diff --git a/tubearchivist/home/src/es/connect.py b/tubearchivist/home/src/es/connect.py
index 5af1838d..134472c7 100644
--- a/tubearchivist/home/src/es/connect.py
+++ b/tubearchivist/home/src/es/connect.py
@@ -127,6 +127,9 @@ class IndexPaginate:
 
     def validate_data(self):
         """add pit and size to data"""
+        if not self.data:
+            self.data = {}
+
         if "sort" not in self.data.keys():
             self.data.update({"sort": [{"_doc": {"order": "desc"}}]})