diff --git a/doc.go b/doc.go
index 944adbb..ea988ef 100644
--- a/doc.go
+++ b/doc.go
@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@ Get makes a Gemini request:
 	if err != nil {
 		// handle error
 	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	if resp.Status.Class() == gemini.StatusClassSucess {
+		defer resp.Body.Close()
+		// ...
+	}
 	// ...
 
 For control over client behavior, create a Client:
diff --git a/examples/client.go b/examples/client.go
index 9f5efae..012e6df 100644
--- a/examples/client.go
+++ b/examples/client.go
@@ -80,9 +80,9 @@ func main() {
 		fmt.Println(err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	if resp.Status.Class() == gemini.StatusClassSuccess {
+		defer resp.Body.Close()
 		body, err := ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatal(err)
diff --git a/response.go b/response.go
index 89d4d5c..8f24419 100644
--- a/response.go
+++ b/response.go
@@ -2,10 +2,8 @@ package gemini
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
-	"bytes"
 	"crypto/tls"
 	"io"
-	"io/ioutil"
 	"strconv"
 )
 
@@ -21,7 +19,6 @@ type Response struct {
 	Meta string
 
 	// Body contains the response body for successful responses.
-	// Body is guaranteed to be non-nil.
 	Body io.ReadCloser
 
 	// Request is the request that was sent to obtain this response.
@@ -86,8 +83,6 @@ func (resp *Response) read(rc io.ReadCloser) error {
 
 	if resp.Status.Class() == StatusClassSuccess {
 		resp.Body = newReadCloserBody(br, rc)
-	} else {
-		resp.Body = ioutil.NopCloser(bytes.NewReader([]byte{}))
 	}
 	return nil
 }