diff --git a/lib/notmuch.h b/lib/notmuch.h
index 0dc89547..037913f4 100644
--- a/lib/notmuch.h
+++ b/lib/notmuch.h
@@ -1402,7 +1402,10 @@ notmuch_message_get_thread_id (notmuch_message_t *message);
  * NULL. (Note that notmuch_messages_valid will accept that NULL
  * value as legitimate, and simply return FALSE for it.)
  *
- * The returned list will be destroyed when the thread is destroyed.
+ * This function also returns NULL if it triggers a Xapian exception.
+ *
+ * The returned list will be destroyed when the thread is
+ * destroyed.
  */
 notmuch_messages_t *
 notmuch_message_get_replies (notmuch_message_t *message);
diff --git a/test/T560-lib-error.sh b/test/T560-lib-error.sh
index 777eb375..d7caed5a 100755
--- a/test/T560-lib-error.sh
+++ b/test/T560-lib-error.sh
@@ -387,4 +387,22 @@ cat <<EOF > EXPECTED
 EOF
 test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
 
+# XXX TODO: test on a message from notmuch_thread_get_toplevel_messages
+# XXX this test only tests the trivial code path
+test_begin_subtest "Handle getting replies from closed database"
+cat c_head2 - c_tail <<'EOF' | test_C ${MAIL_DIR}
+    {
+        notmuch_messages_t *replies;
+        replies = notmuch_message_get_replies (message);
+        printf("%d\n%d\n", message != NULL, replies==NULL);
+    }
+EOF
+cat <<EOF > EXPECTED
+== stdout ==
+1
+1
+== stderr ==
+EOF
+test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
+
 test_done