diff --git a/src/subscription.rs b/src/subscription.rs
index 725d39c..972e978 100644
--- a/src/subscription.rs
+++ b/src/subscription.rs
@@ -65,12 +65,21 @@ impl<'de> Deserialize<'de> for ReqFilter {
             tags: None,
             force_no_match: false,
         };
+	let empty_string = "".into();
         let mut ts = None;
         // iterate through each key, and assign values that exist
         for (key, val) in filter.into_iter() {
             // ids
             if key == "ids" {
-                rf.ids = Deserialize::deserialize(val).ok();
+		let raw_ids: Option<Vec<String>>= Deserialize::deserialize(val).ok();
+		if let Some(a) = raw_ids.as_ref() {
+		    if a.contains(&empty_string) {
+		    return Err(serde::de::Error::invalid_type(
+                Unexpected::Other("prefix matches must not be empty strings"),
+                &"a json object"));
+		    }
+		}
+		rf.ids =raw_ids;
             } else if key == "kinds" {
                 rf.kinds = Deserialize::deserialize(val).ok();
             } else if key == "since" {
@@ -80,7 +89,15 @@ impl<'de> Deserialize<'de> for ReqFilter {
             } else if key == "limit" {
                 rf.limit = Deserialize::deserialize(val).ok();
             } else if key == "authors" {
-                rf.authors = Deserialize::deserialize(val).ok();
+                let raw_authors: Option<Vec<String>>= Deserialize::deserialize(val).ok();
+		if let Some(a) = raw_authors.as_ref() {
+		    if a.contains(&empty_string) {
+			return Err(serde::de::Error::invalid_type(
+			    Unexpected::Other("prefix matches must not be empty strings"),
+			    &"a json object"));
+		    }
+		}
+		rf.authors = raw_authors;
             } else if key.starts_with('#') && key.len() > 1 && val.is_array() {
                 if let Some(tag_search) = tag_search_char_from_filter(key) {
                     if ts.is_none() {
@@ -294,6 +311,24 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(serde_json::from_str::<Subscription>(raw_json).is_err());
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn req_empty_authors_prefix() {
+	let raw_json = "[\"REQ\",\"some-id\",{\"authors\": [\"\"]}]";
+        assert!(serde_json::from_str::<Subscription>(raw_json).is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn req_empty_ids_prefix() {
+	let raw_json = "[\"REQ\",\"some-id\",{\"ids\": [\"\"]}]";
+        assert!(serde_json::from_str::<Subscription>(raw_json).is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn req_empty_ids_prefix_mixed() {
+	let raw_json = "[\"REQ\",\"some-id\",{\"ids\": [\"\",\"aaa\"]}]";
+        assert!(serde_json::from_str::<Subscription>(raw_json).is_err());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn legacy_filter() {
         // legacy field in filter