diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index b036ba0..f2cb4c3 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 {
   "name": "news-server",
-  "version": "1.1.1",
+  "version": "1.2.2",
   "lockfileVersion": 2,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
-      "version": "1.1.1",
+      "version": "1.2.2",
       "license": "ISC",
       "dependencies": {
         "cors": "^2.8.5",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6f888b7..365d90a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "news-server",
-  "version": "1.2.1",
+  "version": "1.2.2",
   "description": "An API centric news server. Uses Sequelize and mariaDB by default.",
   "main": "server/server.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/server/news/edit.js b/server/news/edit.js
index fe8bd1d..03e50c2 100644
--- a/server/news/edit.js
+++ b/server/news/edit.js
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ const route = async (req, res) => {
 
 	//update the data
 	await articles.update({
-		title: req.body.title,
-		author: req.body.author,
-		body: req.body.body,
+		title: req.body.title || record.title,
+		author: req.body.author || record.author,
+		body: req.body.body || record.body,
 		edits: record.edits + 1
 	}, {
 		where: {
diff --git a/server/news/publish.js b/server/news/publish.js
index 36750e2..c776977 100644
--- a/server/news/publish.js
+++ b/server/news/publish.js
@@ -1,6 +1,19 @@
 const { articles } = require('../database/models');
 
 const route = async (req, res) => {
+	//check for missing data
+	if (!req.body.title) {
+		return res.status(401).end("Missing title");
+	}
+
+	if (!req.body.author) {
+		return res.status(401).end("Missing author");
+	}
+
+	if (!req.body.body) {
+		return res.status(401).end("Missing body");
+	}
+
 	//upsert the data
 	const [instance, created] = await articles.upsert({
 		title: req.body.title,