diff --git a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/virtualshelves/addbybiblionumber.tt b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/virtualshelves/addbybiblionumber.tt
index 03c06326d1..ff45db0c91 100644
--- a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/virtualshelves/addbybiblionumber.tt
+++ b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/virtualshelves/addbybiblionumber.tt
@@ -13,10 +13,11 @@
     <div class="container-fluid">
 
 [% UNLESS (authorized) %]
+    <h1>Error adding to list</h1>
     <div class="alert alert-warning">
-        <h1>Error adding to list</h1>
         [% IF (errcode==1) %]<p>Could not create a new list. Please check the name.</p>[% END %]
         [% IF (errcode==2) %]<p>Sorry, you do not have permission to add items to this list.</p>[% END %]
+        [% IF (errcode==3) %]<p>The titles selected were not found</p>[% END %]
         <button class="btn btn-default close_window focus">Close window</button>
     </div>
 [% ELSE %]
diff --git a/virtualshelves/addbybiblionumber.pl b/virtualshelves/addbybiblionumber.pl
index a5e68d8295..ad5cd22877 100755
--- a/virtualshelves/addbybiblionumber.pl
+++ b/virtualshelves/addbybiblionumber.pl
@@ -197,14 +197,17 @@ for my $biblionumber (@biblionumbers) {
         }
     );
 }
-$template->param(
-    multiple => ( scalar(@biblios) > 1 ),
-    total    => scalar @biblios,
-    biblios  => \@biblios,
-);
+
+if ( scalar(@biblios) < 1 ) {
+    $errcode    = 3;
+    $authorized = 0;    # trigger error screen
+}
 
 $template->param(
-    newshelf => $newshelf || 0,
+    multiple   => ( scalar(@biblios) > 1 ),
+    total      => scalar @biblios,
+    biblios    => \@biblios,
+    newshelf   => $newshelf || 0,
     authorized => $authorized,
     errcode    => $errcode,
 );