diff --git a/llm_server/llm/openai/transform.py b/llm_server/llm/openai/transform.py
index 0c2946b..daec3dc 100644
--- a/llm_server/llm/openai/transform.py
+++ b/llm_server/llm/openai/transform.py
@@ -87,8 +87,9 @@ def transform_messages_to_prompt(oai_messages):
     try:
         prompt = f'### INSTRUCTION: {opts.openai_system_prompt}'
         for msg in oai_messages:
-            if not msg.get('content') or not msg.get('role'):
+            if 'content' not in msg.keys() or 'role' not in msg.keys():
                 return False
+            msg['content'] = str(msg['content'])  # Prevent any weird issues.
             if msg['role'] == 'system':
                 prompt += f'### INSTRUCTION: {msg["content"]}\n\n'
             elif msg['role'] == 'user':
diff --git a/llm_server/routes/openai/chat_completions.py b/llm_server/routes/openai/chat_completions.py
index bcbd24c..b088a18 100644
--- a/llm_server/routes/openai/chat_completions.py
+++ b/llm_server/routes/openai/chat_completions.py
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ def openai_chat_completions():
             else:
                 handler.prompt = transform_messages_to_prompt(handler.request.json['messages'])
 
+            if not handler.prompt:
+                # Prevent issues on the backend.
+                return 'Invalid prompt', 400
+
             event_id = None
             response_status_code = 0
             start_time = time.time()
diff --git a/llm_server/routes/openai_request_handler.py b/llm_server/routes/openai_request_handler.py
index 037de27..9716eb9 100644
--- a/llm_server/routes/openai_request_handler.py
+++ b/llm_server/routes/openai_request_handler.py
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ class OpenAIRequestHandler(RequestHandler):
         # TODO: support Ooba
         self.parameters = oai_to_vllm(self.parameters, stop_hashes=('instruct' not in self.request_json_body['model'].lower()), mode=self.cluster_backend_info['mode'])
 
+        if not self.prompt:
+            # TODO: format this as an openai error message
+            return 'Invalid prompt', 400
+
         llm_request = {**self.parameters, 'prompt': self.prompt}
         (success, _, _, _), (backend_response, backend_response_status_code) = self.generate_response(llm_request)