diff --git a/cython/py_imc_termite.pyx b/cython/py_imc_termite.pyx
index 4c5500d..be7a8bd 100644
--- a/cython/py_imc_termite.pyx
+++ b/cython/py_imc_termite.pyx
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ cdef class imctermite:
   # get JSON list of channels
   def get_channels(self, bool data):
     chnlst = self.cpp_imc.get_channels(True,data)
-    chnlstjn = [jn.loads(chn.decode(errors="ignore"),parse_float=decimal.Decimal) for chn in chnlst]
+    chnlstjn = [jn.loads(chn.decode(errors="ignore")) for chn in chnlst]
     return chnlstjn
 
   # print channels
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ cdef class imctermite:
   # print table including channels
   def print_table(self, string outputfile):
     chnlst = self.cpp_imc.get_channels(True,True)
-    chnlstjn = [jn.loads(chn.decode(errors="ignore"),parse_float=decimal.Decimal) for chn in chnlst]
+    chnlstjn = [jn.loads(chn.decode(errors="ignore")) for chn in chnlst]
     with open(outputfile.decode(),'w') as fout:
       for chn in chnlstjn:
         fout.write('#' +str(chn['xname']).rjust(19)+str(chn['yname']).rjust(20)+'\n')
diff --git a/lib/imc_raw.hpp b/lib/imc_raw.hpp
index 4f12176..b6ef834 100644
--- a/lib/imc_raw.hpp
+++ b/lib/imc_raw.hpp
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ namespace imc
     // check consistency of blocks
     void check_consistency()
     {
-      for ( unsigned long int b = 0; b < this->rawblocks_.size()-1; b++ )
+      for ( unsigned long int b = 0; b < this->rawblocks_.size()-1 && this->rawblocks_.size() > 0; b++ )
       {
         if ( this->rawblocks_[b].get_end() >= this->rawblocks_[b+1].get_begin() )
         {
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 9ddf0bf..9148d1c 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -178,6 +178,13 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
       return 1;
     }
 
+    // catch invalid or empty ".raw" file
+    if ( imcraw.blocks().size() == 0 )
+    {
+      std::cerr<<"this appears to be an empty/invalid '.raw' file since no blocks were found"<<"\n";
+      return 1;
+    }
+
     // list blocks
     if ( cfgopts.count("listblocks") == 1 )
     {