diff --git a/lib/nconf/common.js b/lib/nconf/common.js
index b6e16d9..2c092e3 100644
--- a/lib/nconf/common.js
+++ b/lib/nconf/common.js
@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@ var common = exports;
 // ### function path (key)
 // #### @key {string} The ':' delimited key to split
 // Returns a fully-qualified path to a nested nconf key.
+// If given null or undefined it should return an empty path.
+// '' should still be respected as a path.
 //
 common.path = function (key) {
-  return key.split(':');
+  return key == null ? [] : key.split(':');
 };
 
 //
diff --git a/lib/nconf/stores/memory.js b/lib/nconf/stores/memory.js
index fbab7af..b53ac12 100644
--- a/lib/nconf/stores/memory.js
+++ b/lib/nconf/stores/memory.js
@@ -42,15 +42,14 @@ Memory.prototype.get = function (key) {
   //
   while (path.length > 0) {
     key = path.shift();
-    if (!(target && key in target)) {
-      return;
-    }
-
-    target = target[key];
-    if (path.length === 0) {
-      return target;
+    if (target && key in target) {
+      target = target[key];
+      continue;
     }
+    return undefined;
   }
+  
+  return target;
 };
 
 //
@@ -67,6 +66,20 @@ Memory.prototype.set = function (key, value) {
   var target = this.store,
       path   = common.path(key);
 
+  if (path.length === 0) {
+    //
+    // Root must be an object
+    //
+    if (!value || typeof value !== 'object') {
+      return false;
+    }
+    else {
+      this.reset();
+      this.store = value;
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+
   //
   // Update the `mtime` (modified time) of the key
   //
@@ -101,6 +114,7 @@ Memory.prototype.clear = function (key) {
   }
 
   var target = this.store,
+      value  = target,
       path   = common.path(key);
 
   //
@@ -111,17 +125,17 @@ Memory.prototype.clear = function (key) {
   //
   // Scope into the object to get the appropriate nested context
   //
-  while (path.length > 1) {
-    key = path.shift();
-    if (!target[key]) {
-      return;
+  for (var i = 0; i < path.length - 1; i++) {
+    key = path[i];
+    value = target[key];
+    if (typeof value !== 'function' && typeof value !== 'object') {
+      return false;
     }
-
-    target = target[key];
+    target = value;
   }
 
   // Delete the key from the nested JSON structure
-  key = path.shift();
+  key = path[i];
   delete target[key];
   return true;
 };
diff --git a/test/nconf-test.js b/test/nconf-test.js
index 111a4f0..95a3904 100644
--- a/test/nconf-test.js
+++ b/test/nconf-test.js
@@ -68,6 +68,31 @@ vows.describe('nconf').addBatch({
       }
     }
   }
+}).addBatch({
+  "When using the nconf": {
+    "with the memory store": {
+      "the get() method": {
+        "should respond allow access to the root": function () {
+          assert(nconf.get(null));
+          assert(nconf.get(undefined));
+          assert(nconf.get());
+        }
+      },
+      "the set() method": {
+        "should respond allow access to the root and complain about non-objects": function () {
+          assert(!nconf.set(null, null));
+          assert(!nconf.set(null, undefined));
+          assert(!nconf.set(null));
+          assert(!nconf.set(null, ''));
+          assert(!nconf.set(null, 1));
+          var original = nconf.get();
+          assert(nconf.set(null, nconf.get()));
+          assert.notEqual(nconf.get(), original);
+          assert.deepEqual(nconf.get(), original)
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }).addBatch({
   "When using nconf": {
     "with the memory store": {
diff --git a/test/provider-test.js b/test/provider-test.js
index 7d87972..78ee97d 100644
--- a/test/provider-test.js
+++ b/test/provider-test.js
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ vows.describe('nconf/provider').addBatch({
         }),
         "with a single object": assertProvider(function (provider) {
           provider.file({
-            dir: helpers.fixture('hierarchy'),
+            dir: helpers.fixture(''),
             file: 'store.json',
             search: true
           });
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ vows.describe('nconf/provider').addBatch({
         }),
         "with a name and an object": assertProvider(function (provider) {
           provider.file('custom', {
-            dir: helpers.fixture('hierarchy'),
+            dir: helpers.fixture(''),
             file: 'store.json',
             search: true
           });