diff --git a/pkg/eth/backend.go b/pkg/eth/backend.go
index 07e4c709..b2a4d438 100644
--- a/pkg/eth/backend.go
+++ b/pkg/eth/backend.go
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ import (
 var (
 	errPendingBlockNumber  = errors.New("pending block number not supported")
 	errNegativeBlockNumber = errors.New("negative block number not supported")
+	errHeaderHashNotFound  = errors.New("header for hash not found")
+	errHeaderNotFound      = errors.New("header not found")
 )
 
 const (
@@ -599,7 +601,7 @@ func (b *Backend) GetAccountByNumber(ctx context.Context, address common.Address
 	}
 	hash, err := b.GetCanonicalHash(uint64(number))
 	if err == sql.ErrNoRows {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("header not found")
+		return nil, errHeaderNotFound
 	} else if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -611,7 +613,9 @@ func (b *Backend) GetAccountByNumber(ctx context.Context, address common.Address
 func (b *Backend) GetAccountByHash(ctx context.Context, address common.Address, hash common.Hash) (*state.Account, error) {
 	_, err := b.HeaderByHash(context.Background(), hash)
 	if err == sql.ErrNoRows {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no canoncial block found for provided hash (%s)", hash)
+		return nil, errHeaderHashNotFound
+	} else if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	_, accountRlp, err := b.IPLDRetriever.RetrieveAccountByAddressAndBlockHash(address, hash)
@@ -725,17 +729,24 @@ func (b *Backend) GetStorageByNumber(ctx context.Context, address common.Address
 		return nil, errPendingBlockNumber
 	}
 	hash, err := b.GetCanonicalHash(uint64(number))
-	if err != nil {
+	if err == sql.ErrNoRows {
+		return nil, errHeaderNotFound
+	} else if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	if hash == (common.Hash{}) {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no canoncial block hash found for provided height (%d)", number)
-	}
+
 	return b.GetStorageByHash(ctx, address, storageLeafKey, hash)
 }
 
 // GetStorageByHash returns the storage value for the provided contract address an storage key at the block corresponding to the provided hash
 func (b *Backend) GetStorageByHash(ctx context.Context, address common.Address, storageLeafKey, hash common.Hash) (hexutil.Bytes, error) {
+	_, err := b.HeaderByHash(context.Background(), hash)
+	if err == sql.ErrNoRows {
+		return nil, errHeaderHashNotFound
+	} else if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	_, storageRlp, err := b.IPLDRetriever.RetrieveStorageAtByAddressAndStorageKeyAndBlockHash(address, storageLeafKey, hash)
 	return storageRlp, err
 }
diff --git a/pkg/eth/eth_state_test.go b/pkg/eth/eth_state_test.go
index e9a45e43..d824be19 100644
--- a/pkg/eth/eth_state_test.go
+++ b/pkg/eth/eth_state_test.go
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 var _ = Describe("eth state reading tests", func() {
+	const chainLength = 5
 	var (
 		blocks                  []*types.Block
 		receipts                []types.Receipts
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ var _ = Describe("eth state reading tests", func() {
 		api = eth.NewPublicEthAPI(backend, nil, false)
 
 		// make the test blockchain (and state)
-		blocks, receipts, chain = test_helpers.MakeChain(5, test_helpers.Genesis, test_helpers.TestChainGen)
+		blocks, receipts, chain = test_helpers.MakeChain(chainLength, test_helpers.Genesis, test_helpers.TestChainGen)
 		params := statediff.Params{
 			IntermediateStateNodes:   true,
 			IntermediateStorageNodes: true,
@@ -491,6 +492,16 @@ var _ = Describe("eth state reading tests", func() {
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 			Expect(val).To(Equal(hexutil.Bytes{}))
 		})
+		It("Throws an error for a non-existing block hash", func() {
+			_, err := api.GetStorageAt(ctx, test_helpers.ContractAddr, test_helpers.IndexOne, rpc.BlockNumberOrHashWithHash(randomHash, true))
+			Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(err).To(MatchError("header for hash not found"))
+		})
+		It("Throws an error for a non-existing block number", func() {
+			_, err := api.GetStorageAt(ctx, test_helpers.ContractAddr, test_helpers.IndexOne, rpc.BlockNumberOrHashWithNumber(chainLength+1))
+			Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(err).To(MatchError("header not found"))
+		})
 	})
 
 	Describe("eth_getHeaderByNumber", func() {
diff --git a/test/integration_test.go b/test/integration_test.go
index f883ffc6..43cb8626 100644
--- a/test/integration_test.go
+++ b/test/integration_test.go
@@ -380,6 +380,17 @@ var _ = Describe("Integration test", func() {
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 			Expect(gethStorage).To(Equal(ipldStorage))
 		})
+		It("gets storage for non-existing block number", func() {
+			blockNum := contract.BlockNumber + 100
+			totalSupplyIndex := "0x2"
+
+			gethStorage, err := gethClient.StorageAt(ctx, common.HexToAddress(contract.Address), common.HexToHash(totalSupplyIndex), big.NewInt(int64(blockNum)))
+			Expect(err).To(MatchError("header not found"))
+
+			ipldStorage, err := ipldClient.StorageAt(ctx, common.HexToAddress(contract.Address), common.HexToHash(totalSupplyIndex), big.NewInt(int64(blockNum)))
+			Expect(err).To(MatchError("header not found"))
+			Expect(gethStorage).To(Equal(ipldStorage))
+		})
 	})
 
 	Describe("eth call", func() {