diff --git a/core/views/uploads.py b/core/views/uploads.py
index 91bed4f..b59ee01 100644
--- a/core/views/uploads.py
+++ b/core/views/uploads.py
@@ -162,18 +162,22 @@ def get_complaints(complaints, waldata, svxfiles, files):
         complaints.append("The cave description website is marked as needing updating using the guidebook description from the survex file. Tick the 'Website updated' checkbox when this is done.")
 
     # FInd the cave, if it exists
-    try:
-        caveobject = getCave(waldata["cave"])   
-        print(f'getCave for id "{waldata["cave"]}" {caveobject}')
-        if not caveobject.url == waldata["description url"]:
-            complaints.append(f'The URL of cave description \"{waldata["description url"]}\" does not match the one on record for this cave which is: "{caveobject.url}". If the wallet is not for a cave, put a useful URL here.')
-    except Cave.MultipleObjectsReturned: 
-        complaints.append(f'The cave ID \'{waldata["cave"]}\' is AMBIGUOUS. Please fix it.')
+    if waldata["cave"]:
+        try:
+            caveobject = getCave(waldata["cave"])   
+            print(f'getCave for id "{waldata["cave"]}" {caveobject}')
+            if not caveobject.url == waldata["description url"]:
+                complaints.append(f'The URL of cave description \"{waldata["description url"]}\" does not match the one on record for this cave which is: "{caveobject.url}". If the wallet is not for a cave, put a useful URL here.')
+        except Cave.MultipleObjectsReturned: 
+            complaints.append(f'The cave ID \'{waldata["cave"]}\' is AMBIGUOUS. Please fix it.')
+            caveobject = None
+        except ObjectDoesNotExist:
+            complaints.append(f'The cave ID \'{waldata["cave"]}\' is not recognised. Please fix it.')
+            caveobject = None
+    else:
+        complaints.append(f'No cave ID is given. Please give an ID, even if it is just "surface survey" or "scraps found in hut"')
         caveobject = None
-    except ObjectDoesNotExist:
-        complaints.append(f'The cave ID \'{waldata["cave"]}\' is not recognised. Please fix it.')
-        caveobject = None
-     
+         
 
     return complaints, caveobject