diff --git a/contracts/ownership/Ownable.sol b/contracts/ownership/Ownable.sol
index d6366479fc2..fcb3ef91fa4 100644
--- a/contracts/ownership/Ownable.sol
+++ b/contracts/ownership/Ownable.sol
@@ -33,9 +33,8 @@ contract Ownable {
    * @param newOwner The address to transfer ownership to.
    */
   function transferOwnership(address newOwner) onlyOwner {
-    if (newOwner != address(0)) {
-      owner = newOwner;
-    }
+    require(newOwner != address(0));      
+    owner = newOwner;
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/test/Ownable.js b/test/Ownable.js
index 0ad2fffcbe3..9c66d482650 100644
--- a/test/Ownable.js
+++ b/test/Ownable.js
@@ -36,10 +36,12 @@ contract('Ownable', function(accounts) {
 
   it('should guard ownership against stuck state', async function() {
     let originalOwner = await ownable.owner();
-    await ownable.transferOwnership(null, {from: originalOwner});
-    let newOwner = await ownable.owner();
-
-    assert.equal(originalOwner, newOwner);
+    try {
+      await ownable.transferOwnership(null, {from: originalOwner});
+      assert.fail();
+    } catch(error) {
+      assertJump(error);
+    }
   });
 
-});
+});
\ No newline at end of file