diff --git a/edmond/plugins/playlist_of_the_day.py b/edmond/plugins/playlist_of_the_day.py
index 1fc009b..44d5cf5 100644
--- a/edmond/plugins/playlist_of_the_day.py
+++ b/edmond/plugins/playlist_of_the_day.py
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class PlaylistOfTheDayPlugin(Plugin):
         html_items = map(lambda item: f"<li>{item}</li>", linkified_items)
         html_list = "<ol>" + "".join(html_items) + "</ol>"
         data = HTML_TEMPLATE.format(html_list).encode()
-        url = self.shrlok_plugin.post({"type": "raw"}, data)
+        url = self.shrlok_plugin.post({"type": "raw", "ext": "html"}, data)
         if not url:
             self.bot.log_e("Shrlok returned None.")
             self.signal_failure(target)
diff --git a/edmond/plugins/taxref.py b/edmond/plugins/taxref.py
index 5848676..2900845 100644
--- a/edmond/plugins/taxref.py
+++ b/edmond/plugins/taxref.py
@@ -230,13 +230,16 @@ class TaxrefPlugin(Plugin):
                     + "\n"
                 )
                 reply = shrlok.post({"type": "txt"}, text.encode())
+                if not reply:
+                    self.bot.log_d("shrlok plugin returned an empty string.")
+                    return
             else:
                 reply = self.get_ambiguous_reply(items)
 
         self.bot.say(target, reply)
 
     @staticmethod
-    def item_to_full_name(item):
+    def item_to_full_name(item: dict) -> str:
         family_name = item.get("familyName")
         sci_name = item.get("scientificName")
         return f"{family_name} {sci_name}"