diff --git a/plugins/fact.py b/plugins/fact.py
index 91d40ff..6ca9a64 100755
--- a/plugins/fact.py
+++ b/plugins/fact.py
@@ -32,4 +32,9 @@ def fact(inp, say=False, nick=False):
                 attempts += 1
                 continue
 
-    return "%s - %s" % (fact, web.isgd(link))
+    try:
+        url = web.isgd(link)
+    except (web.ShortenError, http.HTTPError):
+        url = link
+
+    return "%s - %s" % (fact, url)
diff --git a/plugins/lmgtfy.py b/plugins/lmgtfy.py
index a15bf4c..fa4e763 100644
--- a/plugins/lmgtfy.py
+++ b/plugins/lmgtfy.py
@@ -6,5 +6,9 @@ from util import hook, web, http
 def lmgtfy(inp, bot=None):
     "lmgtfy [phrase] - Posts a google link for the specified phrase"
 
-    url = "http://lmgtfy.com/?q=%s" % http.quote_plus(inp)
-    return web.isgd(url)
+    link = "http://lmgtfy.com/?q=%s" % http.quote_plus(inp)
+
+    try:
+        return web.isgd(link)
+    except (web.ShortenError, http.HTTPError):
+        return link
diff --git a/plugins/shorten.py b/plugins/shorten.py
index 93493a9..3cdb43c 100755
--- a/plugins/shorten.py
+++ b/plugins/shorten.py
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 # Plugin by Lukeroge
 
-from util import hook
-from urllib2 import HTTPError
-from util.web import isgd
+from util import hook, http, web
 
 
 @hook.command
@@ -10,6 +8,6 @@ def shorten(inp):
     "shorten <url> - Makes an is.gd shortlink to the url provided."
 
     try:
-        return isgd(inp)
-    except (HTTPError):
-        return "Could not shorten '%s'!" % inp
+        return web.isgd(inp)
+    except (web.ShortenError, http.HTTPError) as error:
+        return error
diff --git a/plugins/util/web.py b/plugins/util/web.py
index 5535c68..834af69 100755
--- a/plugins/util/web.py
+++ b/plugins/util/web.py
@@ -11,16 +11,25 @@ yql_env = "http://datatables.org/alltables.env"
 YQL = yql.Public()
 
 
-def query(query, params={}):
-    """ runs a YQL query and returns the results """
-    return YQL.execute(query, params, env=yql_env)
+class ShortenError(Exception):
+    def __init__(self, code, text):
+        self.code = code
+        self.text = text
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return self.text
 
 
 def isgd(url):
     """ shortens a URL with the is.gd PAI """
     url = urlnorm.normalize(url.encode('utf-8'), assume_scheme='http')
-    params = urllib.urlencode({'format': 'simple', 'url': url})
-    return http.get("http://is.gd/create.php?%s" % params)
+    params = urllib.urlencode({'format': 'json', 'url': url})
+    request = http.get_json("http://is.gd/create.php?%s" % params)
+
+    if "errorcode" in request:
+        raise ShortenError(request["errorcode"], request["errormessage"])
+    else:
+        return request["shorturl"]
 
 
 def haste(text):
@@ -28,3 +37,8 @@ def haste(text):
     page = http.get(paste_url + "/documents", post_data=text)
     data = json.loads(page)
     return("%s/%s.txt" % (paste_url, data['key']))
+
+
+def query(query, params={}):
+    """ runs a YQL query and returns the results """
+    return YQL.execute(query, params, env=yql_env)
diff --git a/plugins/wolframalpha.py b/plugins/wolframalpha.py
index d15d7a4..0040817 100755
--- a/plugins/wolframalpha.py
+++ b/plugins/wolframalpha.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ def wolframalpha(inp, bot=None):
                 http.quote_plus(inp.encode('utf-8'))
     try:
         short_url = web.isgd(query_url)
-    except (http.HTTPError):
+    except (web.ShortenError, http.HTTPError):
         short_url = query_url
 
     pod_texts = []