diff --git a/src/gogoutils/parser.py b/src/gogoutils/parser.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/src/gogoutils/parser.py
+++ b/src/gogoutils/parser.py
@@ -4,10 +4,18 @@ except ImportError:
     from urlparse import urlparse
 
 
+class ParserError(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
 class Parser(object):
     """A Parser for urls"""
 
     def __init__(self, url):
+
+        if not url:
+            error = 'url may not be "None" or empty'
+            raise ParserError(error)
         self.url = url.lower()
 
     def parse_url(self):
diff --git a/tests/test_parser.py b/tests/test_parser.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/tests/test_parser.py
+++ b/tests/test_parser.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-from gogoutils.parser import Parser
+import pytest
+from gogoutils.parser import Parser, ParserError
 
 
 def test_parser_url():
@@ -26,3 +27,14 @@ def test_parser_url():
         project, repo = Parser(url).parse_url()
         assert project == 'gogoair'
         assert repo == 'test'
+
+
+def test_empty_params():
+    urls = [
+        None,
+        '',
+    ]
+
+    for url in urls:
+        with pytest.raises(ParserError):
+            g = Parser(url)
Ensure an url is passed to Parser