diff --git a/app/notifications/process_notifications.py b/app/notifications/process_notifications.py
index 9247f813d..41b6614cb 100644
--- a/app/notifications/process_notifications.py
+++ b/app/notifications/process_notifications.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def persist_notification(
     notification_type,
     api_key_id,
     key_type,
-    created_at=None,
+    created_at=datetime.utcnow(),
     job_id=None,
     job_row_number=None,
     reference=None,
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ def persist_notification(
     simulated=False
 ):
 
-    notification_created_at = created_at or datetime.utcnow()
     notification = Notification(
         id=notification_id,
         template_id=template_id,
@@ -59,7 +58,7 @@ def persist_notification(
         notification_type=notification_type,
         api_key_id=api_key_id,
         key_type=key_type,
-        created_at=notification_created_at,
+        created_at=created_at,
         job_id=job_id,
         job_row_number=job_row_number,
         client_reference=client_reference,
diff --git a/app/v2/notifications/post_notifications.py b/app/v2/notifications/post_notifications.py
index 459cf0050..a5a3a1ec4 100644
--- a/app/v2/notifications/post_notifications.py
+++ b/app/v2/notifications/post_notifications.py
@@ -67,10 +67,7 @@ def post_notification(notification_type):
     else:
         current_app.logger.info("POST simulated notification for id: {}".format(notification.id))
     if notification_type == SMS_TYPE:
-        sms_sender = (authenticated_service.sms_sender
-                      if authenticated_service.sms_sender
-                      else current_app.config.get('FROM_NUMBER')
-                      )
+        sms_sender = authenticated_service.sms_sender or current_app.config.get('FROM_NUMBER')
         resp = create_post_sms_response_from_notification(notification=notification,
                                                           body=str(template_with_content),
                                                           from_number=sms_sender,