diff --git a/config.js b/config.js
index f034ffe..c68f0d7 100644
--- a/config.js
+++ b/config.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ const clamscanConfig = {
 	  active: process.env.CLAMD_ACTIVE ? /^true$/i.test(process.env.CLAMD_ACTIVE) : true // If true, this module will consider using the clamscan binary
 	},
 	clamdscan: {
-	  socket: process.env.CLAMD_SOCKET ? process.env.CLAMD_SOCKET : '/tmp/clamd.sock', // Socket file for connecting via TCP
+	  socket: process.env.CLAMD_SOCKET && process.env.CLAMD_SOCKET != 'null'? process.env.CLAMD_SOCKET : null, // Socket file for connecting via TCP
 	  host: process.env.CLAMD_HOST ? process.env.CLAMD_HOST : '127.0.0.1', // IP of host to connect to TCP interface
 	  port: process.env.CLAMD_PORT ? parseInt(process.env.CLAMD_PORT) : 65615, // Port of host to use when connecting via TCP interface
 	  timeout: process.env.CLAMD_TIMEOUT ? parseInt(process.env.CLAMD_TIMEOUT) : 120000, // Timeout for scanning files
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 9f1087c..84e1677 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -12,8 +12,13 @@ app.use(express.json());
 app.use(cors())
 
 // Middleware for attaching clamscan with the express request
-app.use(async (req, _, next) => {
-	req.clamscan = await new NodeClam().init({ ...config.clamscanConfig })
+app.use(async (req, res, next) => {
+	try {
+		req.clamscan = await new NodeClam().init({ ...config.clamscanConfig })
+	} catch (err) {
+		console.log(err);
+		return res.status(500).json({message: 'Could not connect to clamav for scanning' });
+	}
 	next()
 })
   
@@ -43,7 +48,13 @@ app.post('/virus-scan', async (req, res) => {
 		})
 	}
 	// await req.files.energuide.mv('./tmp/' + req.files.energuide.name);
-  const scanResult = await scanFile(req.files.energuide, req.clamscan);
+  let scanResult;
+  try {
+  	scanResult = await scanFile(req.files.energuide, req.clamscan);
+  } catch (err) {
+	console.log(err);
+	return res.status(500).json({message: 'Clam av encountered an error while scanning'});
+  }
   console.log(scanResult);
 
   if (scanResult.is_infected === true || scanFile.is_infected === null) {