func SerializeObject(object interface{}) []byte {
	var serializationBuffer bytes.Buffer

        // workaround
	if object == nil || (reflect.ValueOf(object).Kind() == reflect.Ptr && reflect.ValueOf(object).IsNil()) {
		return []byte{}
	}

	enc := gob.NewEncoder(&serializationBuffer)
	err := enc.Encode(object)  // panic here
	if err != nil {
		log.Println("Cannot serialize object. Error is: " + err.Error())
		return []byte{}
	}
	return serializationBuffer.Bytes()
}

diff --git a/src/encoding/gob/encoder.go b/src/encoding/gob/encoder.go
index 53e2cace16..ea3cbe9397 100644
--- a/src/encoding/gob/encoder.go
+++ b/src/encoding/gob/encoder.go
@@ -214,13 +214,12 @@ func (enc *Encoder) sendTypeId(state *encoderState, ut *userTypeInfo) {
 
 // EncodeValue transmits the data item represented by the reflection value,
 // guaranteeing that all necessary type information has been transmitted first.
-// Passing a nil pointer to EncodeValue will panic, as they cannot be transmitted by gob.
 func (enc *Encoder) EncodeValue(value reflect.Value) error {
        if value.Kind() == reflect.Invalid {
                return errors.New("gob: cannot encode nil value")
        }
        if value.Kind() == reflect.Ptr && value.IsNil() {
-               panic("gob: cannot encode nil pointer of type " + value.Type().String())
+               return errors.New("gob: cannot encode nil pointer of type " + value.Type().String())
        }
 
        // Make sure we're single-threaded through here, so multiple