diff --git a/controllers/publishController.js b/controllers/publishController.js
index 19766c05..5dd06482 100644
--- a/controllers/publishController.js
+++ b/controllers/publishController.js
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ const publishHelpers = require('../helpers/publishHelpers.js');
 module.exports = {
   publish (publishParams, fileName, fileType) {
     return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-      let publishResults = {};
-      // 1. publish the file
+      let publishResults, certificateId, channelName;
+      // publish the file
       return lbryApi.publishClaim(publishParams)
-      // 2. upsert File record (update is in case the claim has been published before by this daemon)
       .then(tx => {
         logger.info(`Successfully published ${fileName}`, tx);
         publishResults = tx;
+        // get the channel information
         if (publishParams.channel_name) {
           logger.debug(`this claim was published in channel: ${publishParams.channel_name}`);
           return db.Channel.findOne({where: {channelName: publishParams.channel_name}});
@@ -22,13 +22,16 @@ module.exports = {
         }
       })
       .then(channel => {
-        let certificateId = null;
-        let channelName = null;
+        certificateId = null;
+        channelName = null;
         if (channel) {
           certificateId = channel.channelClaimId;
           channelName = channel.channelName;
         }
         logger.debug(`certificateId: ${certificateId}`);
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        // create the File record
         const fileRecord = {
           name       : publishParams.name,
           claimId    : publishResults.claim_id,
@@ -42,6 +45,7 @@ module.exports = {
           fileType,
           nsfw       : publishParams.metadata.nsfw,
         };
+        // create the Claim record
         const claimRecord = {
           name       : publishParams.name,
           claimId    : publishResults.claim_id,
@@ -57,6 +61,7 @@ module.exports = {
           certificateId,
           channelName,
         };
+        // upsert File record (update is in case the claim has been published before by this daemon)
         const upsertCriteria = {
           name   : publishParams.name,
           claimId: publishResults.claim_id,
diff --git a/models/index.js b/models/index.js
index f8293431..62e4b23d 100644
--- a/models/index.js
+++ b/models/index.js
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ db.upsert = (Model, values, condition, tableName) => {
       }
     })
     .catch(function (error) {
-      logger.error('Sequelize findOne error', error);
+      logger.error(`${tableName}.upsert error`, error);
     });
 };
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 00b84557..9bf792f2 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
     "cookie-session": "^2.0.0-beta.3",
     "express": "^4.15.2",
     "express-handlebars": "^3.0.0",
-    "express-session": "^1.15.5",
     "form-data": "^2.3.1",
     "helmet": "^3.8.1",
     "mysql2": "^1.3.5",
diff --git a/routes/api-routes.js b/routes/api-routes.js
index 419ced91..edcc6cb7 100644
--- a/routes/api-routes.js
+++ b/routes/api-routes.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const logger = require('winston');
 const multipart = require('connect-multiparty');
-const multipartMiddleware = multipart();
+const multipartMiddleware = multipart({uploadDir: '/home/lbry/test/'});
 const db = require('../models');
 const { publish } = require('../controllers/publishController.js');
 const { getClaimList, resolveUri } = require('../helpers/lbryApi.js');
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ module.exports = (app) => {
   // route to run a publish request on the daemon
   app.post('/api/publish', multipartMiddleware, ({ body, files, ip, originalUrl, user }, res) => {
     logger.debug('api/publish body:', body);
+    logger.debug('api/publish body:', files);
     let file, fileName, filePath, fileType, name, nsfw, license, title, description, thumbnail, anonymous, skipAuth, channelName, channelPassword;
     // validate that mandatory parts of the request are present
     try {
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ module.exports = (app) => {
     }
     // validate file, name, license, and nsfw
     file = files.file;
-    fileName = file.name;
+    fileName = file.path.substring(file.path.lastIndexOf('/') + 1);
     filePath = file.path;
     fileType = file.type;
     name = body.name;