diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/MongoTemplate.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/MongoTemplate.java
index f97efb1bc..0fcf67e29 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/MongoTemplate.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/MongoTemplate.java
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
 import org.springframework.util.ResourceUtils;
 import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 
-import com.mongodb.BasicDBList;
 import com.mongodb.BasicDBObject;
 import com.mongodb.CommandResult;
 import com.mongodb.DB;
@@ -488,6 +487,7 @@ public class MongoTemplate implements MongoOperations, ApplicationContextAware {
 		return geoNear(near, entityClass, determineCollectionName(entityClass));
 	}
 
+	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	public <T> GeoResults<T> geoNear(NearQuery near, Class<T> entityClass, String collectionName) {
 
 		if (near == null) {
@@ -503,7 +503,9 @@ public class MongoTemplate implements MongoOperations, ApplicationContextAware {
 		command.putAll(near.toDBObject());
 
 		CommandResult commandResult = executeCommand(command);
-		BasicDBList results = (BasicDBList) commandResult.get("results");
+		List<Object> results = (List<Object>) commandResult.get("results");
+		results = results == null ? Collections.emptyList() : results;
+
 		DbObjectCallback<GeoResult<T>> callback = new GeoNearResultDbObjectCallback<T>(new ReadDbObjectCallback<T>(
 				mongoConverter, entityClass), near.getMetric());
 		List<GeoResult<T>> result = new ArrayList<GeoResult<T>>(results.size());
@@ -512,7 +514,8 @@ public class MongoTemplate implements MongoOperations, ApplicationContextAware {
 			result.add(callback.doWith((DBObject) element));
 		}
 
-		double averageDistance = (Double) ((DBObject) commandResult.get("stats")).get("avgDistance");
+		DBObject stats = (DBObject) commandResult.get("stats");
+		double averageDistance = stats == null ? 0 : (Double) stats.get("avgDistance");
 		return new GeoResults<T>(result, new Distance(averageDistance, near.getMetric()));
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/geo/GeoSpatialTests.java b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/geo/GeoSpatialTests.java
index 54de1b381..d4f241cc3 100644
--- a/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/geo/GeoSpatialTests.java
+++ b/spring-data-mongodb/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mongodb/core/geo/GeoSpatialTests.java
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ package org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.geo;
 
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.*;
 import static org.junit.Assert.*;
-import static org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.query.Query.*;
 import static org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.query.Criteria.*;
+import static org.springframework.data.mongodb.core.query.Query.*;
 
 import java.net.UnknownHostException;
 import java.util.Collection;
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ public class GeoSpatialTests {
 
 	@Test
 	public void withinBox() {
-		
+
 		Box box = new Box(new Point(-73.99756, 40.73083), new Point(-73.988135, 40.741404));
 		List<Venue> venues = template.find(query(where("location").within(box)), Venue.class);
 		assertThat(venues.size(), is(4));
@@ -171,23 +171,23 @@ public class GeoSpatialTests {
 
 	@Test
 	public void searchAllData() {
-		
+
 		Venue foundVenue = template.findOne(query(where("name").is("Penn Station")), Venue.class);
 		assertThat(foundVenue, is(notNullValue()));
-		
+
 		List<Venue> venues = template.findAll(Venue.class);
 		assertThat(venues.size(), is(12));
-		
+
 		Collection<?> names = (Collection<?>) parser.parseExpression("![name]").getValue(venues);
 		assertThat(names.size(), is(12));
 
 	}
 
 	public void indexCreated() {
-		
+
 		List<DBObject> indexInfo = getIndexInfo(Venue.class);
 		LOGGER.debug(indexInfo);
-		
+
 		assertThat(indexInfo.size(), is(2));
 		assertThat(indexInfo.get(1).get("name").toString(), is("location_2d"));
 		assertThat(indexInfo.get(1).get("ns").toString(), is("database.newyork"));