diff --git a/request.go b/request.go
index 03a7d0d..4f30021 100644
--- a/request.go
+++ b/request.go
@@ -42,6 +42,11 @@ func unmarshalJsonApiNode(data *JsonApiNode, model reflect.Value) error {
 
 		args := strings.Split(tag, ",")
 
+		if len(args) != 2 {
+			er = errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("jsonapi tag, on %s, had two few arguments", fieldType.Name))
+			return false
+		}
+
 		if len(args) >= 1 && args[0] != "" {
 			annotation := args[0]
 
diff --git a/request_test.go b/request_test.go
index 56b4b1b..a74e337 100644
--- a/request_test.go
+++ b/request_test.go
@@ -4,9 +4,28 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"io"
+	"regexp"
 	"testing"
 )
 
+type BadModel struct {
+	Id int `jsonapi:"primary"`
+}
+
+func TestMalformedTag(t *testing.T) {
+	out := new(BadModel)
+	err := UnmarshalJsonApiPayload(samplePayload(), out)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Did not error out with wrong number of arguments in tag")
+	}
+
+	r := regexp.MustCompile(`two few arguments`)
+
+	if !r.Match([]byte(err.Error())) {
+		t.Fatalf("The err was not due two two few arguments in a tag")
+	}
+}
+
 //func TestUnmarshalSetsId(t *testing.T) {
 //in := samplePayload()
 //out := new(Blog)
@@ -21,10 +40,8 @@ import (
 //}
 
 func TestUnmarshalSetsAttrs(t *testing.T) {
-	in := samplePayload()
-	out := new(Blog)
-
-	if err := UnmarshalJsonApiPayload(in, out); err != nil {
+	out, err := unmarshalSamplePayload()
+	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
@@ -43,10 +60,8 @@ func TestUnmarshalSetsAttrs(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestUnmarshalRelationships(t *testing.T) {
-	in := samplePayload()
-	out := new(Blog)
-
-	if err := UnmarshalJsonApiPayload(in, out); err != nil {
+	out, err := unmarshalSamplePayload()
+	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
@@ -64,10 +79,8 @@ func TestUnmarshalRelationships(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestUnmarshalNestedRelationships(t *testing.T) {
-	in := samplePayload()
-	out := new(Blog)
-
-	if err := UnmarshalJsonApiPayload(in, out); err != nil {
+	out, err := unmarshalSamplePayload()
+	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
@@ -84,6 +97,17 @@ func TestUnmarshalNestedRelationships(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func unmarshalSamplePayload() (*Blog, error) {
+	in := samplePayload()
+	out := new(Blog)
+
+	if err := UnmarshalJsonApiPayload(in, out); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return out, nil
+}
+
 func samplePayload() io.Reader {
 	payload := &JsonApiOnePayload{
 		Data: &JsonApiNode{
diff --git a/response.go b/response.go
index 9b3dfc4..4f9ad60 100644
--- a/response.go
+++ b/response.go
@@ -84,6 +84,11 @@ func visitModelNode(model interface{}) (*JsonApiNode, []*JsonApiNode, error) {
 
 		args := strings.Split(tag, ",")
 
+		if len(args) != 2 {
+			er = errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("jsonapi tag, on %s, had two few arguments", structField.Name))
+			return false
+		}
+
 		if len(args) >= 1 && args[0] != "" {
 			annotation := args[0]
 
diff --git a/response_test.go b/response_test.go
index 504026e..7b69839 100644
--- a/response_test.go
+++ b/response_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"reflect"
+	"regexp"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 )
@@ -40,6 +41,21 @@ func (b Blogs) GetData() []interface{} {
 	return d
 }
 
+func TestMalformedTagResposne(t *testing.T) {
+	testModel := &BadModel{}
+	_, err := MarshalJsonApiOnePayload(testModel)
+
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Did not error out with wrong number of arguments in tag")
+	}
+
+	r := regexp.MustCompile(`two few arguments`)
+
+	if !r.Match([]byte(err.Error())) {
+		t.Fatalf("The err was not due two two few arguments in a tag")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestHasPrimaryAnnotation(t *testing.T) {
 	testModel := &Blog{
 		Id:        5,