diff --git a/src/NetworkOPs.cpp b/src/NetworkOPs.cpp
index dbeb8fd1d..088a717f2 100644
--- a/src/NetworkOPs.cpp
+++ b/src/NetworkOPs.cpp
@@ -88,17 +88,26 @@ Transaction::pointer NetworkOPs::submitTransaction(const Transaction::pointer& t
 	tpTrans->getSTransaction()->add(s);
 
 	Transaction::pointer	tpTransNew	= Transaction::sharedTransaction(s.getData(), true);
-	assert(tpTransNew);
 
-	if(!tpTransNew->getSTransaction()->isEquivalent(*tpTrans->getSTransaction()))
+	if (!tpTransNew)
+	{
+		// Could not construct transaction.
+		nothing();
+	}
+	else if (tpTransNew->getSTransaction()->isEquivalent(*tpTrans->getSTransaction()))
+	{
+		(void) NetworkOPs::processTransaction(tpTransNew);
+	}
+	else
 	{
 		cLog(lsFATAL) << "Transaction reconstruction failure";
 		cLog(lsFATAL) << tpTransNew->getSTransaction()->getJson(0);
 		cLog(lsFATAL) << tpTrans->getSTransaction()->getJson(0);
-		assert(false);
-	}
 
-	(void) NetworkOPs::processTransaction(tpTransNew);
+		assert(false);
+
+		tpTransNew	= Transaction::pointer();
+	}
 
 	return tpTransNew;
 }
diff --git a/src/WSDoor.cpp b/src/WSDoor.cpp
index 91b17e8aa..5d52859fb 100644
--- a/src/WSDoor.cpp
+++ b/src/WSDoor.cpp
@@ -1072,6 +1072,12 @@ void WSConnection::doSubmit(Json::Value& jvResult, const Json::Value& jvRequest)
 		try
 		{
 			tpTrans	= mNetwork.submitTransaction(tpTrans);
+
+			if (!tpTrans) {
+				jvResult["error"]			= "invalidTransaction";
+				jvResult["error_exception"]	= "Unable to sterilize transaction.";
+				return;
+			}
 		}
 		catch (std::exception& e)
 		{