diff --git a/redisdol/base.py b/redisdol/base.py
index ac1ac8d..9309d5a 100644
--- a/redisdol/base.py
+++ b/redisdol/base.py
@@ -79,7 +79,10 @@ def __iter__(self):
         yield from self._source.keys()
 
     def __getitem__(self, k):
-        return self._source.get(k)
+        v = self._source.get(k)
+        if v is None:
+            raise KeyError(k)
+        return v
 
     def __contains__(self, k):
         return k in self._source
@@ -90,7 +93,10 @@ def __len__(self):
 
 class RedisBytesReader(RedisBytesCollection, KvReader):
     def __getitem__(self, k):
-        return self._source.get(k)
+        v = self._source.get(k)
+        if v is None:  # redis GET answers nil for a missing key; Mapping says KeyError
+            raise KeyError(k)
+        return v
 
 
 class RedisBytesPersister(RedisBytesReader, KvPersister):
@@ -298,10 +304,22 @@ def _mk_list(self, k):
 
     def __getitem__(self, k):
         val_type = self._source.type(k)
+        if isinstance(val_type, str):  # connection made with decode_responses=True
+            val_type = val_type.encode()
         if val_type == b"string":
-            return self._source.get(k)
+            v = self._source.get(k)
+            if v is None:  # expired/deleted between TYPE and GET
+                raise KeyError(k)
+            return v
         elif val_type == b"list":
             return self._mk_list(k)
+        elif val_type == b"none":
+            raise KeyError(k)
+        else:  # hash, set, zset, stream...: present but not representable here
+            raise TypeError(
+                f"Key {k!r} holds a Redis {val_type.decode()!r}, "
+                "which this store can't read (only strings and lists)"
+            )
 
 
 class RedisPersister(RedisCollection, RedisBytesPersister):
diff --git a/redisdol/stores.py b/redisdol/stores.py
index d7f1b5a..1058f99 100644
--- a/redisdol/stores.py
+++ b/redisdol/stores.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 def _convert_numeric_list(data, output_type=list):
     if isinstance(data, RedisList):
         return output_type(map(cast_to_numeric_if_possible, data))
+    return data  # not a list (e.g. a string value): pass through untouched
 
 
 @wrap_kvs(obj_of_data=_convert_numeric_list)
@@ -19,5 +20,11 @@ class RedisStoreWithNumericLists(RedisPersister):
     >>> s['__test_numeric_list'] = [1,-2,-3.0, 4e-23, 'not_a_number']
     >>> s['__test_numeric_list']
     [1, -2, -3.0, 4e-23, b'not_a_number']
-    >>> del s['__test_numeric_list']
+    >>> s['__test_str'] = 'hello'
+    >>> s['__test_str']  # non-list values pass through (they used to come back as None)
+    b'hello'
+    >>> del s['__test_numeric_list'], s['__test_str']
+
+    Note that a list comes back as a detached python ``list`` (a snapshot): mutating
+    it does not write through to Redis, unlike the `RedisList` handle of `RedisPersister`.
     """
diff --git a/tests/test_wrapping_fakeredis.py b/tests/test_wrapping_fakeredis.py
index 59c39a6..243f9be 100644
--- a/tests/test_wrapping_fakeredis.py
+++ b/tests/test_wrapping_fakeredis.py
@@ -108,3 +108,67 @@ def test_value_wrap_over_store_still_works_for_strings(monkeypatch):
     w = wrap_kvs(RedisPersister, obj_of_data=lambda d: d)()
     w["s"] = "v"
     assert w["s"] == b"v"
+
+
+# -- Mapping contract: missing keys raise KeyError (redisdol#4) ---------------------
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("cls", [RedisBytesPersister, RedisPersister])
+def test_missing_key_raises_keyerror(cls):
+    s = _store(cls)
+    with pytest.raises(KeyError):
+        s["absent"]
+    assert s.get("absent", "DEFAULT") == "DEFAULT"
+    assert "absent" not in s
+    s["present"] = "v"
+    assert s.get("present") == b"v"
+
+
+def test_reader_missing_key_raises_keyerror():
+    from redisdol.base import RedisBytesReader
+
+    r = store_from_source(FakeRedis(), RedisBytesReader)
+    with pytest.raises(KeyError):
+        r["absent"]
+    assert r.get("absent", 0) == 0
+
+
+def test_dict_of_store_roundtrips():
+    s = _store()
+    s["a"] = "x"
+    s["b"] = ["1", "2"]
+    d = dict(s)
+    assert d[b"a"] == b"x" and list(d[b"b"]) == [b"1", b"2"]
+
+
+# -- RedisStoreWithNumericLists passes non-lists through (redisdol#5) ----------------
+
+
+def test_numeric_lists_store_passes_strings_through(monkeypatch):
+    from redisdol.stores import RedisStoreWithNumericLists, _convert_numeric_list
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr("redisdol.base.Redis", FakeRedis)
+    s = RedisStoreWithNumericLists()
+    s["str"] = "hello"
+    s["nums"] = [1, -2, 3.5, "nope"]
+    assert s["str"] == b"hello"
+    assert s["nums"] == [1, -2, 3.5, b"nope"]
+    assert dict(s) == {b"str": b"hello", b"nums": [1, -2, 3.5, b"nope"]}
+    assert _convert_numeric_list("plain") == "plain"
+
+
+def test_decode_responses_connection_missing_and_present_keys():
+    s = store_from_source(FakeRedis(decode_responses=True), RedisPersister)
+    s["k"] = "v"
+    s["l"] = ["a"]
+    assert s["k"] == "v" and list(s["l"]) == ["a"]
+    with pytest.raises(KeyError):
+        s["absent"]
+
+
+def test_unsupported_redis_type_raises_typeerror_not_none():
+    s = _store()
+    s._source.hset("h", "f", "v")
+    assert "h" in s
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="hash"):
+        s["h"]