diff --git a/issues_test.go b/issues_test.go
index d4215f4..054886d 100644
--- a/issues_test.go
+++ b/issues_test.go
@@ -1757,3 +1757,21 @@ func TestIssues_255(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, []string{"foobar"}, *req.PtrStringSlice)
 	})
 }
+
+// https://github.com/gookit/validate/issues/276
+// Struct validation: invalid memory address or nil pointer dereference #276
+func TestIssues_276(t *testing.T) {
+	type user struct {
+		Name string `validate:"required"`
+		Age  int    `validate:"required_if:Name,lee"`
+	}
+
+	u := &user{Name: "lee"}
+	v := validate.Struct(u)
+
+	assert.False(t, v.Validate())
+	fmt.Println(v.Errors)              // all error messages
+	fmt.Println(v.Errors.One())        // returns a random error message text
+	fmt.Println(v.Errors.OneError())   // returns a random error
+	fmt.Println(v.Errors.Field("Age")) // returns error messages of the field
+}
diff --git a/validators.go b/validators.go
index 9068431..d83d143 100644
--- a/validators.go
+++ b/validators.go
@@ -462,11 +462,19 @@ func IsEmpty(val any) bool {
 	if val == nil {
 		return true
 	}
-
 	if s, ok := val.(string); ok {
 		return s == ""
 	}
-	return ValueIsEmpty(reflect.ValueOf(val))
+
+	var rv reflect.Value
+
+	// type check val is reflect.Value
+	if v2, ok := val.(reflect.Value); ok {
+		rv = v2
+	} else {
+		rv = reflect.ValueOf(val)
+	}
+	return ValueIsEmpty(rv)
 }
 
 // Contains check that the specified string, list(array, slice) or map contains the