diff --git a/plugins/babbler/babbler.go b/plugins/babbler/babbler.go
index 00574c0..4b144b9 100644
--- a/plugins/babbler/babbler.go
+++ b/plugins/babbler/babbler.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 package babbler
 
 import (
+	"database/sql"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
@@ -15,6 +16,12 @@ import (
 	"github.com/velour/catbase/config"
 )
 
+const (
+	NO_BABBLER = "babbler not found"
+	SAID_NOTHING = "hasn't said anything yet"
+)
+
+
 type BabblerPlugin struct {
 	Bot    bot.Bot
 	db     *sqlx.DB
@@ -70,16 +77,27 @@ func (p *BabblerPlugin) Message(message msg.Message) bool {
 		_, err := p.getBabbler(who)
 
 		if err != nil {
+			if err.Error() == NO_BABBLER {
+				p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, fmt.Sprintf("%s babbler not found.", who))
+				return true
+			}
 			return false
 		}
 
 		var saying string
 		if len(tokens) == 2 {
-			saying, _ = p.babble(who)
+			saying, err = p.babble(who)
 		} else {
-			saying, _ = p.babbleSeed(who, tokens[2:])
+			saying, err = p.babbleSeed(who, tokens[2:])
 		}
 
+		if err != nil {
+			if err.Error() == SAID_NOTHING {
+				p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, fmt.Sprintf("%s hasn't said anything yet.", who))
+				return true
+			}
+			return false
+		}
 		if saying != "" {
 			p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, saying)
 			return true
@@ -91,7 +109,7 @@ func (p *BabblerPlugin) Message(message msg.Message) bool {
 			p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, "babbler initialization failed.")
 			return true
 		}
-		p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, "Okay.")
+		p.Bot.SendMessage(message.Channel, "okay.")
 		return true
 	} else if strings.Index(lowercase, "batch learn for ") == 0 {
 		who := tokens[3]
@@ -186,7 +204,8 @@ func (p *BabblerPlugin) makeBabbler(babbler string) (int64, error) {
 func (p *BabblerPlugin) getBabbler(babbler string) (int64, error) {
 	id := int64(-1)
 	err := p.db.Get(&id, `select id from babblers where babbler = ?`, babbler)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && err == sql.ErrNoRows {
+		return -1, errors.New(NO_BABBLER)
 	}
 	return id, err
 }
@@ -204,6 +223,7 @@ func (p *BabblerPlugin) getOrCreateBabbler(babbler string) (int64, error) {
 			//we'll just ignore this but the actual creation succeeded previously
 			return id, nil
 		}
+
 		for rows.Next() {
 			var tidbit string
 			err := rows.Scan(&tidbit)
@@ -336,6 +356,10 @@ func (p *BabblerPlugin) getWeightedRootWord(babblerId int64) (int64, string, err
 		idToWord[id] = word
 	}
 
+	if total == 0 {
+		return -1, "", errors.New(SAID_NOTHING)
+	}
+
 	which := rand.Int63n(total)
 	total = 0
 	for id, freq := range idToFreq {
@@ -370,6 +394,10 @@ func (p *BabblerPlugin) getWeightedNextWord(fromWordId int64) (int64, string, er
 		idToFreq[toWordId] = frequency
 	}
 
+	if total == 0 {
+		return -1, "", errors.New("missing arcs")
+	}
+
 	which := rand.Int63n(total)
 	total = 0
 	for id, freq := range idToFreq {
diff --git a/plugins/babbler/babbler_test.go b/plugins/babbler/babbler_test.go
index 7263ce7..da8e502 100644
--- a/plugins/babbler/babbler_test.go
+++ b/plugins/babbler/babbler_test.go
@@ -31,8 +31,9 @@ func TestBabblerNoBabbler(t *testing.T) {
 	c.config.Babbler.DefaultUsers = []string{"seabass"}
 	assert.NotNil(t, c)
 	c.Message(makeMessage("!seabass2 says"))
-	res := assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 0)
+	res := assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 1)
 	assert.True(t, res)
+	assert.Contains(t, mb.Messages[0], "seabass2 babbler not found")
 }
 
 func TestBabblerNothingSaid(t *testing.T) {
@@ -40,8 +41,13 @@ func TestBabblerNothingSaid(t *testing.T) {
 	c := New(mb)
 	c.config.Babbler.DefaultUsers = []string{"seabass"}
 	assert.NotNil(t, c)
-	c.Message(makeMessage("!seabass says"))
-	assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 0)
+	res := c.Message(makeMessage("initialize babbler for seabass"))
+	assert.True(t, res)
+	res = c.Message(makeMessage("!seabass says"))
+	assert.True(t, res)
+	assert.Len(t, mb.Messages, 2)
+	assert.Contains(t, mb.Messages[0], "okay.")
+	assert.Contains(t, mb.Messages[1], "seabass hasn't said anything yet.")
 }
 
 func TestBabbler(t *testing.T) {