diff --git a/app/controllers/questions_controller.rb b/app/controllers/questions_controller.rb
index ec90fcc..cd2c1dd 100644
--- a/app/controllers/questions_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/questions_controller.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ class QuestionsController < InheritedResources::Base
   def create
     authenticate
     logger.info "vi is #{params['question']['visitor_identifier']} and local are #{params['question']['local_identifier']}.  all params are #{params.inspect}"
-    if @question = current_user.create_question(params['question']['visitor_identifier'], :name => params['question']['name'], :local_identifier => params['question']['local_identifier'], :ideas => params['question']['ideas'].lines.to_a)
+    if @question = current_user.create_question(params['question']['visitor_identifier'], :name => params['question']['name'], :local_identifier => params['question']['local_identifier'], :ideas => (params['question']['ideas'].lines.to_a) rescue [])
       respond_to do |format|
         format.xml { render :xml => @question.to_xml}
       end
diff --git a/app/models/question.rb b/app/models/question.rb
index 1e20933..05e80d5 100644
--- a/app/models/question.rb
+++ b/app/models/question.rb
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ class Question < ActiveRecord::Base
   
   def ensure_at_least_two_choices
     the_ideas = (self.ideas.blank? || self.ideas.empty?) ? ['sample idea 1', 'sample idea 2'] : self.ideas
+    the_ideas << 'sample choice' if the_ideas.length < 2
     if self.choices.empty?
       the_ideas.each { |choice_text|
         item = Item.create!({:data => choice_text, :creator => creator})
--
libgit2 0.21.2