diff --git a/internal/processing/status/create.go b/internal/processing/status/create.go
index fef857c7c..0fc21f94b 100644
--- a/internal/processing/status/create.go
+++ b/internal/processing/status/create.go
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ func (p *processor) Create(ctx context.Context, account *gtsmodel.Account, appli
 		return nil, errWithCode
 	}
 
-	if err := p.ProcessMediaIDs(ctx, form, account.ID, newStatus); err != nil {
-		return nil, gtserror.NewErrorInternalError(err)
+	if errWithCode := p.ProcessMediaIDs(ctx, form, account.ID, newStatus); errWithCode != nil {
+		return nil, errWithCode
 	}
 
 	if err := p.ProcessVisibility(ctx, form, account.Privacy, newStatus); err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/processing/status/create_test.go b/internal/processing/status/create_test.go
index 98d6c9ffe..1573dd9ae 100644
--- a/internal/processing/status/create_test.go
+++ b/internal/processing/status/create_test.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/suite"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/api/model"
+	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/config"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/db"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/gtsmodel"
 )
@@ -174,6 +175,40 @@ func (suite *StatusCreateTestSuite) TestProcessStatusMarkdownWithSpoilerTextEmoj
 	suite.NotEmpty(apiStatus.Emojis)
 }
 
+func (suite *StatusCreateTestSuite) TestProcessMediaDescriptionTooShort() {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	config.SetMediaDescriptionMinChars(100)
+
+	creatingAccount := suite.testAccounts["local_account_1"]
+	creatingApplication := suite.testApplications["application_1"]
+
+	statusCreateForm := &model.AdvancedStatusCreateForm{
+		StatusCreateRequest: model.StatusCreateRequest{
+			Status:      "poopoo peepee",
+			MediaIDs:    []string{suite.testAttachments["local_account_1_unattached_1"].ID},
+			Poll:        nil,
+			InReplyToID: "",
+			Sensitive:   false,
+			SpoilerText: "",
+			Visibility:  model.VisibilityPublic,
+			ScheduledAt: "",
+			Language:    "en",
+			Format:      model.StatusFormatPlain,
+		},
+		AdvancedVisibilityFlagsForm: model.AdvancedVisibilityFlagsForm{
+			Federated: nil,
+			Boostable: nil,
+			Replyable: nil,
+			Likeable:  nil,
+		},
+	}
+
+	apiStatus, err := suite.status.Create(ctx, creatingAccount, creatingApplication, statusCreateForm)
+	suite.EqualError(err, "ProcessMediaIDs: description too short! media description of at least 100 chararacters is required but 15 was provided for media with id 01F8MH8RMYQ6MSNY3JM2XT1CQ5")
+	suite.Nil(apiStatus)
+}
+
 func TestStatusCreateTestSuite(t *testing.T) {
 	suite.Run(t, new(StatusCreateTestSuite))
 }
diff --git a/internal/processing/status/status.go b/internal/processing/status/status.go
index acd588461..c63769c76 100644
--- a/internal/processing/status/status.go
+++ b/internal/processing/status/status.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ type Processor interface {
 
 	ProcessVisibility(ctx context.Context, form *apimodel.AdvancedStatusCreateForm, accountDefaultVis gtsmodel.Visibility, status *gtsmodel.Status) error
 	ProcessReplyToID(ctx context.Context, form *apimodel.AdvancedStatusCreateForm, thisAccountID string, status *gtsmodel.Status) gtserror.WithCode
-	ProcessMediaIDs(ctx context.Context, form *apimodel.AdvancedStatusCreateForm, thisAccountID string, status *gtsmodel.Status) error
+	ProcessMediaIDs(ctx context.Context, form *apimodel.AdvancedStatusCreateForm, thisAccountID string, status *gtsmodel.Status) gtserror.WithCode
 	ProcessLanguage(ctx context.Context, form *apimodel.AdvancedStatusCreateForm, accountDefaultLanguage string, status *gtsmodel.Status) error
 	ProcessMentions(ctx context.Context, form *apimodel.AdvancedStatusCreateForm, accountID string, status *gtsmodel.Status) error
 	ProcessTags(ctx context.Context, form *apimodel.AdvancedStatusCreateForm, accountID string, status *gtsmodel.Status) error
diff --git a/internal/processing/status/util.go b/internal/processing/status/util.go
index c8b30e2ca..ca6e5063b 100644
--- a/internal/processing/status/util.go
+++ b/internal/processing/status/util.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/api/model"
 	apimodel "github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/api/model"
+	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/config"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/db"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/gtserror"
 	"github.com/superseriousbusiness/gotosocial/internal/gtsmodel"
@@ -157,7 +158,7 @@ func (p *processor) ProcessReplyToID(ctx context.Context, form *apimodel.Advance
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (p *processor) ProcessMediaIDs(ctx context.Context, form *apimodel.AdvancedStatusCreateForm, thisAccountID string, status *gtsmodel.Status) error {
+func (p *processor) ProcessMediaIDs(ctx context.Context, form *apimodel.AdvancedStatusCreateForm, thisAccountID string, status *gtsmodel.Status) gtserror.WithCode {
 	if form.MediaIDs == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -167,15 +168,28 @@ func (p *processor) ProcessMediaIDs(ctx context.Context, form *apimodel.Advanced
 	for _, mediaID := range form.MediaIDs {
 		attachment, err := p.db.GetAttachmentByID(ctx, mediaID)
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("ProcessMediaIDs: invalid media type or media not found for media id %s", mediaID)
+			if errors.Is(err, db.ErrNoEntries) {
+				err = fmt.Errorf("ProcessMediaIDs: media not found for media id %s", mediaID)
+				return gtserror.NewErrorBadRequest(err, err.Error())
+			}
+			err = fmt.Errorf("ProcessMediaIDs: db error for media id %s", mediaID)
+			return gtserror.NewErrorInternalError(err)
 		}
 
 		if attachment.AccountID != thisAccountID {
-			return fmt.Errorf("ProcessMediaIDs: media with id %s does not belong to account %s", mediaID, thisAccountID)
+			err = fmt.Errorf("ProcessMediaIDs: media with id %s does not belong to account %s", mediaID, thisAccountID)
+			return gtserror.NewErrorBadRequest(err, err.Error())
 		}
 
 		if attachment.StatusID != "" || attachment.ScheduledStatusID != "" {
-			return fmt.Errorf("ProcessMediaIDs: media with id %s is already attached to a status", mediaID)
+			err = fmt.Errorf("ProcessMediaIDs: media with id %s is already attached to a status", mediaID)
+			return gtserror.NewErrorBadRequest(err, err.Error())
+		}
+
+		minDescriptionChars := config.GetMediaDescriptionMinChars()
+		if descriptionLength := len([]rune(attachment.Description)); descriptionLength < minDescriptionChars {
+			err = fmt.Errorf("ProcessMediaIDs: description too short! media description of at least %d chararacters is required but %d was provided for media with id %s", minDescriptionChars, descriptionLength, mediaID)
+			return gtserror.NewErrorBadRequest(err, err.Error())
 		}
 
 		attachments = append(attachments, attachment)