp256k1.createPublicKey;
 
+function padMsg(msg) {
+  var zeroes;
+  if (msg.length < 32) {
+    zeroes = new Buffer(32 - msg.length);
+    zeroes.fill(0);
+    msg = Buffer.concat([zeroes, msg]);
+  }
+  return msg;
+}
+
 /**
  * Create an ECDSA signature.
  * @param {Buffer} privateKey - A 32-byte private key
@@ -71,7 +81,7 @@ var getPublic = exports.getPublic = secp256k1.createPublicKey;
  */
 exports.sign = function(privateKey, msg) {
   return new promise(function(resolve) {
-    resolve(secp256k1.sign(privateKey, msg));
+    resolve(secp256k1.sign(privateKey, padMsg(msg)));
   });
 };
 
@@ -85,7 +95,11 @@ exports.sign = function(privateKey, msg) {
  */
 exports.verify = function(publicKey, msg, sig) {
   return new promise(function(resolve, reject) {
-    return secp256k1.verify(publicKey, msg, sig) === 1 ? resolve() : reject();
+    if (secp256k1.verify(publicKey, padMsg(msg), sig) === 1) {
+     resolve();
+    } else {
+     reject(new Error("Bad signature"));
+    }
   });
 };
 
diff --git a/test.js b/test.js
index 2324c1a..9cc3558 100644
--- a/test.js
+++ b/test.js
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 var expect = require("chai").expect;
-var crypto = require("crypto");
+var createHash = require("crypto").createHash;
 var bufferEqual = require("buffer-equal");
 var eccrypto = require("./");
 
-var msg = crypto.createHash("sha256").update("test").digest();
-var otherMsg = crypto.createHash("sha256").update("test2").digest();
+var msg = createHash("sha256").update("test").digest();
+var otherMsg = createHash("sha256").update("test2").digest();
+var shortMsg = createHash("sha1").update("test").digest();
 
 var privateKey = Buffer(32);
 privateKey.fill(1);
@@ -84,6 +85,13 @@ describe("ECDSA", function() {
       });
     });
   });
+
+  it("should allow to sign and verify messages less than 32 bytes", function() {
+    return eccrypto.sign(privateKey, shortMsg).then(function(sig) {
+      expect(Buffer.isBuffer(sig)).to.be.true;
+      return eccrypto.verify(publicKey, shortMsg, sig);
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 describe("ECDH", function() {