diff --git a/api/src/Page.php b/api/src/Page.php
index a5ee4c334..efb2d1cbb 100644
--- a/api/src/Page.php
+++ b/api/src/Page.php
@@ -649,6 +649,11 @@ function argOrNull($key)
         return $this->has_arg($key) ? $this->arg($key) : null;
     }
 
+    function argIfNotEmptyString($key)
+    {
+        return $this->has_arg($key) && $this->arg($key) !== '' ? $this->arg($key) : null;
+    }
+
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     # Misc Helpers
 
diff --git a/api/src/Page/Shipment.php b/api/src/Page/Shipment.php
index 0019c1e77..396c4b430 100644
--- a/api/src/Page/Shipment.php
+++ b/api/src/Page/Shipment.php
@@ -2607,8 +2607,8 @@ function _add_container()
         $tem = $this->has_arg('STORAGETEMPERATURE') ? $this->arg('STORAGETEMPERATURE') : null;
 
         $crid = $this->has_arg('CONTAINERREGISTRYID') ? $this->arg('CONTAINERREGISTRYID') : null;
-        $pcid = $this->has_arg('PARENTCONTAINERID') ? $this->arg('PARENTCONTAINERID') : null;
-        $pcl = $this->has_arg('PARENTCONTAINERLOCATION') ? $this->arg('PARENTCONTAINERLOCATION') : null;
+        $pcid = $this->argIfNotEmptyString('PARENTCONTAINERID');
+        $pcl = $this->argIfNotEmptyString('PARENTCONTAINERLOCATION');
 
         $pipeline = $this->has_arg('PROCESSINGPIPELINEID') ? $this->arg('PROCESSINGPIPELINEID') : null;
         $source = $this->has_arg('SOURCE') ? $this->arg('SOURCE') : null;
@@ -2640,7 +2640,7 @@ function _add_container()
             if ($e->getCode() == 1062) {
                  $this->_error('Barcode is not unique. Please enter a different barcode.', 409);
             } else {
-                $this->_error('An unexpected error occurred.', 500);
+                $this->_error('An unexpected error occurred: ' . $e->getMessage(), 500);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/client/src/js/modules/types/mx/shipment/views/mx-container-add.vue b/client/src/js/modules/types/mx/shipment/views/mx-container-add.vue
index 6c60d3878..c2875533a 100644
--- a/client/src/js/modules/types/mx/shipment/views/mx-container-add.vue
+++ b/client/src/js/modules/types/mx/shipment/views/mx-container-add.vue
@@ -751,8 +751,8 @@ export default {
         this.NAME = ''
         this.BARCODE = ''
         this.CONTAINERREGISTRYID = ''
-        this.PARENTCONTAINERID = ''
-        this.PARENTCONTAINERLOCATION = ''
+        this.PARENTCONTAINERID = null
+        this.PARENTCONTAINERLOCATION = null
         // Trigger default setting of UDC fields if selected
         this.selectQueueForUDC(this.AUTOMATED)