diff --git a/app/dao/services_dao.py b/app/dao/services_dao.py
index 6d0b22ef8..412723830 100644
--- a/app/dao/services_dao.py
+++ b/app/dao/services_dao.py
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ def dao_create_service(service, user, service_id=None, service_permissions=[SMS_
     service.active = True
     service.research_mode = False
 
-    def process_deprecated_service_permissions():
+    def deprecate_process_service_permissions():
         for permission in service_permissions:
             service_permission = ServicePermission(service_id=service.id, permission=permission)
             service.permissions.append(service_permission)
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ def dao_create_service(service, user, service_id=None, service_permissions=[SMS_
             if permission == LETTER_TYPE:
                 service.can_send_letters = True
 
-        def sync_flags(flag, notify_type):
+        def convert_flags(flag, notify_type):
             if flag and notify_type not in service_permissions:
                 service_permission = ServicePermission(service_id=service.id, permission=notify_type)
                 service.permissions.append(service_permission)
@@ -156,10 +156,10 @@ def dao_create_service(service, user, service_id=None, service_permissions=[SMS_
                 service_permission = ServicePermission(service_id=service.id, permission=notify_type)
                 service.permissions.remove(service_permission)
 
-        sync_flags(service.can_send_international_sms, INTERNATIONAL_SMS_TYPE)
-        sync_flags(service.can_send_letters, LETTER_TYPE)
+        convert_flags(service.can_send_international_sms, INTERNATIONAL_SMS_TYPE)
+        convert_flags(service.can_send_letters, LETTER_TYPE)
 
-    process_deprecated_service_permissions()
+    deprecate_process_service_permissions()
     db.session.add(service)
 
 
diff --git a/app/schemas.py b/app/schemas.py
index 2045f9c31..ff4f83a95 100644
--- a/app/schemas.py
+++ b/app/schemas.py
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ class ServiceSchema(BaseSchema):
 
         if len(set(permissions)) != len(permissions):
             duplicates = list(set([x for x in permissions if permissions.count(x) > 1]))
-            raise ValueError('Service Permission duplicated: {}'.format(duplicates))
+            raise ValidationError('Duplicate Service Permission: {}'.format(duplicates))
 
     @pre_load()
     def format_for_data_model(self, in_data):
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ class ServiceSchema(BaseSchema):
                 in_data['can_send_international_sms'] = INTERNATIONAL_SMS_TYPE in [p.permission for p in permissions]
 
             def deprecate_convert_flags_to_permissions():
-                def convert_flag(flag, notify_type):
+                def convert_flags(flag, notify_type):
                     if flag and notify_type not in str_permissions:
                         permission = ServicePermission(service_id=in_data['id'], permission=notify_type)
                         permissions.append(permission)
@@ -273,8 +273,8 @@ class ServiceSchema(BaseSchema):
                             if p.permission == notify_type:
                                 permissions.remove(p)
 
-                convert_flag(in_data["can_send_international_sms"], INTERNATIONAL_SMS_TYPE)
-                convert_flag(in_data["can_send_letters"], LETTER_TYPE)
+                convert_flags(in_data["can_send_international_sms"], INTERNATIONAL_SMS_TYPE)
+                convert_flags(in_data["can_send_letters"], LETTER_TYPE)
 
             if self.override_flag:
                 deprecate_override_flags()
diff --git a/app/service/rest.py b/app/service/rest.py
index b3977f2b8..122a16c8c 100644
--- a/app/service/rest.py
+++ b/app/service/rest.py
@@ -130,10 +130,7 @@ def update_service(service_id):
     current_data = dict(service_schema.dump(fetched_service).data.items())
     service_schema.set_override_flag(request.get_json().get('permissions') is not None)
     current_data.update(request.get_json())
-    try:
-        update_dict = service_schema.load(current_data).data
-    except ValueError as e:
-        raise InvalidRequest(str(e), status_code=400)
+    update_dict = service_schema.load(current_data).data
     dao_update_service(update_dict)
 
     if service_going_live:
diff --git a/tests/app/service/test_rest.py b/tests/app/service/test_rest.py
index 4977223eb..11d50f899 100644
--- a/tests/app/service/test_rest.py
+++ b/tests/app/service/test_rest.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ from tests.app.conftest import (
     sample_notification_with_job
 )
 from app.models import (
-    ServicePermission,
+    Service, ServicePermission,
     KEY_TYPE_NORMAL, KEY_TYPE_TEAM, KEY_TYPE_TEST,
     EMAIL_TYPE, SMS_TYPE, LETTER_TYPE, INTERNATIONAL_SMS_TYPE, INBOUND_SMS_TYPE
 )
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ def test_update_permissions_with_duplicate_permissions_will_raise_error(client,
 
     assert resp.status_code == 400
     assert result['result'] == 'error'
-    assert "Service Permission duplicated: ['{}']".format(LETTER_TYPE) in result['message']
+    assert "Duplicate Service Permission: ['{}']".format(LETTER_TYPE) in result['message']['permissions']
 
 
 def test_update_service_research_mode_throws_validation_error(notify_api, sample_service):