diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 053c7a9..b4b9ae1 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -44,9 +44,13 @@ func handleMicroPub(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 	bodyString := string(bodyBytes)
 	entry, err := CreateEntry(contentType, bodyString)
-	if entry == nil {
+	if err != nil || entry == nil {
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadRequest)
-		_, _ = w.Write([]byte("There was an error creating the entry"))
+		if err != nil {
+			_, _ = w.Write([]byte(err.Error()))
+		} else {
+			_, _ = w.Write([]byte("There was an error creating the entry"))
+		}
 		return
 	}
 	if CheckAuthorization(entry, r.Header.Get("authorization")) {