diff --git a/src/modules/shifts/controllers/shifts.controller.ts b/src/modules/shifts/controllers/shifts.controller.ts
index b245a82..b323988 100644
--- a/src/modules/shifts/controllers/shifts.controller.ts
+++ b/src/modules/shifts/controllers/shifts.controller.ts
@@ -28,9 +28,7 @@ export class ShiftsController {
     @Param('date')  date_param: string,
     @Body() payload: UpsertShiftDto,
   ) {
-    const email = decodeURIComponent(email_param);
-    const date = date_param;
-    return this.shiftsCommandService.upsertShfitsByDate(email, date, payload);
+    return this.shiftsCommandService.upsertShfitsByDate(email_param, date_param, payload);
   }
   
   @Post()
diff --git a/src/modules/shifts/dtos/upsert-shift.dto.ts b/src/modules/shifts/dtos/upsert-shift.dto.ts
index 4af789c..83900dd 100644
--- a/src/modules/shifts/dtos/upsert-shift.dto.ts
+++ b/src/modules/shifts/dtos/upsert-shift.dto.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
-import { IsBoolean, IsOptional, IsString, Matches, MaxLength } from "class-validator";
+import { Type } from "class-transformer";
+import { IsBoolean, IsOptional, IsString, Matches, MaxLength, ValidateNested } from "class-validator";
 
 export const COMMENT_MAX_LENGTH = 512;
 
 export class ShiftPayloadDto {
 
-    @Matches(/^\d{2}:\d{2}$/, {message: 'start_time must be HH:mm' })
+    @Matches(/^([01]\d|2[0-3]):([0-5]\d)$/)
     start_time!: string;
     
-    @Matches(/^\d{2}:\d{2}$/, {message: 'start_time must be HH:mm' })
+    @Matches(/^([01]\d|2[0-3]):([0-5]\d)$/)
     end_time!: string;
 
     @IsString()
@@ -24,6 +25,13 @@ export class ShiftPayloadDto {
 
 export class UpsertShiftDto {
 
+    @IsOptional()
+    @ValidateNested()
+    @Type(()=> ShiftPayloadDto)
     old_shift?: ShiftPayloadDto;
+
+    @IsOptional()
+    @ValidateNested()
+    @Type(()=> ShiftPayloadDto)
     new_shift?: ShiftPayloadDto;
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/modules/shifts/services/shifts-command.service.ts b/src/modules/shifts/services/shifts-command.service.ts
index 451c189..e0c55af 100644
--- a/src/modules/shifts/services/shifts-command.service.ts
+++ b/src/modules/shifts/services/shifts-command.service.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { BadRequestException, ConflictException, Injectable, NotFoundException, ParseUUIDPipe, UnprocessableEntityException } from "@nestjs/common";
+import { BadRequestException, ConflictException, Injectable, NotFoundException, UnprocessableEntityException } from "@nestjs/common";
 import { Prisma, Shifts } from "@prisma/client";
 import { BaseApprovalService } from "src/common/shared/base-approval.service";
 import { PrismaService } from "src/prisma/prisma.service";
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ export class ShiftsCommandService extends BaseApprovalService<Shifts> {
 //create/update/delete master method
 async upsertShfitsByDate(email:string, date_string: string, dto: UpsertShiftDto):
   Promise<{ action: UpsertAction; day: DayShiftResponse[] }> {
+    const { old_shift, new_shift } = dto;
+
     if(!dto.old_shift && !dto.new_shift) {
       throw new BadRequestException('At least one of old or new shift must be provided');
     }
@@ -145,7 +147,7 @@ async upsertShfitsByDate(email:string, date_string: string, dto: UpsertShiftDto)
       };
 
       // DELETE
-      if ( dto.old_shift && !dto.new_shift ) {
+      if ( old_shift && !new_shift ) {
         const existing = await find_exact_old_shift();
         if(!existing) {
           throw new NotFoundException({
@@ -157,7 +159,7 @@ async upsertShfitsByDate(email:string, date_string: string, dto: UpsertShiftDto)
         action = 'deleted';
       }
       // CREATE
-      else if (!dto.old_shift && dto.new_shift) {
+      else if (!old_shift && new_shift) {
         assert_no_overlap();
         await transaction.shifts.create({
           data: {
@@ -173,7 +175,7 @@ async upsertShfitsByDate(email:string, date_string: string, dto: UpsertShiftDto)
         action = 'created';
       }
       //UPDATE
-      else {
+      else if (old_shift && new_shift){
         const existing = await find_exact_old_shift();
         if(!existing) {
           throw new NotFoundException({
@@ -195,6 +197,8 @@ async upsertShfitsByDate(email:string, date_string: string, dto: UpsertShiftDto)
           },
         });
         action = 'updated';
+      } else {
+        throw new BadRequestException('At least one of old_shift or new_shift must be provided');
       }
 
       //Reload the day (truth source)