diff --git a/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb b/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
index e9f271a10..a6b32c314 100644
--- a/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ class StatusMessagesController < ApplicationController
       end
     else
       respond_to do |format|
-        format.js { render :status => 406 }
+        format.js { render :text =>  @status_message.errors.full_messages, :status => 406 }
+        format.html {redirect_to :back} 
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/controllers/status_messages_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/status_messages_controller_spec.rb
index 09ec97ce3..49caa02ec 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/status_messages_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/status_messages_controller_spec.rb
@@ -84,6 +84,11 @@ describe StatusMessagesController do
       }
       post :create, status_message_hash
     end
+    it 'sends the errors in the body on js' do
+      post :create, status_message_hash.merge!(:format => 'js', :status_message => {:message => ''})
+      response.body.should == 'Status message requires a message or at least one photo'
+    end
+
 
     context 'with photos' do
       before do