diff --git a/src/views/GiftedDetails.vue b/src/views/GiftedDetails.vue
index da6f516..c0f746f 100644
--- a/src/views/GiftedDetails.vue
+++ b/src/views/GiftedDetails.vue
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@
 
     <div class="h-7 mt-4 flex">
       <input
-        v-if="!givenToUser"
+        v-if="projectId && !givenToUser"
         type="checkbox"
         class="h-6 w-6 mr-2"
         v-model="givenToProject"
@@ -87,11 +87,15 @@
         v-else
         icon="square"
         class="bg-slate-500 text-slate-500 h-5 w-5 px-0.5 py-0.5 mr-2 rounded"
-        @click="
-          notifyUser('Cannot be both given to you and also given to a project.')
-        "
+        @click="notifyUserOfProject()"
       />
-      <label class="text-sm mt-1">This was given to {{ projectName }}</label>
+      <label class="text-sm mt-1">
+        {{
+          projectId
+            ? "This was given to " + projectName
+            : "No project was chosen"
+        }}
+      </label>
     </div>
 
     <div class="h-7 mt-4 flex">
@@ -106,7 +110,7 @@
         icon="square"
         class="bg-slate-500 text-slate-500 h-5 w-5 px-0.5 py-0.5 mr-2 rounded"
         @click="
-          notifyUser('Cannot be both given to a project and also given to you.')
+          notifyUser('You cannot assign this both a project and also to you.')
         "
       />
       <label class="text-sm mt-1">This was given to you</label>
@@ -114,7 +118,7 @@
 
     <div class="mt-4 flex">
       <input type="checkbox" class="h-6 w-6 mr-2" v-model="isTrade" />
-      <label class="text-sm mt-1">Trade (not a gift)</label>
+      <label class="text-sm mt-1">This is a trade (not a gift)</label>
     </div>
 
     <p class="text-center mb-2 mt-6 italic">
@@ -450,6 +454,31 @@ export default class GiftedDetails extends Vue {
     );
   }
 
+  notifyUserOfProject() {
+    if (!this.projectId) {
+      this.$notify(
+        {
+          group: "alert",
+          type: "warning",
+          title: "Error",
+          text: "To assign to a project, you must open this dialog through a project.",
+        },
+        3000,
+      );
+    } else {
+      // must be because givenToUser is true
+      this.$notify(
+        {
+          group: "alert",
+          type: "warning",
+          title: "Error",
+          text: "You cannot assign both to a project and to yourself.",
+        },
+        3000,
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    *
    * @param giverDid may be null