diff --git a/bin/ldapjs-search b/bin/ldapjs-search
index 66853bd..bfd854c 100755
--- a/bin/ldapjs-search
+++ b/bin/ldapjs-search
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ function perror(err) {
 
 ///--- Mainline
 
-log4js.setGlobalLogLevel('INFO');
 var parsed;
 
 try {
diff --git a/lib/filters/index.js b/lib/filters/index.js
index 476396f..62782f5 100644
--- a/lib/filters/index.js
+++ b/lib/filters/index.js
@@ -130,7 +130,8 @@ function _buildFilterTree(expr) {
       operatorStr = '=';
       tree.tag = 'equalityMatch';
     } else {
-      tree.tag = 'present';
+      // tree.tag = 'present';
+      throw new Error('invalid filter syntax');
     }
 
     if (operatorStr === '') {
diff --git a/test/filters/parse.test.js b/test/filters/parse.test.js
index 6e7ab8c..6302cc0 100644
--- a/test/filters/parse.test.js
+++ b/test/filters/parse.test.js
@@ -116,10 +116,17 @@ test('GH-53 NotFilter', function (t) {
 
 
 test('presence filter', function (t) {
-  var str = '(foo=*)';
-  var f = parse(str);
+  var f = parse('(foo=*)');
   t.ok(f);
   t.equal(f.type, 'present');
   t.equal(f.attribute, 'foo');
   t.end();
 });
+
+
+test('bogus filter', function (t) {
+  t.throws(function () {
+    parse('foo>1');
+  });
+  t.end();
+});