diff --git a/controllers/publishController.js b/controllers/publishController.js
index e376ed47..8733a147 100644
--- a/controllers/publishController.js
+++ b/controllers/publishController.js
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ const db = require('../models');
 const lbryApi = require('../helpers/lbryApi.js');
 const publishHelpers = require('../helpers/publishHelpers.js');
 const { publish : { primaryClaimAddress, additionalClaimAddresses } } = require('../config/speechConfig.js');
+const Sequelize = require('sequelize');
+const Op = Sequelize.Op;
 
 module.exports = {
   publish (publishParams, fileName, fileType) {
@@ -87,24 +89,22 @@ module.exports = {
     });
   },
   claimNameIsAvailable (name) {
+    const claimAddresses = additionalClaimAddresses || [];
+    claimAddresses.push(primaryClaimAddress);
     // find any records where the name is used
     return db.Claim
       .findAll({
         attributes: ['address'],
-        where     : { name },
+        where     : {
+          name,
+          address: {
+            [Op.or]: claimAddresses,
+          },
+        },
       })
       .then(result => {
         if (result.length >= 1) {
-          const claimAddresses = additionalClaimAddresses || [];
-          claimAddresses.push(primaryClaimAddress);
-          // filter out any that were not published from this address
-          const filteredResult = result.filter(({ address }) => {
-            return (claimAddresses.includes(address));
-          });
-          if (filteredResult.length >= 1) {
-            throw new Error('That claim is already in use');
-          };
-          return name;
+          throw new Error('That claim is already in use');
         };
         return name;
       })
diff --git a/models/index.js b/models/index.js
index 1e6b6352..370f43ee 100644
--- a/models/index.js
+++ b/models/index.js
@@ -1,7 +1,4 @@
-// const fs = require('fs');
-// const path = require('path');
 const Sequelize = require('sequelize');
-// const basename = path.basename(module.filename);
 const logger = require('winston');
 const config = require('../config/speechConfig.js');
 const { database, username, password } = config.sql;
diff --git a/react/containers/ChannelCreateForm/view.jsx b/react/containers/ChannelCreateForm/view.jsx
index 4db37a24..44336daa 100644
--- a/react/containers/ChannelCreateForm/view.jsx
+++ b/react/containers/ChannelCreateForm/view.jsx
@@ -91,7 +91,11 @@ class ChannelCreateForm extends React.Component {
         this.props.onChannelLogin(result.channelName, result.shortChannelId, result.channelClaimId);
       })
       .catch((error) => {
-        if (error.message) this.setState({'error': error.message, status: null});
+        if (error.message) {
+          this.setState({'error': error.message, status: null});
+        } else {
+          this.setState({'error': error, status: null});
+        };
       });
   }
   render () {