diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Api/ApiV1Controller.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Api/ApiV1Controller.php
index cd999318d..d9dd6a0f4 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Api/ApiV1Controller.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Api/ApiV1Controller.php
@@ -1449,13 +1449,16 @@ class ApiV1Controller extends Controller
 		abort_if(!$request->user(), 403);
 
 		$this->validate($request, [
-		  'file.*'      => function() {
-			return [
-				'required',
+			'file.*' => [
+				'required_without:file',
 				'mimetypes:' . config_cache('pixelfed.media_types'),
 				'max:' . config_cache('pixelfed.max_photo_size'),
-			];
-		  },
+			],
+			'file' => [
+				'required_without:file.*',
+				'mimetypes:' . config_cache('pixelfed.media_types'),
+				'max:' . config_cache('pixelfed.max_photo_size'),
+			],
 		  'filter_name' => 'nullable|string|max:24',
 		  'filter_class' => 'nullable|alpha_dash|max:24',
 		  'description' => 'nullable|string|max:' . config_cache('pixelfed.max_altext_length')
@@ -1647,13 +1650,16 @@ class ApiV1Controller extends Controller
 		abort_if(!$request->user(), 403);
 
 		$this->validate($request, [
-		  'file.*'      => function() {
-			return [
-				'required',
+		  	'file.*' => [
+				'required_without:file',
 				'mimetypes:' . config_cache('pixelfed.media_types'),
 				'max:' . config_cache('pixelfed.max_photo_size'),
-			];
-		  },
+			],
+			'file' => [
+				'required_without:file.*',
+				'mimetypes:' . config_cache('pixelfed.media_types'),
+				'max:' . config_cache('pixelfed.max_photo_size'),
+			],
 		  'filter_name' => 'nullable|string|max:24',
 		  'filter_class' => 'nullable|alpha_dash|max:24',
 		  'description' => 'nullable|string|max:' . config_cache('pixelfed.max_altext_length')
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/ComposeController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/ComposeController.php
index 7bb43e324..848e0c45d 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/ComposeController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/ComposeController.php
@@ -75,13 +75,16 @@ class ComposeController extends Controller
 		abort_if(!$request->user(), 403);
 
 		$this->validate($request, [
-			'file.*' => function() {
-				return [
-					'required',
-					'mimetypes:' . config_cache('pixelfed.media_types'),
-					'max:' . config_cache('pixelfed.max_photo_size'),
-				];
-			},
+			'file.*' => [
+				'required_without:file',
+				'mimetypes:' . config_cache('pixelfed.media_types'),
+				'max:' . config_cache('pixelfed.max_photo_size'),
+			],
+			'file' => [
+				'required_without:file.*',
+				'mimetypes:' . config_cache('pixelfed.media_types'),
+				'max:' . config_cache('pixelfed.max_photo_size'),
+			],
 			'filter_name' => 'nullable|string|max:24',
 			'filter_class' => 'nullable|alpha_dash|max:24'
 		]);
diff --git a/resources/assets/js/components/ComposeModal.vue b/resources/assets/js/components/ComposeModal.vue
index 22fc7ee95..09cc0831d 100644
--- a/resources/assets/js/components/ComposeModal.vue
+++ b/resources/assets/js/components/ComposeModal.vue
@@ -1192,6 +1192,13 @@ export default {
 							self.page = 2;
 						break;
 
+						case 500:
+							self.uploading = false;
+							io.value = null;
+							swal('Error', e.response.data.message, 'error');
+							self.page = 2;
+						break;
+
 						default:
 							self.uploading = false;
 							io.value = null;