diff --git a/Core/Interface/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferErrors.h b/Core/Interface/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferErrors.h
index dbffac52..0a9b1293 100644
--- a/Core/Interface/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferErrors.h
+++ b/Core/Interface/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferErrors.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ EXTERN_C_BEGIN
     {
         PASSTHROUGHBUFFER_ERROR_POOL_EXHAUSTED,
         PASSTHROUGHBUFFER_ERROR_UNKNOWN_DESTROY,
+        PASSTHROUGHBUFFER_ERROR_NULL_SENDER,
         PASSTHROUGHBUFFER_ERROR_MAX
     };
 
diff --git a/Core/Source/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferMessages.c b/Core/Source/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferMessages.c
index fd8b7908..8fdd9ea7 100644
--- a/Core/Source/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferMessages.c
+++ b/Core/Source/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferMessages.c
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ static const char* PassthroughBufferError_AsString(uint8_t code)
             "SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer_Create pool exhausted; returning fallback buffer",
         [PASSTHROUGHBUFFER_ERROR_UNKNOWN_DESTROY] =
             "SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer_Destroy called with a handle not issued by this pool",
+        [PASSTHROUGHBUFFER_ERROR_NULL_SENDER] =
+            "SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer_Create called with NULL sender; returning fallback buffer",
     };
     const char* result = "unknown";
     if (code < (uint8_t) PASSTHROUGHBUFFER_ERROR_MAX)
diff --git a/Core/Source/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferStatic.c b/Core/Source/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferStatic.c
index 24905405..0c9e5291 100644
--- a/Core/Source/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferStatic.c
+++ b/Core/Source/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferStatic.c
@@ -27,21 +27,32 @@ static struct SolidSyslogPoolAllocator PassthroughBuffer_Allocator = {
 
 struct SolidSyslogBuffer* SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer_Create(struct SolidSyslogSender* sender)
 {
-    size_t index = SolidSyslogPoolAllocator_AcquireFirstFree(&PassthroughBuffer_Allocator);
     struct SolidSyslogBuffer* handle = SolidSyslogNullBuffer_Get();
-    if (SolidSyslogPoolAllocator_IndexIsValid(&PassthroughBuffer_Allocator, index))
-    {
-        PassthroughBuffer_Initialise(&PassthroughBuffer_Pool[index].Base, sender);
-        handle = &PassthroughBuffer_Pool[index].Base;
-    }
-    else
+    if (sender == NULL)
     {
         SolidSyslog_Error(
             SOLIDSYSLOG_SEVERITY_ERROR,
             &PassthroughBufferErrorSource,
-            (uint8_t) PASSTHROUGHBUFFER_ERROR_POOL_EXHAUSTED
+            (uint8_t) PASSTHROUGHBUFFER_ERROR_NULL_SENDER
         );
     }
+    else
+    {
+        size_t index = SolidSyslogPoolAllocator_AcquireFirstFree(&PassthroughBuffer_Allocator);
+        if (SolidSyslogPoolAllocator_IndexIsValid(&PassthroughBuffer_Allocator, index))
+        {
+            PassthroughBuffer_Initialise(&PassthroughBuffer_Pool[index].Base, sender);
+            handle = &PassthroughBuffer_Pool[index].Base;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            SolidSyslog_Error(
+                SOLIDSYSLOG_SEVERITY_ERROR,
+                &PassthroughBufferErrorSource,
+                (uint8_t) PASSTHROUGHBUFFER_ERROR_POOL_EXHAUSTED
+            );
+        }
+    }
     return handle;
 }
 
diff --git a/Tests/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferTest.cpp b/Tests/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferTest.cpp
index 7f6f896a..45ad9683 100644
--- a/Tests/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferTest.cpp
+++ b/Tests/SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferTest.cpp
@@ -5,8 +5,11 @@
 
 using namespace CososoTesting; // NOLINT(google-build-using-namespace) -- test-file scope only; brings NEVER/ONCE/TWICE/THRICE into scope for the CALLED_*
     // macros
+#include "ErrorHandlerFake.h"
 #include "SolidSyslogBuffer.h"
 #include "SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer.h"
+#include "SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferErrors.h"
+#include "SolidSyslogPrival.h"
 #include "SolidSyslogTunables.h"
 #include "SenderFake.h"
 
@@ -82,6 +85,18 @@ TEST(SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer, ReadReturnsNothingToSend)
     CHECK_FALSE(sent);
 }
 
+TEST(SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer, DestroyWithNullHandleEmitsUnknownDestroyWarning)
+{
+    ErrorHandlerFake_Install(nullptr);
+
+    SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer_Destroy(nullptr);
+
+    CALLED_FAKE(ErrorHandlerFake_Handle, ONCE);
+    LONGS_EQUAL(SOLIDSYSLOG_SEVERITY_WARNING, ErrorHandlerFake_LastSeverity());
+    POINTERS_EQUAL(&PassthroughBufferErrorSource, ErrorHandlerFake_LastSource());
+    UNSIGNED_LONGS_EQUAL(PASSTHROUGHBUFFER_ERROR_UNKNOWN_DESTROY, ErrorHandlerFake_LastCode());
+}
+
 TEST(SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer, UseAfterDestroyIsCrashSafeViaNullBufferVtable)
 {
     /* After Destroy the slot's abstract-base vtable is the shared NullBuffer's, so
@@ -99,15 +114,6 @@ TEST(SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer, UseAfterDestroyIsCrashSafeViaNullBufferVtable
     buffer = SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer_Create(fakeSender); // for teardown
 }
 
-IGNORE_TEST(SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer, HappyPathOnly)
-
-{
-    // Error handling not yet implemented — see Epic #31
-    //   Create with NULL sender returns NULL
-    //   Write with NULL buffer does not crash
-    //   Destroy with NULL buffer does not crash
-}
-
 // Pool tests — prove SOLIDSYSLOG_PASSTHROUGH_BUFFER_POOL_SIZE caps live
 // instances and overflow falls back to a distinct no-op buffer. Generic
 // pool mechanics (lock counts, per-probe locking, stale-handle warning)
@@ -185,3 +191,42 @@ TEST(SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferPool, FallbackWriteAndReadAreNoOps)
     LONGS_EQUAL(0, bytesRead);
     CALLED_FAKE_ON(SenderFake_Send, fakeSender, NEVER);
 }
+
+TEST(SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferPool, CreateWithNullSenderReportsError)
+{
+    ErrorHandlerFake_Install(nullptr);
+
+    overflow = SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer_Create(nullptr);
+
+    CALLED_FAKE(ErrorHandlerFake_Handle, ONCE);
+    LONGS_EQUAL(SOLIDSYSLOG_SEVERITY_ERROR, ErrorHandlerFake_LastSeverity());
+    POINTERS_EQUAL(&PassthroughBufferErrorSource, ErrorHandlerFake_LastSource());
+    UNSIGNED_LONGS_EQUAL(PASSTHROUGHBUFFER_ERROR_NULL_SENDER, ErrorHandlerFake_LastCode());
+}
+
+TEST(SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferPool, CreateWithNullSenderReturnsFallbackDistinctFromAnyPoolSlot)
+{
+    FillPool();
+
+    overflow = SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer_Create(nullptr);
+
+    CHECK_TEXT(overflow != nullptr, "Fallback handle was nullptr");
+    for (auto* slot : pooled)
+    {
+        CHECK_TEXT(overflow != slot, "Fallback handle collided with a pool slot");
+    }
+}
+
+TEST(SolidSyslogPassthroughBufferPool, CreateWithNullSenderDoesNotConsumeAPoolSlot)
+{
+    // If the failed Create had leaked its acquired slot, FillPool would overflow
+    // into the fallback one slot sooner and one pool slot would collide with
+    // `overflow` (both pointing at the NullBuffer singleton).
+    overflow = SolidSyslogPassthroughBuffer_Create(nullptr);
+
+    FillPool();
+    for (auto* slot : pooled)
+    {
+        CHECK_TEXT(slot != overflow, "Pool slot collided with the NULL-sender fallback handle");
+    }
+}