diff --git a/core/views/logbooks.py b/core/views/logbooks.py
index 6160de4..7f26687 100644
--- a/core/views/logbooks.py
+++ b/core/views/logbooks.py
@@ -84,7 +84,11 @@ def expedition(request, expeditionname):
             #print('! - expo {expeditionanme} using cached page')           
             return render(request,'expedition.html', { **ts[expeditionname], 'logged_in' : logged_in })
                     
-    this_expedition = Expedition.objects.get(year=int(expeditionname))
+    try:
+        this_expedition = Expedition.objects.get(year=int(expeditionname))
+    except:
+        message = f'Expedition not found - database apparently empty, you probably need to do a full re-import of all data.'
+        return render(request, 'errors/generic.html', {'message': message})   
 
     expeditions = Expedition.objects.all()
     personexpeditiondays = [ ]
diff --git a/core/views/uploads.py b/core/views/uploads.py
index 860cba7..6b6161d 100644
--- a/core/views/uploads.py
+++ b/core/views/uploads.py
@@ -515,8 +515,13 @@ def scanupload(request, path=None):
                     f = Path(settings.SURVEX_DATA) / svx
                     if f.is_file():
                         path = svx.parent / svx.stem
-                        #print(f' - {path=}')
-                        svxfile = SurvexFile.objects.get(path=path)
+                        #print(f' - {path=}')                          
+                        try:
+                            svxfile = SurvexFile.objects.get(path=path)
+                        except:
+                            message = f'Specified survex file not found - database apparently empty, you probably need to do a full re-import of all data.'
+                            return render(request, 'errors/generic.html', {'message': message})   
+                        
                         print(f' - {svxfile=}')
                         caves.append(svxfile.cave)
                         caverefs.append(svxfile.cave.reference())