diff --git a/x/payment/types/errors.go b/x/payment/types/errors.go
index ebc8cadc02..7e167f693e 100644
--- a/x/payment/types/errors.go
+++ b/x/payment/types/errors.go
@@ -18,4 +18,5 @@ var (
 	ErrTailPaddingNamespace           = sdkerrors.Register(ModuleName, 11118, "cannot use tail padding namespace ID")
 	ErrTxNamespace                    = sdkerrors.Register(ModuleName, 11119, "cannot use transaction namespace ID")
 	ErrEvidenceNamespace              = sdkerrors.Register(ModuleName, 11120, "cannot use evidence namespace ID")
+	ErrNoMessageShareCommitments      = sdkerrors.Register(ModuleName, 11121, "no message share commitments")
 )
diff --git a/x/payment/types/payfordata.go b/x/payment/types/payfordata.go
index b9e2e6c88f..7e5ddbcdb2 100644
--- a/x/payment/types/payfordata.go
+++ b/x/payment/types/payfordata.go
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ func (msg *MsgPayForData) ValidateBasic() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if len(msg.MessageShareCommitment) == 0 {
+		return ErrNoMessageShareCommitments
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/x/payment/types/payfordata_test.go b/x/payment/types/payfordata_test.go
index 5e89708508..3d56cff42e 100644
--- a/x/payment/types/payfordata_test.go
+++ b/x/payment/types/payfordata_test.go
@@ -357,6 +357,10 @@ func TestValidateBasic(t *testing.T) {
 	maxReservedNamespaceMsg := validMsgPayForData(t)
 	maxReservedNamespaceMsg.MessageNamespaceId = namespace.ID{0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 255}
 
+	// MsgPayForData that has no message share commitments
+	noMessageShareCommitments := validMsgPayForData(t)
+	noMessageShareCommitments.MessageShareCommitment = []byte{}
+
 	tests := []test{
 		{
 			name:    "valid msg",
@@ -393,6 +397,11 @@ func TestValidateBasic(t *testing.T) {
 			msg:     maxReservedNamespaceMsg,
 			wantErr: ErrReservedNamespace,
 		},
+		{
+			name:    "no message share commitments",
+			msg:     noMessageShareCommitments,
+			wantErr: ErrNoMessageShareCommitments,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
diff --git a/x/payment/types/wirepayfordata.go b/x/payment/types/wirepayfordata.go
index 7bc598aae7..5f8443af7f 100644
--- a/x/payment/types/wirepayfordata.go
+++ b/x/payment/types/wirepayfordata.go
@@ -118,6 +118,10 @@ func (msg *MsgWirePayForData) ValidateBasic() error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if len(msg.MessageShareCommitment) == 0 {
+		return ErrNoMessageShareCommitments
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/x/payment/types/wirepayfordata_test.go b/x/payment/types/wirepayfordata_test.go
index 5d2be5dd8d..95f07a21f2 100644
--- a/x/payment/types/wirepayfordata_test.go
+++ b/x/payment/types/wirepayfordata_test.go
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ func TestWirePayForData_ValidateBasic(t *testing.T) {
 	badSquareSizeMsg := validWirePayForData(t)
 	badSquareSizeMsg.MessageShareCommitment[0].K = 4
 
+	// pfd that signed over no squares
+	noMessageShareCommitments := validWirePayForData(t)
+	noMessageShareCommitments.MessageShareCommitment = []ShareCommitAndSignature{}
+
 	tests := []test{
 		{
 			name:    "valid msg",
@@ -95,6 +99,11 @@ func TestWirePayForData_ValidateBasic(t *testing.T) {
 			msg:     tailPaddingMsg,
 			wantErr: ErrTailPaddingNamespace,
 		},
+		{
+			name:    "no message share commitments",
+			msg:     noMessageShareCommitments,
+			wantErr: ErrNoMessageShareCommitments,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {