diff --git a/rowers/courses.py b/rowers/courses.py
index 3d41a95d..1bbcd16b 100644
--- a/rowers/courses.py
+++ b/rowers/courses.py
@@ -189,7 +189,10 @@ def sort_coordinates_ccw(coordinates):
 def crewnerdcourse(doc):
     courses = []
     for course in doc:
-        name = course.findall('.//opengis:name', ns)[0].text
+        try:
+            name = course.findall('.//opengis:name', ns)[0].text
+        except IndexError:
+            name = 'No name'
         try:
             description = course.findall('.//opengis:description', ns)[0].text
         except IndexError:
diff --git a/rowers/tasks.py b/rowers/tasks.py
index 84fbac92..39484538 100644
--- a/rowers/tasks.py
+++ b/rowers/tasks.py
@@ -1283,7 +1283,12 @@ def handle_check_race_course(self,
                 dologging(logfile2,"Did not find file "+f1)
                 return 0
 
-    row.extend_data()
+    try:
+        row.extend_data()
+    except KeyError:  # pragma: no cover
+        dologging(logfile,"Could not extend data")
+        dologging(logfile2,"Could not extend data")
+        return 0
 
     # row.df.interpolate(inplace=True)
 
@@ -1315,8 +1320,11 @@ def handle_check_race_course(self,
     ).values
 
     rowdata = rowdata.select_dtypes(['number'])
-    rowdata = rowdata.resample('100ms', on='dt').mean()
-    rowdata = rowdata.interpolate()
+    try:
+        rowdata = rowdata.resample('100ms', on='dt').mean()
+        rowdata = rowdata.interpolate()
+    except TypeError:  # pragma: no cover
+        pass
 
     course = GeoCourse.objects.get(id=courseid)
     polygons = course.polygons.all()
diff --git a/rowers/tests/testdata/testdata.tcx.gz b/rowers/tests/testdata/testdata.tcx.gz
index 41aeda05..4b65b85a 100644
Binary files a/rowers/tests/testdata/testdata.tcx.gz and b/rowers/tests/testdata/testdata.tcx.gz differ
diff --git a/rowers/views/apiviews.py b/rowers/views/apiviews.py
index fc0ee311..5ae0c844 100644
--- a/rowers/views/apiviews.py
+++ b/rowers/views/apiviews.py
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ def strokedata_fit(request):
         dologging('apilog.log','FIT API endpoint')
         dologging('apilog.log',e)
         _ = myqueue(queuehigh, handle_sendemail_unrecognized, fit_filename, "fit parser")
-        return HttpResponse(status=500)
+        return JSONResponse({"error": "the uploaded file is corrupted or invalid and cannot be processed"}, status=422)