diff --git a/crystal_orb.py b/crystal_orb.py
index b4325e2..a26c32d 100644
--- a/crystal_orb.py
+++ b/crystal_orb.py
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ STOP_PLACES = {
     "hesthagen": "41620"
 }
 
+def get_departures(stop_place: str, atb_api_url: str = ATB_API_URL):
+    return requests.get(atb_api_url + stop_place).json()["departures"]
+
 def format_departure(departure_dict: dict) -> str:
     """Formats the json supplied by mpolden's atb api to a single line of text
     quickly summarizing the scheduled bus.
@@ -39,14 +42,17 @@ def write_to_socket(s: str, mpv_socket) -> None:
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    input_stop_place = sys.argv[1]
+    try:
+        input_stop_place = sys.argv[1]
+    except:
+        input_stop_place = "no input was given"
+
     if input_stop_place in STOP_PLACES.keys():
         active_stop_place = STOP_PLACES[input_stop_place]
     else:
         active_stop_place = STOP_PLACES["gløshaugen"]
 
-    r = requests.get(ATB_API_URL + active_stop_place)
-    departures = r.json()["departures"]
+    departures = get_departures(active_stop_place)
     sorted_departures = sorted(departures, key = lambda d: d["scheduledDepartureTime"])
 
     # ensure mpv is running with the ipc-server socket set in MPV_SOCKET