diff --git a/app/models/concerns/project_association.rb b/app/models/concerns/project_association.rb
index 0cf32e5be..6e71cc2c3 100644
--- a/app/models/concerns/project_association.rb
+++ b/app/models/concerns/project_association.rb
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ def is_unique
 
     def set_media
       unless self.url.blank? && self.quote.blank? && self.file.blank? && self.media_type != 'Blank'
-        self.create_media
+        self.create_media!
         self.media_id unless self.media_id.nil?
       end
     end
diff --git a/app/models/concerns/project_media_creators.rb b/app/models/concerns/project_media_creators.rb
index c27224980..0849bef2f 100644
--- a/app/models/concerns/project_media_creators.rb
+++ b/app/models/concerns/project_media_creators.rb
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def create_annotation
     end
   end
 
-  def create_media
+  def create_media!
     self.set_media_type if self.set_original_claim || self.media_type.blank?
     self.media = Media.find_or_create_media_associated_to(self)
   end
diff --git a/app/models/project_media.rb b/app/models/project_media.rb
index 769f37c6d..cd8ceba63 100644
--- a/app/models/project_media.rb
+++ b/app/models/project_media.rb
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class ProjectMedia < ApplicationRecord
   validates_presence_of :custom_title, if: proc { |pm| pm.title_field == 'custom_title' }
 
   before_validation :set_team_id, :set_channel, :set_project_id, on: :create
-  before_validation :create_media, if: proc { |pm| pm.set_original_claim.present? }, on: :create
+  before_validation :create_media!, if: proc { |pm| pm.set_original_claim.present? }, on: :create
   after_create :create_annotation, :create_metrics_annotation, :send_slack_notification, :create_relationship, :create_team_tasks, :create_claim_description_and_fact_check, :create_tags_in_background
   after_create :add_source_creation_log, unless: proc { |pm| pm.source_id.blank? }
   after_commit :apply_rules_and_actions_on_create, :set_quote_metadata, :notify_team_bots_create, on: [:create]