diff --git a/raggregate/templates/base/new_post.mak b/raggregate/templates/base/new_post.mak
index ad34f9c..f6fbcab 100644
--- a/raggregate/templates/base/new_post.mak
+++ b/raggregate/templates/base/new_post.mak
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
     Description: <textarea name="description" cols="50" rows="10"></textarea><br />
     URL: <input type="text" name="url" value="${new_url_text}" /><br />
     Section: <select name="section_id">
+        <option value="">&lt;choose a section&gt;</option>
         % for section in sections:
             % if 'section' in request.session['safe_get'] and section.name == request.session['safe_get']['section']:
                 <option value="${section.id}" selected="selected">${section.name}</option>
diff --git a/raggregate/views/submission.py b/raggregate/views/submission.py
index e8d44e3..0c9daa3 100644
--- a/raggregate/views/submission.py
+++ b/raggregate/views/submission.py
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ def submit(request):
         if 'logged_in' not in s:
             s['message'] = 'Sorry, please log in first'
             return {'stories': [], 'success': False, 'code': 'ENOLOGIN'}
+        if 'section' not in p or p['section'] == '':
+            return {'stories': [], 'success': False, 'code': 'ENOSECTION'}
         if 'url' in p and p['url'] != '' and p['url'] is not None:
             p['url'] = general.strip_all_html(p['url'])
             if not re.match(r'http[s]*:\/\/', p['url']):