diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/io/papermc/hangar/model/internal/versions/VersionUpload.java b/backend/src/main/java/io/papermc/hangar/model/internal/versions/VersionUpload.java
index 5effc2127..751e19667 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/io/papermc/hangar/model/internal/versions/VersionUpload.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/io/papermc/hangar/model/internal/versions/VersionUpload.java
@@ -26,16 +26,16 @@ public class VersionUpload {
 
     // @el(root: String)
     @NotBlank(message = "version.new.error.channel.noName")
-    private final @Validate(SpEL = "@validate.regex(#root, @hangarConfig.channels.nameRegex)", message = "channel.modal.error.invalidName") String channelName;
+    private final @Validate(SpEL = "@validate.regex(#root, @hangarConfig.channels.nameRegex)", message = "channel.modal.error.invalidName") String channel;
 
     @JsonCreator(mode = JsonCreator.Mode.PROPERTIES)
-    public VersionUpload(final String versionString, final Map<Platform, Set<PluginDependency>> pluginDependencies, final EnumMap<Platform, SortedSet<String>> platformDependencies, final String description, final List<MultipartFileOrUrl> files, final String channelName) {
+    public VersionUpload(final String versionString, final Map<Platform, Set<PluginDependency>> pluginDependencies, final EnumMap<Platform, SortedSet<String>> platformDependencies, final String description, final List<MultipartFileOrUrl> files, final String channel) {
         this.versionString = versionString;
         this.pluginDependencies = pluginDependencies;
         this.platformDependencies = platformDependencies;
         this.description = description;
         this.files = files;
-        this.channelName = channelName;
+        this.channel = channel;
     }
 
     public String getVersionString() {
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ public class VersionUpload {
         return this.files;
     }
 
-    public String getChannelName() {
-        return this.channelName;
+    public String getChannel() {
+        return this.channel;
     }
 
     public PendingVersion toPendingVersion(final List<PendingVersionFile> files) {
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ public class VersionUpload {
             (EnumMap<Platform, SortedSet<String>>) this.platformDependencies,
             this.description,
             files,
-            this.channelName,
+            this.channel,
             null,
             null,
             false
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ public class VersionUpload {
             ", platformDependencies=" + this.platformDependencies +
             ", description='" + this.description + '\'' +
             ", files=" + this.files +
-            ", channelName='" + this.channelName + '\'' +
+            ", channelName='" + this.channel + '\'' +
             '}';
     }
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/io/papermc/hangar/service/api/VersionsApiService.java b/backend/src/main/java/io/papermc/hangar/service/api/VersionsApiService.java
index 6afc85ec5..fe23a1d8a 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/io/papermc/hangar/service/api/VersionsApiService.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/io/papermc/hangar/service/api/VersionsApiService.java
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public class VersionsApiService extends HangarComponent {
         }
 
         // TODO Do the upload in one step
-        final PendingVersion preparedPendingVersion = this.versionFactory.createPendingVersion(project.getId(), versionUpload.getFiles(), files, versionUpload.getChannelName(), false);
+        final PendingVersion preparedPendingVersion = this.versionFactory.createPendingVersion(project.getId(), versionUpload.getFiles(), files, versionUpload.getChannel(), false);
         final PendingVersion pendingVersion = versionUpload.toPendingVersion(preparedPendingVersion.getFiles());
         this.versionFactory.publishPendingVersion(project.getId(), pendingVersion);
     }
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/io/papermc/hangar/service/internal/versions/VersionFactory.java b/backend/src/main/java/io/papermc/hangar/service/internal/versions/VersionFactory.java
index 0f27b23f0..a7ec69b5d 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/io/papermc/hangar/service/internal/versions/VersionFactory.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/io/papermc/hangar/service/internal/versions/VersionFactory.java
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Objects;
-import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.SortedSet;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
@@ -304,6 +303,8 @@ public class VersionFactory extends HangarComponent {
             // cache purging
             this.projectService.refreshHomeProjects();
             this.usersApiService.clearAuthorsCache();
+        } catch (final HangarApiException e) {
+            throw e;
         } catch (final Exception e) {
             this.logger.error("Unable to create version {} for {}", pendingVersion.getVersionString(), this.getHangarPrincipal().getName(), e);
             if (projectVersionTable != null) {
@@ -344,11 +345,11 @@ public class VersionFactory extends HangarComponent {
             for (final PluginDependency pluginDependency : platformListEntry.getValue()) {
                 Long depProjectId = null;
                 if (pluginDependency.getNamespace() != null) {
-                    final Optional<ProjectTable> depProjectTable = Optional.ofNullable(this.projectService.getProjectTable(pluginDependency.getNamespace().getOwner(), pluginDependency.getNamespace().getSlug()));
-                    if (depProjectTable.isEmpty()) {
+                    final ProjectTable depProjectTable = this.projectService.getProjectTable(pluginDependency.getNamespace().getOwner(), pluginDependency.getNamespace().getSlug());
+                    if (depProjectTable == null) {
                         throw new HangarApiException(HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST, "version.new.error.invalidPluginDependencyNamespace");
                     }
-                    depProjectId = depProjectTable.get().getProjectId();
+                    depProjectId = depProjectTable.getProjectId();
                 }
                 pluginDependencyTables.add(new ProjectVersionDependencyTable(versionId, platformListEntry.getKey(), pluginDependency.getName(), pluginDependency.isRequired(), depProjectId, pluginDependency.getExternalUrl()));
             }