diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/client.js b/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/client.js
index 05885bb813..ee70893723 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/client.js
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/client.js
@@ -43,12 +43,12 @@ client.interceptors.response.use(
       // we should silence those on the front end and try
       // to catch legitimate request issues in the backend.
       //
-      // Allow 418 too as that's specific to out of storage checks
+      // Allow 412 too as that's specific to out of storage checks
       if (
         error.response.status === 403 ||
         error.response.status === 404 ||
         error.response.status === 405 ||
-        error.response.status === 418
+        error.response.status === 412
       ) {
         return Promise.reject(error);
       }
diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/vuex/file/actions.js b/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/vuex/file/actions.js
index 5d2a3a18e8..821a25d181 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/vuex/file/actions.js
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/vuex/file/actions.js
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ export function uploadFile(context, { file, preset = null } = {}) {
           })
           .catch(error => {
             let errorType = fileErrors.UPLOAD_FAILED;
-            if (error.response && error.response.status === 418) {
+            if (error.response && error.response.status === 412) {
               errorType = fileErrors.NO_STORAGE;
             }
             const fileObject = {
diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/viewsets/test_file.py b/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/viewsets/test_file.py
index 32f475aac3..51f0968e37 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/viewsets/test_file.py
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/viewsets/test_file.py
@@ -414,3 +414,39 @@ def test_delete_file(self):
             self.fail("File was not deleted")
         except models.File.DoesNotExist:
             pass
+
+
+class UploadFileURLTestCase(StudioAPITestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(UploadFileURLTestCase, self).setUp()
+        self.user = testdata.user()
+        self.file = {
+            "size": 1000,
+            "checksum": uuid.uuid4().hex,
+            "name": "le_studio",
+            "file_format": file_formats.MP3,
+            "preset": format_presets.AUDIO,
+        }
+
+    def test_required_keys(self):
+        del self.file["name"]
+
+        self.client.force_authenticate(user=self.user)
+        response = self.client.post(
+            reverse("file-upload-url"), self.file, format="json",
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 400)
+
+    def test_insufficient_storage(self):
+        self.file["size"] = 100000000000000
+
+        self.client.force_authenticate(user=self.user)
+        response = self.client.post(reverse("file-upload-url"), self.file, format="json",)
+
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 412)
+
+    def test_upload_url(self):
+        self.client.force_authenticate(user=self.user)
+        response = self.client.post(reverse("file-upload-url"), self.file, format="json",)
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/viewsets/file.py b/contentcuration/contentcuration/viewsets/file.py
index 6c65582a56..dd49c3d304 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/viewsets/file.py
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/viewsets/file.py
@@ -136,15 +136,14 @@ def upload_url(self, request):
             file_format = request.data["file_format"]
             preset = request.data["preset"]
         except KeyError:
-            raise HttpResponseBadRequest(
+            return HttpResponseBadRequest(
                 reason="Must specify: size, checksum, name, file_format, and preset"
             )
 
         try:
             request.user.check_space(float(size), checksum)
-
-        except PermissionDenied as e:
-            return HttpResponseBadRequest(reason=str(e), status=418)
+        except PermissionDenied:
+            return HttpResponseBadRequest(reason="Not enough space. Check your storage under Settings page.", status=412)
 
         might_skip = File.objects.filter(checksum=checksum).exists()