diff --git a/helpers/publishHelpers.js b/helpers/publishHelpers.js
index 3bab6787..3b4b0f92 100644
--- a/helpers/publishHelpers.js
+++ b/helpers/publishHelpers.js
@@ -57,27 +57,12 @@ module.exports = {
     };
   },
   parsePublishApiChannel ({channelName, channelPassword}, user) {
+    // anonymous if no channel name provided
     let anonymous = (channelName === null || channelName === undefined || channelName === '');
+    // if a channel name is provided, get password from the user token
     if (user) {
-      channelName = user.channelName || null;
-    } else {
-      channelName = channelName || null;
-    }
-    channelPassword = channelPassword || null;
-    let skipAuth = false;
-    // case 1: publish from spee.ch, client logged in
-    if (user) {
-      skipAuth = true;
-      if (anonymous) {
-        channelName = null;
-      }
-      // case 2: publish from api or spee.ch, client not logged in
-    } else {
-      if (anonymous) {
-        skipAuth = true;
-        channelName = null;
-      }
-    }
+      channelPassword = user.channelPassword;
+    } ;
     // cleanse channel name
     if (channelName) {
       if (channelName.indexOf('@') !== 0) {
@@ -85,9 +70,9 @@ module.exports = {
       }
     }
     return {
+      anonymous,
       channelName,
       channelPassword,
-      skipAuth,
     };
   },
   validateFileTypeAndSize (file) {
diff --git a/routes/api-routes.js b/routes/api-routes.js
index 0b9434be..68331d71 100644
--- a/routes/api-routes.js
+++ b/routes/api-routes.js
@@ -73,21 +73,20 @@ module.exports = (app) => {
   });
   // route to run a publish request on the daemon
   app.post('/api/publish', multipartMiddleware, ({ body, files, ip, originalUrl, user }, res) => {
-    let  name, fileName, filePath, fileType, nsfw, license, title, description, thumbnail, skipAuth, channelName, channelPassword;
+    let  name, fileName, filePath, fileType, nsfw, license, title, description, thumbnail, anonymous, channelName, channelPassword;
     // validate the body and files of the request
     try {
       // validateApiPublishRequest(body, files);
       ({name, nsfw, license, title, description, thumbnail} = parsePublishApiRequestBody(body));
       ({fileName, filePath, fileType} = parsePublishApiRequestFiles(files));
-      ({channelName, channelPassword, skipAuth} = parsePublishApiChannel(body, user));
+      ({anonymous, channelName, channelPassword} = parsePublishApiChannel(body, user));
     } catch (error) {
       logger.debug('publish request rejected, insufficient request parameters');
       return res.status(400).json({success: false, message: error.message});
     }
-
     logger.debug(`/api/publish > name: ${name}, license: ${license} title: "${title}" description: "${description}" channelName: "${channelName}" channelPassword: "${channelPassword}" nsfw: "${nsfw}"`);
     // check channel authorization
-    authenticateOrSkip(skipAuth, channelName, channelPassword)
+    authenticateOrSkip(anonymous, channelName, channelPassword)
     .then(authenticated => {
       if (!authenticated) {
         throw new Error('Authentication failed, you do not have access to that channel');
diff --git a/test/publishApiTests.js b/test/publishApiTests.js
index 5f923099..6cb431b0 100644
--- a/test/publishApiTests.js
+++ b/test/publishApiTests.js
@@ -1,14 +1,6 @@
 const assert = require('assert');
 
-describe('Array', function () {
-  describe('indexOf()', function () {
-    it('should return -1 when the value is not present', function () {
-      assert.equal(-1, [1, 2, 3].indexOf(4));
-    });
-  });
-});
-
-describe('controllers', function () {
+describe('api', function () {
   describe('api/publish', function () {
     describe('publishHelpers.js', function () {
       const publishHelpers = require('../helpers/publishHelpers.js');
@@ -71,6 +63,27 @@ describe('controllers', function () {
           assert.doesNotThrow(publishHelpers.parsePublishApiRequestFiles.bind(this, filesNoProblems), Error);
         });
       });
+
+      describe('#parsePublishApiChannel()', function () {
+        it('should return a channel name if one is provided', function () {
+          // assert.throws(publishHelpers.parsePublishApiRequestFiles.bind(this, null), Error);
+        });
+        it('should return a password if one is provided', function () {
+          // assert.throws(publishHelpers.parsePublishApiRequestFiles.bind(this, filesNoFile), Error);
+        });
+        it('should return a channel name if one is provided in req.user', function () {
+          // assert.throws(publishHelpers.parsePublishApiRequestFiles.bind(this, filesTooBig), Error);
+        });
+        it('should return a password if one is provided in req.user', function () {
+          // assert.throws(publishHelpers.parsePublishApiRequestFiles.bind(this, filesNoProblems), Error);
+        });
+        it('should return anonymous === true if meant to be anonymous even if req.user is filled', function () {
+          // assert.throws(publishHelpers.parsePublishApiRequestFiles.bind(this, filesNoProblems), Error);
+        });
+        it('should return anonymous === false a channel is provided', function () {
+          // assert.throws(publishHelpers.parsePublishApiRequestFiles.bind(this, filesNoProblems), Error);
+        });
+      });
     });
   });
 });