diff --git a/src/pages/api/api-helpers/index.js b/src/pages/api/api-helpers/index.js
index def403daa..a7763cbd0 100644
--- a/src/pages/api/api-helpers/index.js
+++ b/src/pages/api/api-helpers/index.js
@@ -9,3 +9,16 @@ export function checkParams(eventBody, params) {
 
   return hasError
 }
+
+export const checkLength = message => {
+  const length = message.trim().split(' ').length
+  if (length === 1) {
+    return true
+  }
+  return false
+}
+
+export const contactErrors = {
+  missingOrRequired: 'Missing or incorrect required property',
+  tooShort: 'Message is too short for submission',
+}
diff --git a/src/pages/api/contact.js b/src/pages/api/contact.js
index 23431abeb..6f9e6913f 100644
--- a/src/pages/api/contact.js
+++ b/src/pages/api/contact.js
@@ -1,15 +1,22 @@
 import axios from 'axios'
-import { checkParams } from './api-helpers'
+import { checkParams, checkLength, contactErrors } from './api-helpers'
 
 export default async function handler(req, res) {
   const parsedBody = JSON.parse(req.body)
   const { name, email, phone, message } = parsedBody
   const requiredParams = ['email', 'message']
   const hasErrors = checkParams(parsedBody, requiredParams)
+  const isPossiblySpam = checkLength(message)
 
   if (hasErrors) {
     return res.status(422).json({
-      error: 'Missing or incorrect required property',
+      error: contactErrors.missingOrRequired,
+    })
+  }
+
+  if (isPossiblySpam) {
+    return res.status(400).json({
+      error: contactErrors.tooShort,
     })
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/api/contact.test.js b/tests/api/contact.test.js
index e72129f61..fad23426b 100644
--- a/tests/api/contact.test.js
+++ b/tests/api/contact.test.js
@@ -69,4 +69,23 @@ describe('contact handler', () => {
     expect(res._getStatusCode()).toBe(500)
     expect(res._getData()).toBe('{"message":"Failed post to #contact channel"}')
   })
+
+  test('should throw a 400 error when the length of the message is too short', async () => {
+    const body = {
+      name: 'Jody',
+      email: 'fake@email.com',
+      phone_number: '111-111-1111',
+      message: 'nope',
+    }
+    const { req, res } = createMocks({
+      method: 'POST',
+      statusCode: 200,
+      body: JSON.stringify(body),
+    })
+
+    await contactApiHandler(req, res)
+
+    expect(res._getStatusCode()).toBe(400)
+    expect(res._getData()).toBe('{"error":"Message is too short for submission"}')
+  })
 })