diff --git a/client_test.go b/client_test.go
index 2f288ab..b3522a2 100644
--- a/client_test.go
+++ b/client_test.go
@@ -1269,6 +1269,7 @@ func assertEqual(t *testing.T, got, want any, opts ...cmp.Option) {
 }
 
 func recoverThenFail(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Helper()
 	if r := recover(); r != nil {
 		fmt.Print(string(debug.Stack()))
 		t.Fatal(r)
diff --git a/lifecycle_test.go b/lifecycle_test.go
index 7440c56..21ca565 100644
--- a/lifecycle_test.go
+++ b/lifecycle_test.go
@@ -195,3 +195,120 @@ func Test_LifecycleChainedHooksAreCalled(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, 1, lhState["hooks1-post-read-immediate"])
 	require.Equal(t, 1, lhState["hooks2-post-read-immediate"])
 }
+
+// Test_LifecycleChainedNilPostReadImmediateInvocation confirms the invocation of a lifecycle hook method constructed
+// via `ChainLifecycleHooks` which is nil doesn't panic. This in response to a bug where incorrect nil checks resulted
+// in panicked invocations
+func Test_LifecycleChainedNilPostReadImmediateInvocation(t *testing.T) {
+	defer recoverThenFail(t)
+
+	h1 := noopLifecycleHooks()
+	h1.PostReadImmediate = nil
+	h2 := LifecycleHooks{}
+	chained := ChainLifecycleHooks(h1, h2)
+
+	chained.PostReadImmediate(context.Background(), LifecyclePostReadImmediateMeta{})
+}
+
+// Test_LifecycleChainedNilPostReadInvocation confirms the invocation of a lifecycle hook method constructed
+// via `ChainLifecycleHooks` which is nil doesn't panic. This in response to a bug where incorrect nil checks resulted
+// in panicked invocations
+func Test_LifecycleChainedNilPostReadInvocation(t *testing.T) {
+	defer recoverThenFail(t)
+
+	h1 := noopLifecycleHooks()
+	h1.PostRead = nil
+	h2 := LifecycleHooks{}
+	chained := ChainLifecycleHooks(h1, h2)
+
+	_, err := chained.PostRead(context.Background(), LifecyclePostReadMeta{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+// Test_LifecycleChainedNilPreProcessingInvocation confirms the invocation of a lifecycle hook method constructed
+// via `ChainLifecycleHooks` which is nil doesn't panic. This in response to a bug where incorrect nil checks resulted
+// in panicked invocations
+func Test_LifecycleChainedNilPreProcessingInvocation(t *testing.T) {
+	defer recoverThenFail(t)
+
+	h1 := noopLifecycleHooks()
+	h1.PreProcessing = nil
+	h2 := LifecycleHooks{}
+	chained := ChainLifecycleHooks(h1, h2)
+
+	_, err := chained.PreProcessing(context.Background(), LifecyclePreProcessingMeta{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+// Test_LifecycleChainedNilPostProcessingInvocation confirms the invocation of a lifecycle hook method constructed
+// via `ChainLifecycleHooks` which is nil doesn't panic. This in response to a bug where incorrect nil checks resulted
+// in panicked invocations
+func Test_LifecycleChainedNilPostProcessingInvocation(t *testing.T) {
+	defer recoverThenFail(t)
+
+	h1 := noopLifecycleHooks()
+	h1.PostProcessing = nil
+	h2 := LifecycleHooks{}
+	chained := ChainLifecycleHooks(h1, h2)
+
+	err := chained.PostProcessing(context.Background(), LifecyclePostProcessingMeta{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+// Test_LifecycleChainedNiPostAckInvocation confirms the invocation of a lifecycle hook method constructed
+// via `ChainLifecycleHooks` which is nil doesn't panic. This in response to a bug where incorrect nil checks resulted
+// in panicked invocations
+func Test_LifecycleChainedNiPostAckInvocation(t *testing.T) {
+	defer recoverThenFail(t)
+
+	h1 := noopLifecycleHooks()
+	h1.PostAck = nil
+	h2 := LifecycleHooks{}
+	chained := ChainLifecycleHooks(h1, h2)
+
+	err := chained.PostAck(context.Background(), LifecyclePostAckMeta{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+// Test_LifecycleChainedNilPreWriteInvocation confirms the invocation of a lifecycle hook method constructed
+// via `ChainLifecycleHooks` which is nil doesn't panic. This in response to a bug where incorrect nil checks resulted
+// in panicked invocations
+func Test_LifecycleChainedNilPreWriteInvocation(t *testing.T) {
+	defer recoverThenFail(t)
+
+	h1 := noopLifecycleHooks()
+	h1.PreWrite = nil
+	h2 := LifecycleHooks{}
+	chained := ChainLifecycleHooks(h1, h2)
+
+	_, err := chained.PreWrite(context.Background(), LifecyclePreWriteMeta{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+// Test_LifecycleChainedNilPostFanoutInvocation confirms the invocation of a lifecycle hook method constructed
+// via `ChainLifecycleHooks` which is nil doesn't panic. This in response to a bug where incorrect nil checks resulted
+// in panicked invocations
+func Test_LifecycleChainedNilPostFanoutInvocation(t *testing.T) {
+	defer recoverThenFail(t)
+
+	h1 := noopLifecycleHooks()
+	h1.PostFanout = nil
+	h2 := LifecycleHooks{}
+	chained := ChainLifecycleHooks(h1, h2)
+
+	chained.PostFanout(context.Background())
+}
+
+func noopLifecycleHooks() LifecycleHooks {
+	return LifecycleHooks{
+		PostRead:          func(ctx context.Context, meta LifecyclePostReadMeta) (context.Context, error) { return nil, nil },
+		PostReadImmediate: func(ctx context.Context, meta LifecyclePostReadImmediateMeta) {},
+		PreProcessing:     func(ctx context.Context, meta LifecyclePreProcessingMeta) (context.Context, error) { return nil, nil },
+		PostProcessing:    func(ctx context.Context, meta LifecyclePostProcessingMeta) error { return nil },
+		PostAck:           func(ctx context.Context, meta LifecyclePostAckMeta) error { return nil },
+		PreWrite: func(ctx context.Context, meta LifecyclePreWriteMeta) (LifecyclePreWriteResp, error) {
+			return LifecyclePreWriteResp{}, nil
+		},
+		PostFanout: func(ctx context.Context) {},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/message_test.go b/message_test.go
index bad5441..9be627f 100644
--- a/message_test.go
+++ b/message_test.go
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ func TestMessage_Value(t *testing.T) {
 		value: []byte(valueStr),
 	}
 	got := m.Value()
-	require.NotSame(t, m.value, got, "should not return the same reference")
+	require.NotSame(t, &m.value, &got, "should not return the same reference")
 	require.Equal(t, valueStr, string(got), "should return the same string representation")
 }