diff --git a/dist/bundle.es.js b/dist/bundle.es.js
index 65b2192..62abc47 100644
--- a/dist/bundle.es.js
+++ b/dist/bundle.es.js
@@ -1673,16 +1673,12 @@ const makeSelectContentTypeForUri = uri => reselect.createSelector(makeSelectCla
 
 const makeSelectThumbnailForUri = uri => reselect.createSelector(makeSelectClaimForUri(uri), claim => {
   const thumbnail = claim && claim.value && claim.value.thumbnail;
-  if (!thumbnail || !thumbnail.url) {
-    return null;
-  }
-
-  return thumbnail.url.trim();
+  return thumbnail && thumbnail.url ? thumbnail.url.trim() : undefined;
 });
 
 const makeSelectCoverForUri = uri => reselect.createSelector(makeSelectClaimForUri(uri), claim => {
   const cover = claim && claim.value && claim.value.cover;
-  return cover ? cover.url : undefined;
+  return cover && cover.url ? cover.url.trim() : undefined;
 });
 
 const selectIsFetchingClaimListMine = reselect.createSelector(selectState$2, state => state.isFetchingClaimListMine);
@@ -2141,7 +2137,8 @@ function doSendTip(amount, claimId, isSupport, successCallback, errorCallback) {
     lbryProxy.support_create({
       claim_id: claimId,
       amount: creditsToString(amount),
-      tip: !shouldSupport
+      tip: !shouldSupport,
+      blocking: true
     }).then(success, error);
   };
 }
@@ -2462,7 +2459,8 @@ function doCreateChannel(name, amount, optionalParams) {
 
     const createParams = {
       name,
-      bid: creditsToString(amount)
+      bid: creditsToString(amount),
+      blocking: true
     };
 
     if (optionalParams) {
@@ -2508,10 +2506,14 @@ function doCreateChannel(name, amount, optionalParams) {
 }
 
 function doUpdateChannel(params) {
-  return dispatch => {
+  return (dispatch, getState) => {
     dispatch({
       type: UPDATE_CHANNEL_STARTED
     });
+    const state = getState();
+    const myChannels = selectMyChannelClaims(state);
+    const channelClaim = myChannels.find(myChannel => myChannel.claim_id === params.claim_id);
+
     const updateParams = {
       claim_id: params.claim_id,
       bid: creditsToString(params.amount),
@@ -2521,15 +2523,26 @@ function doUpdateChannel(params) {
       description: params.description,
       website_url: params.website,
       email: params.email,
+      tags: [],
       replace: true,
-      tags: []
+      languages: [],
+      locations: [],
+      blocking: true
     };
 
     if (params.tags) {
       updateParams.tags = params.tags.map(tag => tag.name);
     }
 
-    // TODO add languages and locations as above
+    //we'll need to remove these once we add locations/channels to channel page edit/create options
+
+    if (channelClaim && channelClaim.value && channelClaim.value.locations) {
+      updateParams.locations = channelClaim.value.locations;
+    }
+
+    if (channelClaim && channelClaim.value && channelClaim.value.languages) {
+      updateParams.languages = channelClaim.value.languages;
+    }
 
     return lbryProxy.channel_update(updateParams).then(result => {
       const channelClaim = result.outputs[0];
@@ -3253,11 +3266,12 @@ const doPublish = (success, fail) => (dispatch, getState) => {
     name,
     title,
     description,
-    locations: locations,
+    locations: [],
     bid: creditsToString(bid),
     languages: [language],
     tags: tags && tags.map(tag => tag.name),
-    thumbnail_url: thumbnail
+    thumbnail_url: thumbnail,
+    blocking: true
   };
   // Temporary solution to keep the same publish flow with the new tags api
   // Eventually we will allow users to enter their own tags on publish
@@ -3288,6 +3302,10 @@ const doPublish = (success, fail) => (dispatch, getState) => {
     publishPayload.channel_id = channelId;
   }
 
+  if (myClaimForUri && myClaimForUri.value && myClaimForUri.value.locations) {
+    publishPayload.locations = myClaimForUri.value.locations;
+  }
+
   if (!contentIsFree && fee && fee.currency && Number(fee.amount) > 0) {
     publishPayload.fee_currency = fee.currency;
     publishPayload.fee_amount = creditsToString(fee.amount);
diff --git a/src/redux/actions/claims.js b/src/redux/actions/claims.js
index 622847d..60f3ed8 100644
--- a/src/redux/actions/claims.js
+++ b/src/redux/actions/claims.js
@@ -3,7 +3,12 @@ import * as ACTIONS from 'constants/action_types';
 import Lbry from 'lbry';
 import { normalizeURI } from 'lbryURI';
 import { doToast } from 'redux/actions/notifications';
-import { selectMyClaimsRaw, selectResolvingUris, selectClaimsByUri } from 'redux/selectors/claims';
+import {
+  selectMyClaimsRaw,
+  selectResolvingUris,
+  selectClaimsByUri,
+  selectMyChannelClaims,
+} from 'redux/selectors/claims';
 import { doFetchTransactions } from 'redux/actions/wallet';
 import { selectSupportsByOutpoint } from 'redux/selectors/wallet';
 import { creditsToString } from 'util/format-credits';
@@ -231,12 +236,13 @@ export function doCreateChannel(name: string, amount: number, optionalParams: an
     dispatch({
       type: ACTIONS.CREATE_CHANNEL_STARTED,
     });
-    
+
     const createParams = {
       name,
       bid: creditsToString(amount),
+      blocking: true,
     };
-    
+
     if (optionalParams) {
       if (optionalParams.title) {
         createParams.title = optionalParams.title;
@@ -260,7 +266,7 @@ export function doCreateChannel(name: string, amount: number, optionalParams: an
         createParams.tags = optionalParams.tags.map(tag => tag.name);
       }
     }
-    
+
     return (
       Lbry.channel_create(createParams)
         // outputs[0] is the certificate
@@ -283,10 +289,14 @@ export function doCreateChannel(name: string, amount: number, optionalParams: an
 }
 
 export function doUpdateChannel(params: any) {
-  return (dispatch: Dispatch) => {
+  return (dispatch: Dispatch, getState: GetState) => {
     dispatch({
       type: ACTIONS.UPDATE_CHANNEL_STARTED,
     });
+    const state = getState();
+    const myChannels = selectMyChannelClaims(state);
+    const channelClaim = myChannels.find(myChannel => myChannel.claim_id === params.claim_id);
+
     const updateParams = {
       claim_id: params.claim_id,
       bid: creditsToString(params.amount),
@@ -296,15 +306,26 @@ export function doUpdateChannel(params: any) {
       description: params.description,
       website_url: params.website,
       email: params.email,
-      replace: true,
       tags: [],
+      replace: true,
+      languages: [],
+      locations: [],
+      blocking: true,
     };
 
     if (params.tags) {
       updateParams.tags = params.tags.map(tag => tag.name);
     }
 
-    // TODO add languages and locations as above
+    //we'll need to remove these once we add locations/channels to channel page edit/create options
+
+    if (channelClaim && channelClaim.value && channelClaim.value.locations) {
+      updateParams.locations = channelClaim.value.locations;
+    }
+
+    if (channelClaim && channelClaim.value && channelClaim.value.languages) {
+      updateParams.languages = channelClaim.value.languages;
+    }
 
     return Lbry.channel_update(updateParams)
       .then((result: ChannelUpdateResponse) => {
diff --git a/src/redux/actions/publish.js b/src/redux/actions/publish.js
index fde7503..e622cfb 100644
--- a/src/redux/actions/publish.js
+++ b/src/redux/actions/publish.js
@@ -294,15 +294,17 @@ export const doPublish = (success: Function, fail: Function) => (
     languages?: Array<string>,
     tags: Array<string>,
     locations?: Array<any>,
+    blocking: boolean,
   } = {
     name,
     title,
     description,
-    locations: locations,
+    locations: [],
     bid: creditsToString(bid),
     languages: [language],
     tags: tags && tags.map(tag => tag.name),
     thumbnail_url: thumbnail,
+    blocking: true,
   };
   // Temporary solution to keep the same publish flow with the new tags api
   // Eventually we will allow users to enter their own tags on publish
@@ -333,6 +335,10 @@ export const doPublish = (success: Function, fail: Function) => (
     publishPayload.channel_id = channelId;
   }
 
+  if (myClaimForUri && myClaimForUri.value && myClaimForUri.value.locations) {
+      publishPayload.locations = myClaimForUri.value.locations;
+  }
+
   if (!contentIsFree && fee && (fee.currency && Number(fee.amount) > 0)) {
     publishPayload.fee_currency = fee.currency;
     publishPayload.fee_amount = creditsToString(fee.amount);
diff --git a/src/redux/actions/wallet.js b/src/redux/actions/wallet.js
index 7ae4855..cff22d7 100644
--- a/src/redux/actions/wallet.js
+++ b/src/redux/actions/wallet.js
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ export function doSendTip(amount, claimId, isSupport, successCallback, errorCall
       claim_id: claimId,
       amount: creditsToString(amount),
       tip: !shouldSupport,
+      blocking: true,
     }).then(success, error);
   };
 }
diff --git a/src/redux/selectors/claims.js b/src/redux/selectors/claims.js
index bc67fe1..d90936e 100644
--- a/src/redux/selectors/claims.js
+++ b/src/redux/selectors/claims.js
@@ -272,11 +272,7 @@ export const makeSelectThumbnailForUri = (uri: string) =>
     makeSelectClaimForUri(uri),
     claim => {
       const thumbnail = claim && claim.value && claim.value.thumbnail;
-      if (!thumbnail || !thumbnail.url) {
-        return null;
-      }
-
-      return thumbnail.url.trim();
+      return thumbnail && thumbnail.url ? thumbnail.url.trim() : undefined;
     }
   );
 
@@ -285,7 +281,7 @@ export const makeSelectCoverForUri = (uri: string) =>
     makeSelectClaimForUri(uri),
     claim => {
       const cover = claim && claim.value && claim.value.cover;
-      return cover ? cover.url : undefined;
+      return cover && cover.url ? cover.url.trim() : undefined;
     }
   );