diff --git a/ext/bcmath/bcmath.c b/ext/bcmath/bcmath.c
index c7c5aeb700fbe..d71e38d971ea0 100644
--- a/ext/bcmath/bcmath.c
+++ b/ext/bcmath/bcmath.c
@@ -1141,7 +1141,10 @@ static zend_result bcmath_number_pow_internal(
 		}
 		return FAILURE;
 	}
-	bc_raise(n1, exponent, ret, *scale);
+	if (!bc_raise(n1, exponent, ret, *scale)) {
+		zend_throw_exception_ex(zend_ce_division_by_zero_error, 0, "Negative power of zero");
+		return FAILURE;
+	}
 	bc_rm_trailing_zeros(*ret);
 	if (scale_expand) {
 		size_t diff = *scale - (*ret)->n_scale;
diff --git a/ext/bcmath/libbcmath/src/bcmath.h b/ext/bcmath/libbcmath/src/bcmath.h
index 4b8ca12326417..a78b61c8e70e2 100644
--- a/ext/bcmath/libbcmath/src/bcmath.h
+++ b/ext/bcmath/libbcmath/src/bcmath.h
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ typedef enum {
 
 raise_mod_status bc_raisemod(bc_num base, bc_num exponent, bc_num mod, bc_num *result, size_t scale);
 
-void bc_raise(bc_num base, long exponent, bc_num *resul, size_t scale);
+bool bc_raise(bc_num num1, long exponent, bc_num *result, size_t scale);
 
 void bc_raise_bc_exponent(bc_num base, bc_num exponent, bc_num *resul, size_t scale);
 
diff --git a/ext/bcmath/libbcmath/src/raise.c b/ext/bcmath/libbcmath/src/raise.c
index 162f84a830538..a12f9b41d47ec 100644
--- a/ext/bcmath/libbcmath/src/raise.c
+++ b/ext/bcmath/libbcmath/src/raise.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ void bc_square_ex(bc_num n1, bc_num *result, size_t scale_min) {
 /* Raise NUM1 to the NUM2 power.  The result is placed in RESULT.
    Maximum exponent is LONG_MAX.  If a NUM2 is not an integer,
    only the integer part is used.  */
-void bc_raise(bc_num num1, long exponent, bc_num *result, size_t scale) {
+bool bc_raise(bc_num num1, long exponent, bc_num *result, size_t scale) {
 	bc_num temp, power;
 	size_t rscale;
 	size_t pwrscale;
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ void bc_raise(bc_num num1, long exponent, bc_num *result, size_t scale) {
 	if (exponent == 0) {
 		bc_free_num (result);
 		*result = bc_copy_num(BCG(_one_));
-		return;
+		return true;
 	}
 
 	/* Other initializations. */
@@ -92,7 +92,12 @@ void bc_raise(bc_num num1, long exponent, bc_num *result, size_t scale) {
 
 	/* Assign the value. */
 	if (is_neg) {
-		bc_divide(BCG(_one_), temp, result, rscale);
+		// TODO: After removing bcpow's bc_init_num(), remove the NULL check
+		if (bc_divide(BCG(_one_), temp, result, rscale) == false) {
+			bc_free_num (&temp);
+			bc_free_num (&power);
+			return false;
+		}
 		bc_free_num (&temp);
 	} else {
 		bc_free_num (result);
@@ -100,6 +105,7 @@ void bc_raise(bc_num num1, long exponent, bc_num *result, size_t scale) {
 		(*result)->n_scale = MIN(scale, (*result)->n_scale);
 	}
 	bc_free_num (&power);
+	return true;
 }
 
 /* This is used internally by BCMath */
diff --git a/ext/bcmath/tests/gh16236.phpt b/ext/bcmath/tests/gh16236.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..3a91a63ba1053
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/bcmath/tests/gh16236.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+--TEST--
+GH-16236 Segmentation fault (access null pointer) in ext/bcmath/libbcmath/src/rmzero.c:50
+--EXTENSIONS--
+bcmath
+--FILE--
+<?php
+/**
+ * The existing bcpow() specification returns 0 for negative powers.
+ * This is mathematically incorrect and will need to be changed to raise an error at some point.
+ * This test is to ensure the existing specifications until the specifications are changed.
+ */
+bcpow('0', '-2');
+
+echo 'done!';
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+done!
diff --git a/ext/bcmath/tests/number/methods/pow_div_by_zero.phpt b/ext/bcmath/tests/number/methods/pow_div_by_zero.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..6a7099b1c30ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/bcmath/tests/number/methods/pow_div_by_zero.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+--TEST--
+BcMath\Number pow(): negative power of zero
+--EXTENSIONS--
+bcmath
+--FILE--
+<?php
+
+$values = [0, '0'];
+
+$exponents = [
+    [-3, 'int'],
+    ['-2', 'string'],
+    [new BcMath\Number('-2'), 'object'],
+];
+
+foreach ($values as $value) {
+    $num = new BcMath\Number($value);
+
+    foreach ($exponents as [$exponent, $type]) {
+        echo "{$value} ** {$exponent}: {$type}\n";
+        try {
+            $num->pow($exponent);
+        } catch (Error $e) {
+            echo $e->getMessage() . "\n";
+        }
+    }
+}
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+0 ** -3: int
+Negative power of zero
+0 ** -2: string
+Negative power of zero
+0 ** -2: object
+Negative power of zero
+0 ** -3: int
+Negative power of zero
+0 ** -2: string
+Negative power of zero
+0 ** -2: object
+Negative power of zero
diff --git a/ext/bcmath/tests/number/operators/pow_div_by_zero.phpt b/ext/bcmath/tests/number/operators/pow_div_by_zero.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..ff03626fca600
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/bcmath/tests/number/operators/pow_div_by_zero.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+--TEST--
+BcMath\Number pow: negative power of zero by operator
+--EXTENSIONS--
+bcmath
+--FILE--
+<?php
+
+$values = [0, '0'];
+
+$exponents = [
+    [-3, 'int'],
+    ['-2', 'string'],
+    [new BcMath\Number('-2'), 'object'],
+];
+
+foreach ($values as $value) {
+    $num = new BcMath\Number($value);
+
+    foreach ($exponents as [$exponent, $type]) {
+        echo "{$value} ** {$exponent}: {$type}\n";
+        try {
+            $num ** $exponent;
+        } catch (Error $e) {
+            echo $e->getMessage() . "\n";
+        }
+    }
+}
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+0 ** -3: int
+Negative power of zero
+0 ** -2: string
+Negative power of zero
+0 ** -2: object
+Negative power of zero
+0 ** -3: int
+Negative power of zero
+0 ** -2: string
+Negative power of zero
+0 ** -2: object
+Negative power of zero