diff --git a/gridfs/grid_file.py b/gridfs/grid_file.py
index ebd04b987..08bedf02c 100644
--- a/gridfs/grid_file.py
+++ b/gridfs/grid_file.py
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ class GridFile(object):
         if file:
             self.__id = file["_id"]
         else:
+            if mode == "r":
+                raise IOError("No such file: %r" % file_spec)
             file_spec["length"] = 0
             file_spec["uploadDate"] = datetime.datetime.now()
             file_spec.setdefault("chunkSize", 256000)
diff --git a/test/test_grid_file.py b/test/test_grid_file.py
index e70b7cbb7..9cc55080b 100644
--- a/test/test_grid_file.py
+++ b/test/test_grid_file.py
@@ -58,6 +58,13 @@ class TestGridFile(unittest.TestCase):
         file.close()
 
     def test_create_grid_file(self):
+        self.db._files.remove({})
+        self.db._chunks.remove({})
+
+        # just write a blank file so that reads on {} don't fail
+        file = GridFile({"filename": "test"}, self.db, "w")
+        file.close()
+
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, GridFile, "hello", self.db)
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, GridFile, None, self.db)
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, GridFile, 5, self.db)
@@ -81,5 +88,8 @@ class TestGridFile(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, GridFile, {}, self.db, "r", 5)
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, GridFile, {}, self.db, "r", [])
 
+        self.assertRaises(IOError, GridFile, {"filename": "mike"}, self.db)
+        self.assertTrue(GridFile({"filename": "test"}, self.db))
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()