diff --git a/homeassistant/components/conversation.py b/homeassistant/components/conversation.py
index b682b318c7b..303e83e7e0e 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/conversation.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/conversation.py
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ def _process(hass, text):
     if not entity_ids:
         _LOGGER.error(
             "Could not find entity id %s from text %s", name, text)
-        return
+        return None
 
     if command == 'on':
         yield from hass.services.async_call(
@@ -169,6 +169,8 @@ def _process(hass, text):
         _LOGGER.error('Got unsupported command %s from text %s',
                       command, text)
 
+    return None
+
 
 class ConversationProcessView(http.HomeAssistantView):
     """View to retrieve shopping list content."""
@@ -194,4 +196,8 @@ class ConversationProcessView(http.HomeAssistantView):
 
         intent_result = yield from _process(hass, text)
 
+        if intent_result is None:
+            intent_result = intent.IntentResponse()
+            intent_result.async_set_speech("Sorry, I didn't understand that")
+
         return self.json(intent_result)
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/shopping_list.py b/homeassistant/components/shopping_list.py
index 7247579fa39..ac59c15572a 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/shopping_list.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/shopping_list.py
@@ -70,11 +70,16 @@ class ListTopItemsIntent(intent.IntentHandler):
     @asyncio.coroutine
     def async_handle(self, intent_obj):
         """Handle the intent."""
+        items = intent_obj.hass.data[DOMAIN][-5:]
         response = intent_obj.create_response()
-        response.async_set_speech(
-            "These are the top 5 items in your shopping list: {}".format(
-                ', '.join(reversed(intent_obj.hass.data[DOMAIN][-5:]))))
-        intent_obj.hass.bus.async_fire(EVENT)
+
+        if len(items) == 0:
+            response.async_set_speech(
+                "There are no items on your shopping list")
+        else:
+            response.async_set_speech(
+                "These are the top {} items on your shopping list: {}".format(
+                    min(len(items), 5), ', '.join(reversed(items))))
         return response
 
 
diff --git a/homeassistant/helpers/intent.py b/homeassistant/helpers/intent.py
index 459d89a83ce..8843bf53df9 100644
--- a/homeassistant/helpers/intent.py
+++ b/homeassistant/helpers/intent.py
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ class Intent:
 class IntentResponse:
     """Response to an intent."""
 
-    def __init__(self, intent):
+    def __init__(self, intent=None):
         """Initialize an IntentResponse."""
         self.intent = intent
         self.speech = {}
diff --git a/tests/components/test_shopping_list.py b/tests/components/test_shopping_list.py
index 867e695e2d5..c25ce593c54 100644
--- a/tests/components/test_shopping_list.py
+++ b/tests/components/test_shopping_list.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def test_recent_items_intent(hass):
     )
 
     assert response.speech['plain']['speech'] == \
-        "These are the top 5 items in your shopping list: soda, wine, beer"
+        "These are the top 3 items on your shopping list: soda, wine, beer"
 
 
 @asyncio.coroutine