diff --git a/controllers/publishController.js b/controllers/publishController.js
index db29902e..06e5f0eb 100644
--- a/controllers/publishController.js
+++ b/controllers/publishController.js
@@ -19,82 +19,98 @@ function upsert (Model, values, condition) {
     });
 }
 
+function checkNameAvailability (name) {
+  const deferred = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    // find any records where the name is used
+    db.File
+      .findAll({ where: { name } })
+      .then(result => {
+        if (result.length >= 1) {
+          // filter out any results that were not published from a spee.ch wallet address
+          lbryApi
+            .getWalletList()
+            .then((walletList) => {
+              const filteredResult = result.filter((claim) => {
+                return walletList.includes(claim.address);
+              });
+              if (filteredResult.length >= 1) {
+                resolve(false);
+              } else {
+                resolve(true);
+              }
+            })
+            .catch((error) => {
+              reject(error);
+            });
+        } else {
+          resolve(true);
+        }
+      })
+      .catch(error => {
+        reject(error);
+      });
+  });
+  return deferred;
+};
+
 module.exports = {
   publish (publishParams, fileName, fileType) {
     const deferred = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-      // 1. publish the file
-      lbryApi
-        .publishClaim(publishParams)
-        .then(result => {
-          logger.info(`Successfully published ${fileName}`, result);
-          // 2. update old record or create new one (update is in case the claim has been published before by this daemon)
-          upsert(
-            db.File,
-            {
-              name    : publishParams.name,
-              claimId : result.claim_id,
-              address : publishParams.claim_address,
-              outpoint: `${result.txid}:${result.nout}`,
-              height  : 0,
-              fileName,
-              filePath: publishParams.file_path,
-              fileType,
-              nsfw    : publishParams.metadata.nsfw,
-            },
-            {
-              name   : publishParams.name,
-              claimId: result.claim_id,
-            }
-          ).then(() => {
-            // resolve the promise with the result from lbryApi.publishClaim;
-            resolve(result);
-          })
-          .catch(error => {
-            logger.error('Sequelize findOne error', error);
-            // reject the promise
-            reject(error);
-          });
-        })
-        .catch(error => {
-          // delete the local file
-          publishHelpers.deleteTemporaryFile(publishParams.file_path);
-          // reject the promise
-          reject(error);
-        });
+      // 1. make sure the name is available
+      checkNameAvailability(publishParams.name)
+      .then(result => {
+        if (result === true) {
+          // 2. publish the file
+          lbryApi
+            .publishClaim(publishParams)
+            .then(result => {
+              logger.info(`Successfully published ${fileName}`, result);
+              // 3. update old record or create new one (update is in case the claim has been published before by this daemon)
+              upsert(
+                db.File,
+                {
+                  name    : publishParams.name,
+                  claimId : result.claim_id,
+                  address : publishParams.claim_address,
+                  outpoint: `${result.txid}:${result.nout}`,
+                  height  : 0,
+                  fileName,
+                  filePath: publishParams.file_path,
+                  fileType,
+                  nsfw    : publishParams.metadata.nsfw,
+                },
+                {
+                  name   : publishParams.name,
+                  claimId: result.claim_id,
+                }
+              ).then(() => {
+                // resolve the promise with the result from lbryApi.publishClaim;
+                resolve(result);
+              })
+              .catch(error => {
+                logger.error('Sequelize findOne error', error);
+                // reject the promise
+                reject(error);
+              });
+            })
+            .catch(error => {
+              // delete the local file
+              publishHelpers.deleteTemporaryFile(publishParams.file_path);
+              // reject the promise
+              reject(error);
+            });
+        } else {
+          const err = new Error('That name has already been claimed by spee.ch.  Please choose a new claim name.');
+          reject(err);
+        }
+      })
+      .catch(error => {
+        reject(error);
+      });
     });
     return deferred;
   },
   checkNameAvailability (name) {
-    const deferred = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-      // find any records where the name is used
-      db.File
-        .findAll({ where: { name } })
-        .then(result => {
-          if (result.length >= 1) {
-            // filter out any results that were not published from a spee.ch wallet address
-            lbryApi
-              .getWalletList()
-              .then((walletList) => {
-                const filteredResult = result.filter((claim) => {
-                  return walletList.includes(claim.address);
-                });
-                if (filteredResult.length >= 1) {
-                  resolve(false);
-                } else {
-                  resolve(true);
-                }
-              })
-              .catch((error) => {
-                reject(error);
-              });
-          } else {
-            resolve(true);
-          }
-        })
-        .catch(error => {
-          reject(error);
-        });
-    });
-    return deferred;
+    return checkNameAvailability(name);
   },
 };
diff --git a/helpers/libraries/errorHandlers.js b/helpers/libraries/errorHandlers.js
index 4d922c3b..c76ff38c 100644
--- a/helpers/libraries/errorHandlers.js
+++ b/helpers/libraries/errorHandlers.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ const { postToStats } = require('../../controllers/statsController.js');
 
 module.exports = {
   handleRequestError (action, originalUrl, ip, error, res) {
-    logger.error('Request Error >>', error);
+    logger.error('Request Error >>', error.message);
     if (error.response) {
       postToStats(action, originalUrl, ip, error.response.data.error.messsage);
       res.status(error.response.status).send(error.response.data.error.message);
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ module.exports = {
       res.status(503).send('Connection refused.  The daemon may not be running.');
     } else {
       postToStats(action, originalUrl, ip, error);
-      res.status(400).send(JSON.stringify(error));
+      res.status(400).send(error.message);
     }
   },
   handlePublishError (error) {
diff --git a/public/assets/js/claimPublish.js b/public/assets/js/claimPublish.js
index 534af660..e43424aa 100644
--- a/public/assets/js/claimPublish.js
+++ b/public/assets/js/claimPublish.js
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ document.getElementById('publish-submit').addEventListener('click', function(eve
 				} else {
 					alert("That name has already been claimed by spee.ch.  Please choose a different name.");
 				}
-				
 			} else {
 				console.log("request to check claim name failed with status:", this.status);
 			};