diff --git a/Ficdown.Parser/Parser/BlockHandler.cs b/Ficdown.Parser/Parser/BlockHandler.cs
index c1bda26..f8e202d 100644
--- a/Ficdown.Parser/Parser/BlockHandler.cs
+++ b/Ficdown.Parser/Parser/BlockHandler.cs
@@ -45,8 +45,11 @@
         public Story ParseBlocks(IEnumerable<Block> blocks)
         {
             // get the story
-            var storyBlock = blocks.SingleOrDefault(b => b.Type == BlockType.Story);
-            if(storyBlock == null) throw new FicdownException("No story block found");
+            var storyBlocks = blocks.Where(b => b.Type == BlockType.Story);
+            if(storyBlocks.Count() == 0) throw new FicdownException("No story block found");
+            if(storyBlocks.Count() > 1) throw new FicdownException("More than one story block found");
+
+            var storyBlock = storyBlocks.Single();
 
             Anchor storyAnchor;
             try
diff --git a/Ficdown.Parser/Player/StateManager.cs b/Ficdown.Parser/Player/StateManager.cs
index 23805b2..0722fd3 100644
--- a/Ficdown.Parser/Player/StateManager.cs
+++ b/Ficdown.Parser/Player/StateManager.cs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
             get
             {
                 var scene = _story.Scenes[_story.FirstScene].Where(s => s.Conditions == null);
-                if(scene == null)
+                if(scene.Count()  == 0)
                     throw new FicdownException(_story.Name, string.Format("Story links to undefined scene: {0}", _story.FirstScene));
                 if(scene.Count() > 1)
                     throw new FicdownException(_story.Name, string.Format("Story links to scene that is defined more than once: {0}", _story.FirstScene));