diff --git a/controllers/node.go b/controllers/node.go
index 817b23dd..6beafe91 100644
--- a/controllers/node.go
+++ b/controllers/node.go
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ func createNode(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	err = json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&node)
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.Log(0, r.Header.Get("user"), "error decoding request body: ", err.Error())
-		returnErrorResponse(w, r, formatError(err, "internal"))
+		returnErrorResponse(w, r, formatError(err, "badrequest"))
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ func createEgressGateway(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	err := json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&gateway)
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.Log(0, r.Header.Get("user"), "error decoding request body: ", err.Error())
-		returnErrorResponse(w, r, formatError(err, "internal"))
+		returnErrorResponse(w, r, formatError(err, "badrequest"))
 		return
 	}
 	gateway.NetID = params["network"]
diff --git a/controllers/relay.go b/controllers/relay.go
index 77050d87..e7e05758 100644
--- a/controllers/relay.go
+++ b/controllers/relay.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ func createRelay(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	err := json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&relay)
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.Log(0, r.Header.Get("user"), "error decoding request body: ", err.Error())
-		returnErrorResponse(w, r, formatError(err, "internal"))
+		returnErrorResponse(w, r, formatError(err, "badrequest"))
 		return
 	}
 	relay.NetID = params["network"]
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func deleteRelay(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	updatenodes, node, err := logic.DeleteRelay(netid, nodeid)
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.Log(0, r.Header.Get("user"), "error decoding request body: ", err.Error())
-		returnErrorResponse(w, r, formatError(err, "internal"))
+		returnErrorResponse(w, r, formatError(err, "badrequest"))
 		return
 	}
 	logger.Log(1, r.Header.Get("user"), "deleted relay server", nodeid, "on network", netid)