diff --git a/lib/hdpublickey.js b/lib/hdpublickey.js
index 2a8504893..e23774a57 100644
--- a/lib/hdpublickey.js
+++ b/lib/hdpublickey.js
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var _ = require('lodash');
+var $ = require('./util/preconditions');
+
 var BN = require('./crypto/bn');
 var Base58 = require('./encoding/base58');
 var Base58Check = require('./encoding/base58check');
@@ -356,7 +358,18 @@ HDPublicKey._validateBufferArguments = function (arg) {
   }
 };
 
-HDPublicKey.fromString = HDPublicKey.fromObject = HDPublicKey.fromJSON = function(arg) {
+HDPublicKey.fromJSON = function(arg) {
+  $.checkArgument(JSUtil.isValidJSON(arg), 'No valid JSON string was provided');
+  return new HDPublicKey(arg);
+};
+
+HDPublicKey.fromObject = function(arg) {
+  $.checkArgument(_.isObject(arg), 'No valid argument was provided');
+  return new HDPublicKey(arg);
+};
+
+HDPublicKey.fromString = function(arg) {
+  $.checkArgument(_.isString(arg), 'No valid string was provided');
   return new HDPublicKey(arg);
 };
 
diff --git a/test/hdprivatekey.js b/test/hdprivatekey.js
index 3c4789841..eabad67ab 100644
--- a/test/hdprivatekey.js
+++ b/test/hdprivatekey.js
@@ -91,25 +91,25 @@ describe('HDPrivate key interface', function() {
     it('fromJSON checks that a valid JSON is provided', function() {
       var errorMessage = 'No valid JSON string was provided';
       var method = 'fromJSON';
-      expectStaticMethodFail(method, undefined, errorMessage); 
-      expectStaticMethodFail(method, null, errorMessage); 
-      expectStaticMethodFail(method, 'invalid JSON', errorMessage); 
-      expectStaticMethodFail(method, '{\'singlequotes\': true}', errorMessage); 
-      expectStaticMethodFail(method, {}, errorMessage); 
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, undefined, errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, null, errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, 'invalid JSON', errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, '{\'singlequotes\': true}', errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, {}, errorMessage);
     });
     it('fromString checks that a string is provided', function() {
       var errorMessage = 'No valid string was provided';
       var method = 'fromString';
-      expectStaticMethodFail(method, undefined, errorMessage); 
-      expectStaticMethodFail(method, null, errorMessage); 
-      expectStaticMethodFail(method, {}, errorMessage); 
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, undefined, errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, null, errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, {}, errorMessage);
     });
     it('fromObject checks that an object is provided', function() {
       var errorMessage = 'No valid argument was provided';
       var method = 'fromObject';
-      expectStaticMethodFail(method, undefined, errorMessage); 
-      expectStaticMethodFail(method, null, errorMessage); 
-      expectStaticMethodFail(method, '', errorMessage); 
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, undefined, errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, null, errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, '', errorMessage);
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/test/hdpublickey.js b/test/hdpublickey.js
index df4faf53f..54816b02c 100644
--- a/test/hdpublickey.js
+++ b/test/hdpublickey.js
@@ -122,7 +122,35 @@ describe('HDPublicKey interface', function() {
         return new HDPublicKey(buffers);
       }, errors.InvalidB58Checksum);
     });
+  });
 
+  describe('building with static methods', function() {
+    var expectStaticMethodFail = function(staticMethod, argument, message) {
+      expect(HDPublicKey[staticMethod].bind(null, argument)).to.throw(message);
+    };
+    it('fromJSON checks that a valid JSON is provided', function() {
+      var errorMessage = 'No valid JSON string was provided';
+      var method = 'fromJSON';
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, undefined, errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, null, errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, 'invalid JSON', errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, '{\'singlequotes\': true}', errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, {}, errorMessage);
+    });
+    it('fromString checks that a string is provided', function() {
+      var errorMessage = 'No valid string was provided';
+      var method = 'fromString';
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, undefined, errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, null, errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, {}, errorMessage);
+    });
+    it('fromObject checks that an object is provided', function() {
+      var errorMessage = 'No valid argument was provided';
+      var method = 'fromObject';
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, undefined, errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, null, errorMessage);
+      expectStaticMethodFail(method, '', errorMessage);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('error checking on serialization', function() {
@@ -246,7 +274,7 @@ describe('HDPublicKey interface', function() {
 
   it('rejects illegal paths', function() {
     var valid;
-    
+
     valid = HDPublicKey.isValidPath('m/-1/12');
     valid.should.equal(false);