diff --git a/controllers/object.js b/controllers/object.js
index 19fcc96a5..3ff7236fa 100644
--- a/controllers/object.js
+++ b/controllers/object.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ const path = require('path');
 const formidable = require('formidable');
 const utilities = require('../libraries/utilities');
 const {fileExists, unlinkIfExists, mkdirIfNotExists} = utilities;
-const {startSplatTask} = require('./object/SplatTask.js');
+const {startSplatTask, splatTasks} = require('./object/SplatTask.js');
 const { beatPort } = require('../config.js');
 
 // Variables populated from server.js with setup()
@@ -387,18 +387,23 @@ const generateXml = async function(objectID, body, callback) {
 
 /**
  * @param {string} objectId
+ * @param {string|undefined} credentials - Bearer <JWT>
  * @return {{done: boolean, gaussianSplatRequestId: string|undefined}} result
  */
-async function requestGaussianSplatting(objectId) {
+async function requestGaussianSplatting(objectId, credentials) {
     const object = utilities.getObject(objects, objectId);
     if (!object) {
         throw new Error('Object not found');
     }
 
-    let splatTask = await startSplatTask(object);
+    let splatTask = await startSplatTask(object, credentials);
+    let status = splatTask.getStatus();
+    if (status.error && !status.gaussianSplatRequestId) {
+        delete splatTasks[object.objectId]; // tasks resulting in error shouldn't be saved as oldTasks that can be resumed
+    }
     // Starting splat task can modify object
     await utilities.writeObjectToFile(objects, objectId, globalVariables.saveToDisk);
-    return splatTask.getStatus();
+    return status;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/controllers/object/SplatTask.js b/controllers/object/SplatTask.js
index b1ed542d9..7dabba3b8 100644
--- a/controllers/object/SplatTask.js
+++ b/controllers/object/SplatTask.js
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ const {fileExists} = utilities;
 
 const SPLAT_HOST = 'change me:3000';
 
+if (SPLAT_HOST.includes('change me')) {
+    console.warn('Edit the SPLAT_HOST if you want to enable Gaussian Splat training');
+}
+
 /**
  * A class for starting and monitoring the progress of an area target to splat
  * conversion problem, persisting the resulting file if successful
@@ -18,10 +22,13 @@ const SPLAT_HOST = 'change me:3000';
 class SplatTask {
     /**
      * @param {ObjectModel} object
+     * @param {string|null} credentials - Bearer <JWT>
      */
-    constructor(object) {
+    constructor(object, credentials) {
         this.object = object;
+        this.credentials = credentials;
         this.gaussianSplatRequestId = null;
+        this.error = null;
         if (this.object.gaussianSplatRequestId) {
             this.gaussianSplatRequestId = this.object.gaussianSplatRequestId;
         }
@@ -62,13 +69,34 @@ class SplatTask {
                 method: 'POST',
                 headers: {
                     ...form.getHeaders(),
+                    Authorization: this.credentials,
                 },
                 body: form,
             });
 
-            const gaussianSplatRequestId = await res.text();
-            this.object.gaussianSplatRequestId = gaussianSplatRequestId;
-            this.gaussianSplatRequestId = gaussianSplatRequestId;
+            let responseText = null;
+            try {
+                responseText = await res.text();
+            } catch (e) {
+                console.warn(`error parsing SplatTask /upload response (status ${res.status})`);
+                this.error = 'Unable to process the training server\'s response.';
+                return;
+            }
+
+            if (res.status === 200) {
+                const gaussianSplatRequestId = responseText;
+                this.object.gaussianSplatRequestId = gaussianSplatRequestId;
+                this.gaussianSplatRequestId = gaussianSplatRequestId;
+            } else {
+                // response is a string if successful, a JSON {error: 'reason'} if not
+                try {
+                    this.error = JSON.parse(responseText).error;
+                } catch (e) {
+                    console.warn(`error parsing SplatTask /upload response (status ${res.status})`);
+                    this.error = 'Unable to process the training server\'s response.';
+                }
+                return null;
+            }
         }
 
         this.openSocket();
@@ -102,12 +130,13 @@ class SplatTask {
     }
 
     /**
-     * @return {{done: boolean, gaussianSplatRequestId: string|undefined}} splat status
+     * @return {{done: boolean, gaussianSplatRequestId: string|null, error: string|null}} splat status
      */
     getStatus() {
         return {
             done: this.done,
             gaussianSplatRequestId: this.gaussianSplatRequestId,
+            error: this.error,
         };
     }
 
@@ -149,15 +178,16 @@ module.exports.splatTasks = splatTasks;
 
 /**
  * @param {ObjectModel} object
+ * @param {string|null} credentials
  */
-module.exports.startSplatTask = async function startSplatTask(object) {
+module.exports.startSplatTask = async function startSplatTask(object, credentials) {
     const objectId = object.objectId;
     const oldTask = splatTasks[object.objectId];
     if (oldTask) {
         return oldTask;
     }
 
-    splatTasks[objectId] = new SplatTask(object);
+    splatTasks[objectId] = new SplatTask(object, credentials);
     // Kick off the splatting to the point where we get a request id
     await splatTasks[objectId].start();
     return splatTasks[objectId];
diff --git a/routers/object.js b/routers/object.js
index 98a077094..94e41cf17 100644
--- a/routers/object.js
+++ b/routers/object.js
@@ -450,9 +450,10 @@ router.post('/:objectName/requestGaussianSplatting/', async function (req, res)
         return;
     }
     // splat status (commonly referred to as "splattus") is
-    // {done: boolean, gaussianSplatRequestId: string|undefined}
+    // {done: boolean, gaussianSplatRequestId: string|undefined, error: string|null}
     try {
-        const splatStatus = await objectController.requestGaussianSplatting(req.params.objectName);
+        // req.headers.authorization is expected to be `Bearer ${JWT}`
+        const splatStatus = await objectController.requestGaussianSplatting(req.params.objectName, req.headers.authorization);
         res.json(splatStatus);
     } catch (e) {
         console.error(e);