diff --git a/controllers/publishController.js b/controllers/publishController.js
index a9088181..89db3768 100644
--- a/controllers/publishController.js
+++ b/controllers/publishController.js
@@ -63,4 +63,18 @@ module.exports = {
     });
     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 => {
+          resolve(result);
+        })
+        .catch(error => {
+          reject(error);
+        });
+    });
+    return deferred;
+  },
 };
diff --git a/public/assets/js/claimPublish.js b/public/assets/js/claimPublish.js
index 70d90dc6..df8df752 100644
--- a/public/assets/js/claimPublish.js
+++ b/public/assets/js/claimPublish.js
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ document.getElementById('publish-submit').addEventListener('click', function(eve
 	event.preventDefault();
 	var name = document.getElementById('publish-name').value;
 	var invalidCharacters = /[^A-Za-z0-9,-]/.exec(name);
-	// validate 'name'
+	// validate 'name' field
 	if (invalidCharacters) {
 		alert(invalidCharacters + ' is not allowed. A-Z, a-z, 0-9, and "-" only.');
 		return;
@@ -91,28 +91,41 @@ document.getElementById('publish-submit').addEventListener('click', function(eve
 		alert("You must enter a name for your claim");
 		return;
 	}
-	// make sure a file was selected
-	if (stagedFiles) {
-		// make sure only 1 file was selected
-		if (stagedFiles.length > 1) {
-			alert("Only one file is allowed at a time");
-			return;
-		}
-		// make sure the content type is acceptable
-		switch (stagedFiles[0].type) {
-			case "image/png":
-			case "image/jpeg":
-			case "image/gif":
-			case "video/mp4":
-				uploader.submitFiles(stagedFiles);
-				break;
-			default:
-				alert("Only .png, .jpeg, .gif, and .mp4 files are currently supported");
-				break;
-		}
-	} else {
+	// make sure only 1 file was selected
+	if (!stagedFiles) {
 		alert("Please select a file");
+		return;
+	} else if (stagedFiles.length > 1) {
+		alert("Only one file is allowed at a time");
+		return;
 	}
+	// make sure the content type is acceptable
+	switch (stagedFiles[0].type) {
+		case "image/png":
+		case "image/jpeg":
+		case "image/gif":
+		case "video/mp4":
+			break;
+		default:
+			alert("Only .png, .jpeg, .gif, and .mp4 files are currently supported");
+			return;
+	}
+	// make sure the name is available
+	var xhttp;
+	xhttp = new XMLHttpRequest();
+	xhttp.open('GET', '/api/isClaimAvailable/' + name, true);
+	xhttp.responseType = 'json';
+	xhttp.onreadystatechange = function() {
+		if (this.readyState == 4 ) {
+			if ( this.status == 200) {
+				console.log(this.response);
+				//uploader.submitFiles(stagedFiles);
+			} else {
+				console.log("request to check claim name failed with status:", this.status);
+			};
+		}
+	};
+	xhttp.send();
 })
 
 /* socketio-file-upload listeners */
diff --git a/routes/api-routes.js b/routes/api-routes.js
index 411c7343..fb76a244 100644
--- a/routes/api-routes.js
+++ b/routes/api-routes.js
@@ -9,14 +9,14 @@ const { postToStats, sendGoogleAnalytics } = require('../controllers/statsContro
 
 module.exports = app => {
   // route to run a claim_list request on the daemon
-  app.get('/api/claim_list/:claim', ({ ip, originalUrl, params }, res) => {
+  app.get('/api/claim_list/:name', ({ ip, originalUrl, params }, res) => {
     // google analytics
     sendGoogleAnalytics('serve', ip, originalUrl);
     // log
     logger.verbose(`GET request on ${originalUrl} from ${ip}`);
     // serve the content
     lbryApi
-      .getClaimsList(params.claim)
+      .getClaimsList(params.name)
       .then(claimsList => {
         postToStats('serve', originalUrl, ip, 'success');
         res.status(200).json(claimsList);
@@ -25,6 +25,24 @@ module.exports = app => {
         errorHandlers.handleRequestError('publish', originalUrl, ip, error, res);
       });
   });
+  // route to check whether spee.ch has published to a claim
+  app.get('/api/isClaimAvailable/:name', ({ ip, originalUrl, params }, res) => {
+    // log
+    logger.verbose(`GET request on ${originalUrl} from ${ip}`);
+    // send response
+    publishController
+      .checkNameAvailability(params.name)
+      .then(result => {
+        if (result.length >= 1) {
+          res.status(200).json(false);
+        } else {
+          res.status(200).json(true);
+        }
+      })
+      .catch(error => {
+        res.status(500).json(error);
+      });
+  });
   // route to run a resolve request on the daemon
   app.get('/api/resolve/:uri', ({ ip, originalUrl, params }, res) => {
     // google analytics