diff --git a/SwiftGoal/ViewModels/MatchesViewModel.swift b/SwiftGoal/ViewModels/MatchesViewModel.swift
index b2a2906..7e185dd 100644
--- a/SwiftGoal/ViewModels/MatchesViewModel.swift
+++ b/SwiftGoal/ViewModels/MatchesViewModel.swift
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ public class MatchesViewModel {
     public let title: String
     public let contentChangesSignal: Signal<Changeset, NoError>
     public let isLoading: MutableProperty<Bool>
-    let alertMessageSignal: Signal<String, NoError>
+    public let alertMessageSignal: Signal<String, NoError>
 
     // Actions
     public lazy var deleteAction: Action<NSIndexPath, Bool, NSError> = { [unowned self] in
diff --git a/SwiftGoalTests/MockStore.swift b/SwiftGoalTests/MockStore.swift
index e3eec97..d266c31 100644
--- a/SwiftGoalTests/MockStore.swift
+++ b/SwiftGoalTests/MockStore.swift
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import SwiftGoal
 
 class MockStore: Store {
     let players: [Player]
-    let matches: [Match]
+    var matches: [Match]? // nil is used to cause error
 
     var didFetchMatches = false
     var deletedMatch: Match?
@@ -46,7 +46,12 @@ class MockStore: Store {
 
     override func fetchMatches() -> SignalProducer<[Match], NSError> {
         didFetchMatches = true
-        return SignalProducer(value: matches)
+        if let matches = self.matches {
+            return SignalProducer(value: matches)
+        } else {
+            let error = NSError(domain: "", code: 0, userInfo: nil)
+            return SignalProducer(error: error)
+        }
     }
 
     override func deleteMatch(match: Match) -> SignalProducer<Bool, NSError> {
diff --git a/SwiftGoalTests/ViewModels/MatchesViewModelSpec.swift b/SwiftGoalTests/ViewModels/MatchesViewModelSpec.swift
index 59a5e40..4832976 100644
--- a/SwiftGoalTests/ViewModels/MatchesViewModelSpec.swift
+++ b/SwiftGoalTests/ViewModels/MatchesViewModelSpec.swift
@@ -113,8 +113,21 @@ class MatchesViewModelSpec: QuickSpec {
                 }
             }
 
+            it("raises an alert when matches cannot be fetched") {
+                mockStore.matches = nil // will cause fetch error
+
+                var didRaiseAlert = false
+                matchesViewModel.alertMessageSignal.observe(next: { alertMessage in
+                    didRaiseAlert = true
+                })
+
+                matchesViewModel.active.put(true)
+
+                expect(didRaiseAlert).to(beTrue())
+            }
+
             it("deletes the correct match when asked to") {
-                let match = mockStore.matches[1]
+                let match = mockStore.matches![1]
                 let indexPath = NSIndexPath(forRow: 1, inSection: 0)
 
                 var deletedSuccessfully = false