diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/emote.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/emote.dm
index 5fc5e054f69..2b5a09b4c72 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/emote.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/carbon/human/emote.dm
@@ -309,14 +309,18 @@
 				m_type = 2
 
 		if("wag")
-			if(dna && dna.species && (("tail_lizard" in dna.species.mutant_bodyparts) || ("tail_human" in dna.species.mutant_bodyparts)))
+			if(dna && dna.species && (("tail_lizard" in dna.species.mutant_bodyparts) || (features["tail_human"] != "None")))
 				message = "<B>[src]</B> wags \his tail."
 				startTailWag()
+			else
+				src << "<span class='notice'>Unusable emote '[act]'. Say *help for a list.</span>"
 
 		if("stopwag")
 			if(dna && dna.species && (("waggingtail_lizard" in dna.species.mutant_bodyparts) || ("waggingtail_human" in dna.species.mutant_bodyparts)))
 				message = "<B>[src]</B> stops wagging \his tail."
 				endTailWag()
+			else
+				src << "<span class='notice'>Unusable emote '[act]'. Say *help for a list.</span>"
 
 		if ("help") //This can stay at the bottom.
 			src << "Help for human emotes. You can use these emotes with say \"*emote\":\n\naflap, airguitar, blink, blink_r, blush, bow-(none)/mob, burp, choke, chuckle, clap, collapse, cough, cry, custom, dance, dap, deathgasp, drool, eyebrow, faint, flap, frown, gasp, giggle, glare-(none)/mob, grin, groan, grumble, handshake, hug-(none)/mob, jump, laugh, look-(none)/mob, me, moan, mumble, nod, pale, point-(atom), raise, salute, scream, shake, shiver, shrug, sigh, signal-#1-10, sit, smile, sneeze, sniff, snore, stare-(none)/mob, sulk, sway, stopwag, tremble, twitch, twitch_s, wave, whimper, wink, wag, yawn"