diff --git a/pkg/calls/call.go b/pkg/calls/call.go
index beac2d3..c5e569b 100644
--- a/pkg/calls/call.go
+++ b/pkg/calls/call.go
@@ -50,6 +50,15 @@ type Call struct {
 	TalkgroupTag   *string
 }
 
+func Make(call *Call) (*Call, error) {
+	err := call.computeLength()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return call, nil
+}
+
 func toInt64Slice(s []int) []int64 {
 	n := make([]int64, len(s))
 	for i := range s {
@@ -85,7 +94,7 @@ func (c *Call) ToPB() *pb.Call {
 	}
 }
 
-func (c *Call) ComputeLength() (err error) {
+func (c *Call) computeLength() (err error) {
 	var td time.Duration
 
 	switch c.AudioType {
diff --git a/pkg/gordio/server/ingest.go b/pkg/gordio/server/ingest.go
index e609e0b..26e8133 100644
--- a/pkg/gordio/server/ingest.go
+++ b/pkg/gordio/server/ingest.go
@@ -4,15 +4,8 @@ import (
 	"context"
 
 	"dynatron.me/x/stillbox/pkg/calls"
-
-	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
 )
 
 func (s *Server) Ingest(ctx context.Context, call *calls.Call) {
-	err := call.ComputeLength()
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Error().Err(err).Msg("compute length failed")
-	}
-
 	s.sinks.EmitCall(context.Background(), call)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/gordio/sources/http.go b/pkg/gordio/sources/http.go
index 8f2c938..cd574d8 100644
--- a/pkg/gordio/sources/http.go
+++ b/pkg/gordio/sources/http.go
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ func (car *callUploadRequest) mimeType() string {
 	return ""
 }
 
-func (car *callUploadRequest) toCall(submitter auth.UserID) *calls.Call {
-	return &calls.Call{
+func (car *callUploadRequest) toCall(submitter auth.UserID) (*calls.Call, error) {
+	return calls.Make(&calls.Call{
 		Submitter:      &submitter,
 		System:         car.System,
 		Talkgroup:      car.Talkgroup,
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ func (car *callUploadRequest) toCall(submitter auth.UserID) *calls.Call {
 		TalkgroupTag:   common.PtrOrNull(car.TalkgroupTag),
 		TalkgroupGroup: common.PtrOrNull(car.TalkgroupGroup),
 		Source:         car.Source,
-	}
+	})
 }
 
 func (h *RdioHTTP) routeCallUpload(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
@@ -120,7 +120,13 @@ func (h *RdioHTTP) routeCallUpload(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	h.ing.Ingest(ctx, cur.toCall(*submitter))
+	call, err := cur.toCall(*submitter)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error().Err(err).Msg("toCall failed")
+		http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusBadRequest)
+		return
+	}
+	h.ing.Ingest(ctx, call)
 
 	log.Info().Int("system", cur.System).Int("tgid", cur.Talkgroup).Msg("ingested")