diff --git a/maloja/apis/native_v1.py b/maloja/apis/native_v1.py
index 5e3d561..a8a0855 100644
--- a/maloja/apis/native_v1.py
+++ b/maloja/apis/native_v1.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ api.__apipath__ = "mlj_1"
 
 
 errors = {
-	database.MissingScrobbleParameters: lambda e: (400,{
+	database.exceptions.MissingScrobbleParameters: lambda e: (400,{
 		"status":"failure",
 		"error":{
 			'type':'missing_scrobble_data',
@@ -48,6 +48,14 @@ errors = {
 			'desc':"The scrobble is missing needed parameters."
 		}
 	}),
+	database.exceptions.MissingEntityParameter: lambda e: (400,{
+		"status":"error",
+		"error":{
+			'type':'missing_entity_parameter',
+			'value':None,
+			'desc':"This API call is not valid without an entity (track or artist)."
+		}
+	}),
 	database.exceptions.EntityExists: lambda e: (409,{
 		"status":"failure",
 		"error":{
@@ -56,7 +64,16 @@ errors = {
 			'desc':"This entity already exists in the database. Consider merging instead."
 		}
 	}),
-	Exception: lambda e: (500,{
+	database.exceptions.DatabaseNotBuilt: lambda e: (503,{
+		"status":"error",
+		"error":{
+			'type':'server_not_ready',
+			'value':'db_upgrade',
+			'desc':"The database is being upgraded. Please try again later."
+		}
+	}),
+	# for http errors, use their status code
+	Exception: lambda e: ((e.status_code if hasattr(e,'statuscode') else 500),{
 		"status":"failure",
 		"error":{
 			'type':'unknown_error',
@@ -386,7 +403,7 @@ def artist_info_external(**keys):
 @api.get("trackinfo")
 @catch_exceptions
 @add_common_args_to_docstring(filterkeys=True)
-def track_info_external(artist:Multi[str],**keys):
+def track_info_external(artist:Multi[str]=[],**keys):
 	"""Returns information about a track
 
 	:return: track (Mapping), scrobbles (Integer), position (Integer), medals (Mapping), certification (String), topweeks (Integer)
diff --git a/maloja/database/__init__.py b/maloja/database/__init__.py
index 27c8cf0..7a07ba2 100644
--- a/maloja/database/__init__.py
+++ b/maloja/database/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # server
-from bottle import request, response, FormsDict, HTTPError
+from bottle import request, response, FormsDict
 
 # rest of the project
 from ..cleanup import CleanerAgent
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from ..apis import apikeystore
 from . import sqldb
 from . import cached
 from . import dbcache
+from . import exceptions
 
 # doreah toolkit
 from doreah.logging import log
@@ -42,23 +43,12 @@ dbstatus = {
 	"rebuildinprogress":False,
 	"complete":False			# information is complete
 }
-class DatabaseNotBuilt(HTTPError):
-	def __init__(self):
-		super().__init__(
-			status=503,
-			body="The Maloja Database is being upgraded to Version 3. This could take quite a long time! (~ 2-5 minutes per 10 000 scrobbles)",
-			headers={"Retry-After":120}
-		)
 
 
-class MissingScrobbleParameters(Exception):
-	def __init__(self,params=[]):
-		self.params = params
-
 
 def waitfordb(func):
 	def newfunc(*args,**kwargs):
-		if not dbstatus['healthy']: raise DatabaseNotBuilt()
+		if not dbstatus['healthy']: raise exceptions.DatabaseNotBuilt()
 		return func(*args,**kwargs)
 	return newfunc
 
@@ -97,7 +87,7 @@ def incoming_scrobble(rawscrobble,fix=True,client=None,api=None,dbconn=None):
 			missing.append(necessary_arg)
 	if len(missing) > 0:
 		log(f"Invalid Scrobble [Client: {client} | API: {api}]: {rawscrobble} ",color='red')
-		raise MissingScrobbleParameters(missing)
+		raise exceptions.MissingScrobbleParameters(missing)
 
 
 	log(f"Incoming scrobble [Client: {client} | API: {api}]: {rawscrobble}")
@@ -305,6 +295,8 @@ def get_performance(dbconn=None,**keys):
 				if c["artist"] == artist:
 					rank = c["rank"]
 					break
+		else:
+			raise exceptions.MissingEntityParameter()
 		results.append({"range":rng,"rank":rank})
 
 	return results
@@ -344,6 +336,7 @@ def get_top_tracks(dbconn=None,**keys):
 def artist_info(dbconn=None,**keys):
 
 	artist = keys.get('artist')
+	if artist is None: raise exceptions.MissingEntityParameter()
 
 	artist_id = sqldb.get_artist_id(artist,dbconn=dbconn)
 	artist = sqldb.get_artist(artist_id,dbconn=dbconn)
@@ -388,6 +381,7 @@ def artist_info(dbconn=None,**keys):
 def track_info(dbconn=None,**keys):
 
 	track = keys.get('track')
+	if track is None: raise exceptions.MissingEntityParameter()
 
 	track_id = sqldb.get_track_id(track,dbconn=dbconn)
 	track = sqldb.get_track(track_id,dbconn=dbconn)
diff --git a/maloja/database/exceptions.py b/maloja/database/exceptions.py
index 7273643..a2dadd9 100644
--- a/maloja/database/exceptions.py
+++ b/maloja/database/exceptions.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from bottle import HTTPError
+
 class EntityExists(Exception):
 	def __init__(self,entitydict):
 		self.entitydict = entitydict
@@ -8,3 +10,20 @@ class TrackExists(EntityExists):
 
 class ArtistExists(EntityExists):
 	pass
+
+
+class DatabaseNotBuilt(HTTPError):
+	def __init__(self):
+		super().__init__(
+			status=503,
+			body="The Maloja Database is being upgraded to Version 3. This could take quite a long time! (~ 2-5 minutes per 10 000 scrobbles)",
+			headers={"Retry-After":120}
+		)
+
+
+class MissingScrobbleParameters(Exception):
+	def __init__(self,params=[]):
+		self.params = params
+
+class MissingEntityParameter(Exception):
+	pass