diff --git a/app/controllers/comments_controller.rb b/app/controllers/comments_controller.rb
index ebd0517aa..b16cec41f 100644
--- a/app/controllers/comments_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/comments_controller.rb
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class CommentsController < ApplicationController
         format.html{ render :nothing => true, :status => 201 }
       end
     else
-      render :nothing => true, :status => 401
+      render :nothing => true, :status => 406
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb b/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
index d4992fb25..9a442c037 100644
--- a/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class StatusMessagesController < ApplicationController
       end
     else
       respond_to do |format|
-        format.js{ render :status => 401 }
+        format.js{ render :status => 406 }
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/app/models/status_message.rb b/app/models/status_message.rb
index 42be8a95c..7c93289ec 100644
--- a/app/models/status_message.rb
+++ b/app/models/status_message.rb
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class StatusMessage < Post
   protected
 
   def message_or_photos_present?
-    unless self.message || self.photos.count > 0
+    unless !self.message.blank? || self.photos.count > 0
       errors[:base] << 'Status message requires a message or at least one photo'
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/models/status_message_spec.rb b/spec/models/status_message_spec.rb
index a6fd43552..c850fdbba 100644
--- a/spec/models/status_message_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/status_message_spec.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ describe StatusMessage do
   it "should have either a message or at least one photo" do
     n = Factory.build(:status_message, :message => nil)
     n.valid?.should be_false
+
+    n.message = ""
+    n.valid?.should be_false
+
     n.message = "wales"
     n.valid?.should be_true
     n.message = nil