diff --git a/R/ct_check_params.R b/R/ct_check_params.R
index 8a5e7bf..3884b35 100644
--- a/R/ct_check_params.R
+++ b/R/ct_check_params.R
@@ -251,19 +251,12 @@ check_flowCode <- function(flow_direction, update, verbose) {
 
     rlang::arg_match(flow_direction, values = valid_codes$text, multiple = TRUE)
 
-    # if one of the codes is not in the list of valid codes
-    # send stop signal and list problems
-    if (!all(flow_direction %in% valid_codes$text)) {
-      rlang::abort(paste0(
-        "The following services/commodity codes you provided are invalid: ",
-        paste0(setdiff(flow_direction, valid_codes$text), collapse = ", ")
-      ))
-    } else {
+
       flow_direction <- valid_codes |>
         poorman::filter(text %in% flow_direction) |>
         poorman::pull(id) |>
         paste0(collapse = ",")
-    }
+
   } else {
     flow_direction <- NULL
   }
@@ -363,7 +356,7 @@ check_reporterCode <- function(reporter, update = FALSE, verbose = FALSE) {
       )
 
     ## get multiple values or single values that are not 'all_countries'
-    if (length(reporter) > 1 | !any(reporter == "all_countries")) {
+    if (length(reporter) > 1 | !any(reporter %in% "all_countries")) {
       if (any(reporter == "all_countries")) {
     rlang::abort('"all_countries" can only be provided as a single argument.')
       }
@@ -378,7 +371,7 @@ check_reporterCode <- function(reporter, update = FALSE, verbose = FALSE) {
     }
 
     # create proper ids for reporter Code
-    if (length(reporter) > 1 | !any(reporter == "all_countries")) {
+    if (length(reporter) > 1 | !any(reporter %in% "all_countries")) {
       reporter <- reporter_codes |>
         poorman::filter(iso_3 %in% reporter) |>
         poorman::pull(id) |>
@@ -430,9 +423,9 @@ check_partnerCode <- function(partner, update = FALSE, verbose = FALSE) {
     )
 
 
-    if (length(partner) > 1 | !any(partner == "all_countries")) {
+    if (length(partner) > 1 | !any(partner %in% "all_countries")) {
       partner <- stringr::str_squish(partner)
-      if (any(partner == "all_countries")) {
+      if (any(partner %in% "all_countries")) {
       rlang::abort('"all_countries" can only be provided as a single argument.')
       }
       # if one of the partnerCodes is not in the list of valid partnerCodes
@@ -447,7 +440,7 @@ check_partnerCode <- function(partner, update = FALSE, verbose = FALSE) {
     }
 
     # create proper ids for partner
-    if (length(partner) > 1 | !any(partner == "all_countries")) {
+    if (length(partner) > 1 | !any(partner %in% "all_countries")) {
       partner <- partner_codes |>
         poorman::filter(iso_3 %in% partner) |>
         poorman::pull(id) |>
@@ -558,10 +551,7 @@ check_motCode <-
           verbose = verbose
         )
       ## check whether "everything" is selected
-      if (any(mode_of_transport %in% "everything")) {
-        mode_of_transport <- valid_codes |>
-          poorman::summarise(id = paste0(id, collapse = ","))
-      } else {
+
         mode_of_transport <- as.character(mode_of_transport)
 
         # remove any white space from cmd codes provided
@@ -587,7 +577,6 @@ check_motCode <-
             poorman::filter(text %in% mode_of_transport) |>
             poorman::summarise(id = paste0(id, collapse = ","))
         }
-      }
       mode_of_transport <- mode_of_transport$id
     } else {
       mode_of_transport <- NULL
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-ct_build_request.R b/tests/testthat/test-ct_build_request.R
index 8ff6285..a490711 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-ct_build_request.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-ct_build_request.R
@@ -25,3 +25,27 @@ test_that('test that build returns a httr2 request',{
   expect_true(stringr::str_detect(req$url,
                             'https://comtradeapi.un.org/data/v1/get/C/A/HS?'))
 })
+
+test_that('test that build returns a httr2 request',{
+
+  expect_error(comtradr:::ct_check_params(
+    type = 'goods',
+    freq = 'A',
+    commodity_classification = "HS",
+    commodity_code = ct_get_ref_table("HS")$id,
+    flow_direction = "Import",
+    reporter = "USA",
+    partner = "CAN",
+    start_date = '2020',
+    end_date = '2021',
+    partner_2 = 'World',
+    mode_of_transport = 'Air',
+    customs_code = 'C00',
+    verbose = FALSE,
+    update = FALSE,
+    extra_params = NULL
+  ) |>
+    comtradr:::ct_build_request(primary_token = 'test_token'),
+  'Your request exceeds 4KB or 4096 characters')
+
+})
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-ct_check_parameters.R b/tests/testthat/test-ct_check_parameters.R
index 87961ac..f5c471a 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-ct_check_parameters.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-ct_check_parameters.R
@@ -106,6 +106,10 @@ test_that("check_reporterCode function works correctly", {
       verbose = FALSE
     )
   ) > 0)
+  expect_error(check_reporterCode("INVALID"),
+               regexp = "The following reporter")
+  expect_error(check_reporterCode(c("all_countries","USA")),
+               "can only be provided")
 
 })
 
@@ -115,6 +119,8 @@ test_that("check_partnerCode works correctly", {
   expect_equal(check_partnerCode(c("everything", "MEX")), NULL)
   expect_error(check_partnerCode(c("CAN", "all")))
   expect_error(check_partnerCode("INVALID"))
+  expect_error(comtradr:::check_partnerCode(c("all_countries","USA")),
+               "can only be provided")
   expect_match(check_partnerCode("all_countries"), "^\\d+(,\\d+)*$")
 })
 
@@ -124,6 +130,8 @@ test_that("check_partner2Code works correctly", {
   expect_equal(check_partner2Code(c("everything", "MEX")), NULL)
   expect_error(check_partner2Code(c("CAN", "all")))
   expect_error(check_partner2Code("INVALID"))
+  expect_error(check_partner2Code(c("all_countries","USA")),
+               "can only be provided")
   expect_match(check_partner2Code("all_countries"), "^\\d+(,\\d+)*$")
 })
 
@@ -135,6 +143,9 @@ test_that("check_motCode works correctly", {
   expect_error(check_motCode("INVALID"))
   expect_error(check_motCode("INVALID"),
                "The following mode_of_transport codes you")
+  expect_equal(
+    comtradr:::check_motCode("everything")
+  , NULL)
 })
 
 test_that("check_customsCode works correctly", {