diff --git a/richcontext/scholapi/scholapi.py b/richcontext/scholapi/scholapi.py
index f120ddb..1de8646 100755
--- a/richcontext/scholapi/scholapi.py
+++ b/richcontext/scholapi/scholapi.py
@@ -382,11 +382,16 @@ def publication_lookup (self, identifier):
 
         t0 = time.time()
         url = self._get_api_url(identifier)
-        meta = json.loads(requests.get(url).text)
+        response = requests.get(url)
+        if response.status_code == requests.codes.ok:
+            meta = json.loads(response.text)
 
         if not meta or len(meta) < 1 or "error" in meta:
             meta = None
-
+        elif "message" in meta:
+            message = meta["message"]
+            meta = None
+            
         timing = self._mark_elapsed_time(t0)
         return _ScholInfraResponse_SemanticScholar(self, meta, timing, message)
 
diff --git a/test.py b/test.py
index bd89f33..4682536 100755
--- a/test.py
+++ b/test.py
@@ -404,6 +404,13 @@ def test_semantic_publication_lookup (self):
             response = source.publication_lookup(doi)
             self.assertTrue(response.meta == None)
 
+        # another error case
+        doi = "10.1641/0006-3568(2005)055[0879:EITLSA]2.0.CO;2"
+
+        if source.has_credentials():
+            response = source.publication_lookup(doi)
+            self.assertTrue(response.meta == None)
+
 
     ######################################################################
     ## Misc. family of APIs