diff --git a/src/main/java/org/qortal/api/resource/ArbitraryResource.java b/src/main/java/org/qortal/api/resource/ArbitraryResource.java
index 46bd9c5b..3ddc217c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/qortal/api/resource/ArbitraryResource.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/qortal/api/resource/ArbitraryResource.java
@@ -261,35 +261,42 @@ public class ArbitraryResource {
 			throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.NON_PRODUCTION);
 		}
 
-		if (creatorPublicKeyBase58 == null || path == null) {
-			throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_CRITERIA);
-		}
-		byte[] creatorPublicKey = Base58.decode(creatorPublicKeyBase58);
-
-		String name = null;
-		byte[] secret = null;
-		Method method = Method.PUT;
-		Service service = Service.ARBITRARY_DATA;
-		Compression compression = Compression.NONE;
-
-		ArbitraryDataWriter arbitraryDataWriter = new ArbitraryDataWriter(Paths.get(path), name, service, method, compression);
-		try {
-			arbitraryDataWriter.save();
-		} catch (IOException | DataException | InterruptedException e) {
-			LOGGER.info("Unable to create arbitrary data file: {}", e.getMessage());
-			throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.REPOSITORY_ISSUE);
-		} catch (RuntimeException e) {
-			LOGGER.info("Unable to create arbitrary data file: {}", e.getMessage());
-			throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_DATA);
-		}
-
-		ArbitraryDataFile arbitraryDataFile = arbitraryDataWriter.getArbitraryDataFile();
-		if (arbitraryDataFile == null) {
-			throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_DATA);
-		}
-
+		ArbitraryDataFile arbitraryDataFile = null;
 		try (final Repository repository = RepositoryManager.getRepository()) {
 
+			if (creatorPublicKeyBase58 == null || path == null) {
+				throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_CRITERIA);
+			}
+			byte[] creatorPublicKey = Base58.decode(creatorPublicKeyBase58);
+			final String creatorAddress = Crypto.toAddress(creatorPublicKey);
+			final byte[] lastReference = repository.getAccountRepository().getLastReference(creatorAddress);
+			if (lastReference == null) {
+				LOGGER.info(String.format("Qortal account %s has no last reference", creatorAddress));
+				throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_CRITERIA);
+			}
+
+			String name = null;
+			byte[] secret = null;
+			Method method = Method.PUT;
+			Service service = Service.ARBITRARY_DATA;
+			Compression compression = Compression.NONE;
+
+			ArbitraryDataWriter arbitraryDataWriter = new ArbitraryDataWriter(Paths.get(path), name, service, method, compression);
+			try {
+				arbitraryDataWriter.save();
+			} catch (IOException | DataException | InterruptedException e) {
+				LOGGER.info("Unable to create arbitrary data file: {}", e.getMessage());
+				throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.REPOSITORY_ISSUE);
+			} catch (RuntimeException e) {
+				LOGGER.info("Unable to create arbitrary data file: {}", e.getMessage());
+				throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_DATA);
+			}
+
+			arbitraryDataFile = arbitraryDataWriter.getArbitraryDataFile();
+			if (arbitraryDataFile == null) {
+				throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_DATA);
+			}
+
 			ArbitraryDataFile.ValidationResult validationResult = arbitraryDataFile.isValid();
 			if (validationResult != ArbitraryDataFile.ValidationResult.OK) {
 				LOGGER.error("Invalid file: {}", validationResult);
@@ -310,9 +317,6 @@ public class ArbitraryResource {
 				throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_DATA);
 			}
 
-			final String creatorAddress = Crypto.toAddress(creatorPublicKey);
-			final byte[] lastReference = repository.getAccountRepository().getLastReference(creatorAddress);
-
 			final BaseTransactionData baseTransactionData = new BaseTransactionData(NTP.getTime(), Group.NO_GROUP,
 					lastReference, creatorPublicKey, BlockChain.getInstance().getUnitFee(), null);
 			final int size = (int) arbitraryDataFile.size();
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/qortal/api/resource/WebsiteResource.java b/src/main/java/org/qortal/api/resource/WebsiteResource.java
index 588a8cd2..9aafe4da 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/qortal/api/resource/WebsiteResource.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/qortal/api/resource/WebsiteResource.java
@@ -96,42 +96,46 @@ public class WebsiteResource {
             throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.NON_PRODUCTION);
         }
 
-        if (creatorPublicKeyBase58 == null || path == null) {
-            throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_CRITERIA);
-        }
-        byte[] creatorPublicKey = Base58.decode(creatorPublicKeyBase58);
-
-        String name = "CalDescentTest1"; // TODO: dynamic
-        ArbitraryTransactionData.Method method = ArbitraryTransactionData.Method.PATCH;
-        ArbitraryTransactionData.Service service = ArbitraryTransactionData.Service.WEBSITE;
-        ArbitraryTransactionData.Compression compression = ArbitraryTransactionData.Compression.ZIP;
-
-        ArbitraryDataWriter arbitraryDataWriter = new ArbitraryDataWriter(Paths.get(path), name, service, method, compression);
-        try {
-            arbitraryDataWriter.save();
-        } catch (IOException | DataException | InterruptedException e) {
-            LOGGER.info("Unable to create arbitrary data file: {}", e.getMessage());
-            throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.REPOSITORY_ISSUE);
-        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-            LOGGER.info("Unable to create arbitrary data file: {}", e.getMessage());
-            throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_DATA);
-        }
-
-        ArbitraryDataFile arbitraryDataFile = arbitraryDataWriter.getArbitraryDataFile();
-        if (arbitraryDataFile == null) {
-            throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_DATA);
-        }
-
-        String digest58 = arbitraryDataFile.digest58();
-        if (digest58 == null) {
-            LOGGER.error("Unable to calculate digest");
-            throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_DATA);
-        }
-        
+        ArbitraryDataFile arbitraryDataFile = null;
         try (final Repository repository = RepositoryManager.getRepository()) {
 
+            if (creatorPublicKeyBase58 == null || path == null) {
+                throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_CRITERIA);
+            }
+            byte[] creatorPublicKey = Base58.decode(creatorPublicKeyBase58);
             final String creatorAddress = Crypto.toAddress(creatorPublicKey);
             final byte[] lastReference = repository.getAccountRepository().getLastReference(creatorAddress);
+            if (lastReference == null) {
+                LOGGER.info(String.format("Qortal account %s has no last reference", creatorAddress));
+                throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_CRITERIA);
+            }
+
+            String name = "CalDescentTest1"; // TODO: dynamic
+            ArbitraryTransactionData.Method method = ArbitraryTransactionData.Method.PUT; // TODO: dynamic
+            ArbitraryTransactionData.Service service = ArbitraryTransactionData.Service.WEBSITE;
+            ArbitraryTransactionData.Compression compression = ArbitraryTransactionData.Compression.ZIP;
+
+            ArbitraryDataWriter arbitraryDataWriter = new ArbitraryDataWriter(Paths.get(path), name, service, method, compression);
+            try {
+                arbitraryDataWriter.save();
+            } catch (IOException | DataException | InterruptedException e) {
+                LOGGER.info("Unable to create arbitrary data file: {}", e.getMessage());
+                throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.REPOSITORY_ISSUE);
+            } catch (RuntimeException e) {
+                LOGGER.info("Unable to create arbitrary data file: {}", e.getMessage());
+                throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_DATA);
+            }
+
+            arbitraryDataFile = arbitraryDataWriter.getArbitraryDataFile();
+            if (arbitraryDataFile == null) {
+                throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_DATA);
+            }
+
+            String digest58 = arbitraryDataFile.digest58();
+            if (digest58 == null) {
+                LOGGER.error("Unable to calculate digest");
+                throw ApiExceptionFactory.INSTANCE.createException(request, ApiError.INVALID_DATA);
+            }
 
             final BaseTransactionData baseTransactionData = new BaseTransactionData(NTP.getTime(), Group.NO_GROUP,
                     lastReference, creatorPublicKey, BlockChain.getInstance().getUnitFee(), null);