diff --git a/apxtri/models/Pagans.js b/apxtri/models/Pagans.js
index 32d8ead..35a7962 100644
--- a/apxtri/models/Pagans.js
+++ b/apxtri/models/Pagans.js
@@ -58,12 +58,28 @@ Pagans.keyrecovery = (emailalias, tribe, search, lg) => {
       search,
       lg
     );
+  if (!search || search.length<3) {
+    console.log(
+      currentmod,
+      "issue with search : emailalias, tribe, search, lg:",
+      emailalias,
+      tribe,
+      search,
+      lg
+    );
+    return {
+      status: 406,
+      ref: "Pagans",
+      msg: "nosearchstring",
+      data: {emailalias,tribe,search,lg},
+    };
+  }
   if (!["email", "alias"].includes(emailalias)) {
     return {
       status: 406,
       ref: "Pagans",
       msg: "emailaliasnotemailoralias",
-      data: {},
+      data: {emailalias,tribe,search,lg},
     };
   }
   let emaillist = [];