diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 885c9b7b..04453c51 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ $ npm run unit
 ```
 
 ### Running Functional Tests
+(this requires the server to be running)
 
 ```bash
 $ npm run ciao
diff --git a/controller/search.js b/controller/search.js
index e86658f7..ff38a3a6 100644
--- a/controller/search.js
+++ b/controller/search.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function setup( backend, query ){
       // handle backend errors
       if( err ){ return next( err ); }
 
-      if( data && data.hits && data.hits.total){
+      if( data && data.hits && data.hits.total && Array.isArray(data.hits.hits)){
         docs = data.hits.hits.map( function( hit ){
           return hit._source;
         });
diff --git a/query/search.js b/query/search.js
index 2e505adb..3f9cdbf5 100644
--- a/query/search.js
+++ b/query/search.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ var logger = require('../src/logger');
 
 // Build pelias search query
 function generate( params ){
-  
+
   var cmd = {
     "query":{
       "query_string" : {