diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-app.yml b/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
index 6bed2fe..5640976 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-app.yml
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ jobs:
         python -m pip install --upgrade pip
         pip install flake8
         if (Test-Path requirements.txt) {pip install -r requirements.txt}
+        pip install pytest pytest-cov
     - name: Lint with flake8
       run: |
         # stop the build if there are Python syntax errors or undefined names
@@ -43,5 +44,4 @@ jobs:
         pip install .
     - name: Test with pytest
       run: |
-        pip install pytest pytest-cov
         python run_tests.py
diff --git a/src/twitchirc_drgreengiant/twitchirc.py b/src/twitchirc_drgreengiant/twitchirc.py
index 94fbeb1..f12b59b 100644
--- a/src/twitchirc_drgreengiant/twitchirc.py
+++ b/src/twitchirc_drgreengiant/twitchirc.py
@@ -225,6 +225,8 @@ def __init__(self,
                  username: str | None = None,
                  oauth: str | None = None,
                  timeout: float = None):
+        if not channel or channel.issubset(frozenset([""])):
+            raise TwitchIrcConnectionError("No channels specified")
         self._processdata = IrcThreadArgs(
             address=("irc.chat.twitch.tv", 6667),
             timeout=0.25,
@@ -280,7 +282,8 @@ def get_message(irc: Self, *, timeout: float = 0.1) -> TwitchMessage | None:
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    testchannels = frozenset(["drgreengiant"])
+    testchannels = frozenset([""])
+    #testchannels = frozenset(["drgreengiant"])
 
     with TwitchIrc(testchannels) as irc:
         while True:
diff --git a/tests/test_twitch.py b/tests/test_twitch.py
index 699e7e6..d6b9978 100644
--- a/tests/test_twitch.py
+++ b/tests/test_twitch.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!./.venv/bin/python3
 import pytest
 
-import twitchirc_drgreengiant as twitchirc
+import twitchirc_drgreengiant.twitchirc as twitchirc
 
 DEFAULT_CHANNELS = frozenset(["drgreengiant"])
 
@@ -39,14 +39,14 @@ def test_message_enum():
         assert val == ret, f"Failed to parse \"{key}\" into {val}: got {ret}"
 
 
-def channel_connection(channel: str):
+def channel_connection(channel: frozenset[str]):
     with twitchirc.TwitchIrc(channel) as irc:
         assert irc.connected, "Thought we were connected but flag isnt set"
 
 
 def test_bad_channel_connection():
     with pytest.raises(twitchirc.TwitchIrcConnectionError):
-        channel_connection("")
+        channel_connection(frozenset([""]))
 
 
 def test_good_channel_connection():