diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 6bae284..543cc5e 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -23,9 +23,10 @@ require (
 )
 
 retract (
-	v0.4.7 // riddled
-	v0.4.6 // with
-	v0.4.5 // pre v1
+	v0.5.0 // riddled
+	v0.4.7 // with
+	v0.4.6 // pre
+	v0.4.5 // v1
 	v0.4.4 // bugs
 	//
 	v0.4.3 // deadlock
diff --git a/pogreb/pogreb.go b/pogreb/pogreb.go
index bd9f2fe..c2fc674 100644
--- a/pogreb/pogreb.go
+++ b/pogreb/pogreb.go
@@ -53,8 +53,16 @@ type Store struct {
 	metrics *pogreb.Metrics
 }
 
+var nilBackend = &pogreb.DB{}
+
 // Backend returns the underlying pogreb instance.
 func (pstore *Store) Backend() any {
+	if pstore == nil {
+		return nilBackend
+	}
+	if pstore.DB == nil {
+		return nilBackend
+	}
 	return pstore.DB
 }
 
@@ -300,6 +308,10 @@ func (db *DB) With(storeName string) database.Filer {
 	}
 	db.mu.RLock()
 	d, ok := db.store[storeName]
+	if !ok {
+		db.mu.RUnlock()
+		return nil
+	}
 	if ok {
 		if d.closed == nil || d.DB == nil || d.closed.Load() {
 			db.mu.RUnlock()
@@ -317,6 +329,9 @@ func (db *DB) With(storeName string) database.Filer {
 		return d
 	}
 	db.mu.RUnlock()
+	if d != nil && d.DB == nil {
+		d = nil
+	}
 	return d
 }
 
@@ -398,7 +413,7 @@ func (db *DB) withAll(action withAllAction) error {
 	var errs = make([]error, len(db.store))
 	for name, store := range db.store {
 		var err error
-		if store == nil || store.Backend().(*pogreb.DB) == nil {
+		if store == nil || store.Backend() == nilBackend || store.Backend().(*pogreb.DB) == nil {
 			errs = append(errs, namedErr(name, ErrBogusStore))
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/pogreb/pogreb_test.go b/pogreb/pogreb_test.go
index 176e470..cae87dd 100644
--- a/pogreb/pogreb_test.go
+++ b/pogreb/pogreb_test.go
@@ -130,15 +130,15 @@ func TestDB_Init(t *testing.T) { //nolint:funlen,gocognit,cyclop
 		}
 	})
 	t.Run("withNewStoreDoesntExist", func(t *testing.T) {
-		if nope := db.WithNew("asdfqwerty"); nope.Backend() == nil {
+		if nope := db.WithNew("asdfqwerty"); nope.Backend() == nil || nope.Backend() == nilBackend {
 			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] got nil result for nonexistent store when it should have made itself: %T, %v", nope, nope)
 		} else {
-			t.Logf("[SUCCESS] got nil Value for store that doesn't exist")
+			t.Logf("[SUCCESS] got new store with valid backend when calling WithNew for store that doesn't exist")
 		}
 	})
 	t.Run("withStoreDoesntExist", func(t *testing.T) {
 		nope := db.With(c.RandStr(10))
-		if nope != nil {
+		if nope != nil && nope.Backend() != nilBackend {
 			t.Fatalf("[FAIL] got non nil result for nonexistent store: %T, %v", nope.Backend(), nope.Backend())
 		} else {
 			t.Logf("[SUCCESS] got nil Value for store that doesn't exist")