diff --git a/api_webchat/controller.js b/api_webchat/controller.js
index e0942e93..3666c5db 100644
--- a/api_webchat/controller.js
+++ b/api_webchat/controller.js
@@ -86,16 +86,21 @@ worker.onmessage = function(event) {
 // handling commands from the backgound page
 browser.runtime.onMessage.addListener((message, sender, sendResponse) => {
     //console.log(">>>>>>>>>>>>> controller.js onMessage: " + JSON.stringify(message));
-    if (message.command === "chatgpt_send") {
-        //send the received prompt to the chatgpt api
-        if(message.do_custom_text=="1") {
-            let userInput = prompt(browser.i18n.getMessage("chatgpt_win_custom_text"));
-            if(userInput !== null) {
-                message.prompt += " " + userInput;
+    switch (message.command) {
+        case "chatgpt_send":
+            //send the received prompt to the chatgpt api
+            if(message.do_custom_text=="1") {
+                let userInput = prompt(browser.i18n.getMessage("chatgpt_win_custom_text"));
+                if(userInput !== null) {
+                    message.prompt += " " + userInput;
+                }
             }
-        }
-        promptData = message;
-        messageInput._setMessageInputValue(message.prompt);
-        messageInput._handleNewChatMessage();
+            promptData = message;
+            messageInput._setMessageInputValue(message.prompt);
+            messageInput._handleNewChatMessage();
+            break;
+        case "api_error":
+            messagesArea.appendBotMessage(message.error,'error');
+            break;
     }
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/mzta-background.js b/mzta-background.js
index 7d35ecf8..14c095e5 100644
--- a/mzta-background.js
+++ b/mzta-background.js
@@ -152,18 +152,6 @@ async function openChatGPT(promptText, action, curr_tabId, prompt_name = '', do_
         return;
     }
 
-    if(prefs.connection_type === 'chatgpt_api'){
-        // check if the API is present, otherwise open the web interface
-        if (prefs.chatgpt_api_key == '') {
-            showNotification(browser.i18n.getMessage('error'),browser.i18n.getMessage('chatgpt_empty_apikey'));
-            prefs.connection_type = 'chatgpt_web';
-        }
-        if (prefs.chatgpt_model == '') {
-            showNotification(browser.i18n.getMessage('error'),browser.i18n.getMessage('chatgpt_empty_model'));
-            prefs.connection_type = 'chatgpt_web';
-        }
-    }
-
     switch(prefs.connection_type){
         case 'chatgpt_web':
         // We are using the ChatGPT web interface
@@ -253,6 +241,16 @@ async function openChatGPT(promptText, action, curr_tabId, prompt_name = '', do_
         let mailMessageId = -1;
         if(mailMessage) mailMessageId = mailMessage.id;
 
+        // check if the config is present, or give a message error
+        if (prefs.chatgpt_api_key == '') {
+            browser.tabs.sendMessage(createdTab2.id, { command: "api_error", error: browser.i18n.getMessage('chatgpt_empty_apikey')});
+            return;
+        }
+        if (prefs.chatgpt_model == '') {
+            browser.tabs.sendMessage(createdTab2.id, { command: "api_error", error: browser.i18n.getMessage('chatgpt_empty_model')});
+            return;
+        }
+
         browser.tabs.sendMessage(createdTab2.id, { command: "chatgpt_send", prompt: promptText, action: action, tabId: curr_tabId, mailMessageId: mailMessageId, do_custom_text: do_custom_text});
         break;  // chatgpt_api
     }