diff --git a/assets/examples/empty.yml b/assets/examples/empty.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..73b314f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/assets/examples/empty.yml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+---
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/v1/ytbx/common.go b/pkg/v1/ytbx/common.go
index e07d478..c1b6bc3 100644
--- a/pkg/v1/ytbx/common.go
+++ b/pkg/v1/ytbx/common.go
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ const (
 // GetType returns the type of the input value with a YAML specific view
 func GetType(value interface{}) string {
 	switch tobj := value.(type) {
-	case yaml.MapSlice:
+
+	case yaml.MapSlice, nil:
 		return typeMap
 
 	case []interface{}:
diff --git a/pkg/v1/ytbx/getting_test.go b/pkg/v1/ytbx/getting_test.go
index 3911f59..c3acc72 100644
--- a/pkg/v1/ytbx/getting_test.go
+++ b/pkg/v1/ytbx/getting_test.go
@@ -59,4 +59,10 @@ var _ = Describe("getting stuff test cases", func() {
 			Expect(grabError(example, "/yaml/named-entry-list-using-id/id=0")).To(BeEquivalentTo("there is no entry id=0 in the list"))
 		})
 	})
+	Context("Trying to get values by path in an empty file", func() {
+		It("should return a not found key error", func() {
+			emptyFile := yml("../../../assets/examples/empty.yml")
+			Expect(grabError(emptyFile, "does-not-exist")).To(BeEquivalentTo("no key 'does-not-exist' found in map, available keys: "))
+		})
+	})
 })