diff --git a/ext/bio/bigwig/bigwigext.c b/ext/bio/bigwig/bigwigext.c
index 71b6850..509cefa 100644
--- a/ext/bio/bigwig/bigwigext.c
+++ b/ext/bio/bigwig/bigwigext.c
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ bw_get_header(VALUE self)
 
   if (!bw)
   {
-    rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "The bigWig file handle is not opened!");
+    rb_raise(rb_eIOError, "The bigWig file handle is not opened!");
     return Qnil;
   }
 
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ bw_get_chroms(int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE self)
 
   if (!bw)
   {
-    rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "The bigWig file handle is not opened!");
+    rb_raise(rb_eIOError, "The bigWig file handle is not opened!");
     return Qnil;
   }
 
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ bw_get_stats(VALUE self, VALUE rb_chrom, VALUE rb_start, VALUE rb_end, VALUE rb_
 
   if (!bw)
   {
-    rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "The bigWig file handle is not opened!");
+    rb_raise(rb_eIOError, "The bigWig file handle is not opened!");
     return Qnil;
   }
 
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ bw_get_values(VALUE self, VALUE rb_chrom, VALUE rb_start, VALUE rb_end)
 
   if (!bw)
   {
-    rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "The bigWig file handle is not opened!");
+    rb_raise(rb_eIOError, "The bigWig file handle is not opened!");
     return Qnil;
   }
 
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ bw_get_intervals(VALUE self, VALUE rb_chrom, VALUE rb_start, VALUE rb_end)
 
   if (!bw)
   {
-    rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "The bigWig file handle is not opened!");
+    rb_raise(rb_eIOError, "The bigWig file handle is not opened!");
     return Qnil;
   }
 
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ bb_get_entries(VALUE self, VALUE rb_chrom, VALUE rb_start, VALUE rb_end, VALUE r
 
   if (!bw)
   {
-    rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "The bigBed file handle is not opened!");
+    rb_raise(rb_eIOError, "The bigBed file handle is not opened!");
     return Qnil;
   }
 
@@ -671,7 +671,7 @@ bb_get_sql(VALUE self)
 
   if (!bw)
   {
-    rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "The bigBed file handle is not opened!");
+    rb_raise(rb_eIOError, "The bigBed file handle is not opened!");
     return Qnil;
   }
 
@@ -701,7 +701,7 @@ bw_get_file_type(VALUE self)
 
   if (!bw)
   {
-    rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "The bigWig file handle is not opened!");
+    rb_raise(rb_eIOError, "The bigWig file handle is not opened!");
     return Qnil;
   }
 
@@ -724,7 +724,7 @@ bw_is_file_type(VALUE self, int type_check)
 
   if (!bw)
   {
-    rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "The bigWig file handle is not opened!");
+    rb_raise(rb_eIOError, "The bigWig file handle is not opened!");
     return Qnil;
   }
 
diff --git a/test/bigwig_test.rb b/test/bigwig_test.rb
index 1f11cce..690d84b 100644
--- a/test/bigwig_test.rb
+++ b/test/bigwig_test.rb
@@ -47,6 +47,21 @@ def test_closed_with_block
     assert_equal true, f.closed?
   end
 
+  def test_closed_file_error
+    bw = Bio::BigWig.new(bwfile)
+    assert_equal Bio::BigWig, bw.class
+    bw.close
+    assert_raises(IOError) { bw.header }
+    assert_raises(IOError) { bw.chroms }
+    assert_raises(IOError) { bw.stats("1") }
+    assert_raises(IOError) { bw.values("1", 0, 3) }
+    assert_raises(IOError) { bw.intervals("1", 0, 3) }
+    assert_raises(IOError) { bw.entries("1", 0, 3) }
+    assert_raises(IOError) { bw.sql }
+    assert_raises(IOError) { bw.is_bigwig? }
+    assert_raises(IOError) { bw.is_bigbed? }
+  end
+
   def test_open_remote
     skip "Skipping remote test" unless ENV["RUN_REMOTE_TESTS"] == "1"