diff --git a/config/initializers/tenanting.rb b/config/initializers/tenanting.rb
index 20fab9567..e49e9f331 100644
--- a/config/initializers/tenanting.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/tenanting.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ Rails.application.config.after_initialize do
     # in production, we're using a two-level subdomain like "tenant.fizzy.37signals.com", but in
     # development and beta it's only a single-level subdomain.
     tld_length = request.domain == "37signals.com" ? 2 : 1
-    request.subdomain(tld_length)
+    request.subdomain(tld_length).presence || "no-such-tenant-exists" # this is a quick fix for now
   end
 end