diff --git a/Data/Text/Binary.hs b/Data/Text/Binary.hs
--- a/Data/Text/Binary.hs
+++ b/Data/Text/Binary.hs
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 module Data.Text.Binary where
 
 #if !(MIN_VERSION_text(1,2,1))
-import Control.Applicative ((<$>))
 import qualified Data.Text as T
 import qualified Data.Text.Encoding as T
 import qualified Data.Text.Lazy as L
@@ -13,9 +12,17 @@
 
 instance Binary T.Text where
     put = put . T.encodeUtf8
-    get = T.decodeUtf8 <$> get
+    get   = do
+      bs <- get
+      case T.decodeUtf8' bs of
+        Left exn -> fail (show exn)
+        Right a -> return a
 
 instance Binary L.Text where
     put = put . L.encodeUtf8
-    get = L.decodeUtf8 <$> get
+    get   = do
+      bs <- get
+      case L.decodeUtf8' bs of
+        Left exn -> fail (show exn)
+        Right a -> return a
 #endif
diff --git a/changelog b/changelog
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+-*-change-log-*-
+
+0.2.1
+	* Propagate decoding failure in the Get monad
diff --git a/text-binary.cabal b/text-binary.cabal
--- a/text-binary.cabal
+++ b/text-binary.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:               text-binary
-version:            0.2.0
+version:            0.2.1
 synopsis:           Binary instances for text types
 description:
     A compatibility layer providing Binary instances for strict
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 category:           Data
 homepage:           https://github.com/kawu/text-binary
 build-type:         Simple
+
+extra-source-files: changelog
 
 library
     build-depends: