diff --git a/gimme_food/exceptions.py b/gimme_food/exceptions.py
index dffb4e4..8713f0b 100644
--- a/gimme_food/exceptions.py
+++ b/gimme_food/exceptions.py
@@ -2,3 +2,7 @@
 
 class RecipeNotInProperJsonFormat(Exception):
     pass
+
+
+class NotEnoughRecipesInDatabase(Exception):
+    pass
diff --git a/gimme_food/gimme_food_app.py b/gimme_food/gimme_food_app.py
index 6173f21..42ff193 100644
--- a/gimme_food/gimme_food_app.py
+++ b/gimme_food/gimme_food_app.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 from gimme_food.utils import present_result, print_banner
 from gimme_food.configure import read_config, get_logger
 from gimme_food.exceptions import RecipeNotInProperJsonFormat
+from gimme_food.exceptions import NotEnoughRecipesInDatabase
 from gimme_food.recipe_picker import RecipePicker
 
 @click.command("gimme_food")
@@ -24,8 +25,8 @@ def run_app(number_of_recipes, config, ingredient, debug):
     log.info(f"gimme-food started - version: {__version__}, config: {print_safe_config}, " +
              f"number of recipes: {number_of_recipes}, ingredient: {ingredient}, debug: {debug}")
     try:
-        recipe_list = list(make_recipe_db(conf["recipe_folder"]))
-    except RecipeNotInProperJsonFormat as e:
+        recipe_list = make_recipe_db(conf["recipe_folder"], number_of_recipes)
+    except (RecipeNotInProperJsonFormat, NotEnoughRecipesInDatabase) as e:
         log.error(e)
         sys.exit()
     recipe_picker = RecipePicker(recipe_list, number_of_recipes, ingredient)
diff --git a/gimme_food/recipe_db.py b/gimme_food/recipe_db.py
index 50921c4..4ddf89c 100644
--- a/gimme_food/recipe_db.py
+++ b/gimme_food/recipe_db.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import os
 from gimme_food.entities.recipe import Recipe
 from gimme_food.exceptions import RecipeNotInProperJsonFormat
+from gimme_food.exceptions import NotEnoughRecipesInDatabase
 import logging
 
 log = logging.getLogger("master")
@@ -16,9 +17,16 @@ def read_recipe(file_path):
                                               f"{file_path}, isn't a valid json file. " +
                                               "Try running it in a json validator.")
 
-def make_recipe_db(recipe_folder):
+def make_recipe_db(recipe_folder, number_of_recipes):
+    recipe_list = []
     for f in os.listdir(recipe_folder):
         if f.endswith(".json"):
             log.debug(f"Reading recipe file: {f}")
             recipe_dict = read_recipe(os.path.join(recipe_folder, f))
-            yield Recipe(recipe_dict)
+            recipe_list.append(Recipe(recipe_dict))
+    if len(recipe_list) < number_of_recipes:
+        raise NotEnoughRecipesInDatabase(f"You asked for {number_of_recipes} recipes " +
+                                         f"but there is only {len(recipe_list)} in your database, " +
+                                         "add more recipes or try a lower number of recipes")
+    else:
+        return recipe_list
diff --git a/tests/test_recipe_db.py b/tests/test_recipe_db.py
index 09f61e9..3d7fd83 100644
--- a/tests/test_recipe_db.py
+++ b/tests/test_recipe_db.py
@@ -2,13 +2,23 @@
 import json
 from json.decoder import JSONDecodeError
 from gimme_food.exceptions import RecipeNotInProperJsonFormat
-from gimme_food.recipe_db import read_recipe
+from gimme_food.exceptions import NotEnoughRecipesInDatabase
+from gimme_food.recipe_db import *
+from gimme_food.configure import read_config
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def file_path():
     return "gimme_food/examples/recipe_1.json"
 
+@pytest.fixture
+def conf():
+    return read_config(None)
+
 def test_json_error(file_path, mocker):
     mocker.patch('json.load', side_effect=JSONDecodeError("", "", 0))
     with pytest.raises(RecipeNotInProperJsonFormat):
         read_recipe(file_path)
+
+def test_not_enough_recipes(conf):
+    with pytest.raises(NotEnoughRecipesInDatabase):
+        make_recipe_db(conf["recipe_folder"], 3)
diff --git a/tests/test_recipe_picker.py b/tests/test_recipe_picker.py
index bee96ea..c378a88 100644
--- a/tests/test_recipe_picker.py
+++ b/tests/test_recipe_picker.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def recipe_list():
-    return list(make_recipe_db("gimme_food/examples"))
+    return make_recipe_db("gimme_food/examples", 1)
 
 def test_one_ingredient(recipe_list):
     recipe_picker = RecipePicker(recipe_list, 1, ("Jordnötssmör",))