diff --git a/red/nodes/Node.js b/red/nodes/Node.js
index 86f2b006d..c2fdc7c4f 100644
--- a/red/nodes/Node.js
+++ b/red/nodes/Node.js
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ Node.prototype.close = function() {
 Node.prototype.send = function(msg) {
     // instanceof doesn't work for some reason here
     if (msg == null) {
-        msg = [];
+        return;
     } else if (!util.isArray(msg)) {
         msg = [msg];
     }
@@ -119,27 +119,26 @@ Node.prototype.receive = function(msg) {
     this.emit("input",msg);
 }
 
+function log_helper(self, level, msg) {
+    var o = {level:level, id:self.id, type:self.type, msg:msg};
+    if (self.name) {
+        o.name = self.name;
+    }
+    self.emit("log",o);
+}
+
 Node.prototype.log = function(msg) {
-    var o = {level:'log',id:this.id, type:this.type, msg:msg};
-    if (this.name) {
-        o.name = this.name;
-    }
-    this.emit("log",o);
+    log_helper(this, 'log', msg);
 }
+
 Node.prototype.warn = function(msg) {
-    var o = {level:'warn',id:this.id, type:this.type, msg:msg};
-    if (this.name) {
-        o.name = this.name;
-    }
-    this.emit("log",o);
+    log_helper(this, 'warn', msg);
 }
+
 Node.prototype.error = function(msg) {
-    var o = {level:'error',id:this.id, type:this.type, msg:msg};
-    if (this.name) {
-        o.name = this.name;
-    }
-    this.emit("log",o);
+    log_helper(this, 'error', msg);
 }
+
 /**
  * status: { fill:"red|green", shape:"dot|ring", text:"blah" }
  */
diff --git a/test/node_spec.js b/test/node_spec.js
index 642458367..123fbf827 100644
--- a/test/node_spec.js
+++ b/test/node_spec.js
@@ -170,6 +170,70 @@ describe('Node', function() {
             
             n1.send(messages);
         });
+
+        it('emits no messages', function(done) {
+            var n1 = new RedNode({id:'n1',type:'abc',wires:[['n2']]});
+            var n2 = new RedNode({id:'n2',type:'abc'});
+
+            n2.on('input',function(msg) {
+                should.fail(null,null,"unexpected message");
+            });
+            
+            setTimeout(function() {
+                done();
+            }, 200);
+            
+            n1.send();
+        });
+
     });
-    
+
+    describe('#log', function() {
+        it('emits a log message', function(done) {
+            var n = new RedNode({id:'123',type:'abc'});
+            n.on('log',function(obj) {
+                should.deepEqual({level:"log", id:n.id,
+                                  type:n.type, msg:"a log message"}, obj);
+                done();
+            });
+            n.log("a log message");
+        });
+    });
+
+    describe('#log', function() {
+        it('emits a log message with a name', function(done) {
+            var n = new RedNode({id:'123', type:'abc', name:"barney"});
+            n.on('log',function(obj) {
+                should.deepEqual({level:"log", id:n.id, name: "barney",
+                                  type:n.type, msg:"a log message"}, obj);
+                done();
+            });
+            n.log("a log message");
+        });
+    });
+
+    describe('#warn', function() {
+        it('emits a warning', function(done) {
+            var n = new RedNode({id:'123',type:'abc'});
+            n.on('log',function(obj) {
+                should.deepEqual({level:"warn", id:n.id,
+                                  type:n.type, msg:"a warning"}, obj);
+                done();
+            });
+            n.warn("a warning");
+        });
+    });
+
+    describe('#error', function() {
+        it('emits an error message', function(done) {
+            var n = new RedNode({id:'123',type:'abc'});
+            n.on('log',function(obj) {
+                should.deepEqual({level:"error", id:n.id,
+                                  type:n.type, msg:"an error message"}, obj);
+                done();
+            });
+            n.error("an error message");
+        });
+    });
+
 });