diff --git a/layout-server/src/test/java/org/finos/vuu/layoutserver/integration/LayoutIntegrationTest.java b/layout-server/src/test/java/org/finos/vuu/layoutserver/integration/LayoutIntegrationTest.java
index b61d3e8d1..b45c679eb 100644
--- a/layout-server/src/test/java/org/finos/vuu/layoutserver/integration/LayoutIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/layout-server/src/test/java/org/finos/vuu/layoutserver/integration/LayoutIntegrationTest.java
@@ -168,26 +168,24 @@ void createLayout_validLayout_returnsCreatedLayoutAndLayoutIsPersisted()
     }
 
     @Test
-    void createLayout_invalidLayout_returns400() throws Exception {
-        String invalidLayout = "invalidLayout";
+    void createLayout_invalidRequestBodyDefinitionsIsBlank_returns400AndDoesNotCreateLayout()
+        throws Exception {
+        LayoutRequestDTO layoutRequest = createValidLayoutRequest();
+        layoutRequest.setDefinition("");
 
         mockMvc.perform(post("/layouts")
-                .content(invalidLayout)
+                .content(objectMapper.writeValueAsString(layoutRequest))
                 .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON))
             .andExpect(status().isBadRequest())
             .andExpect(content().string(
-                "JSON parse error: Unrecognized token 'invalidLayout': was expecting (JSON "
-                    + "String, Number, Array, Object or token 'null', 'true' or 'false'); nested "
-                    + "exception is com.fasterxml.jackson.core.JsonParseException: Unrecognized "
-                    + "token 'invalidLayout': was expecting (JSON String, Number, Array, Object "
-                    + "or token 'null', 'true' or 'false')\n"
-                    + " at [Source: (org.springframework.util.StreamUtils$NonClosingInputStream);"
-                    + " line: 1, column: 14]"));
+                "[definition: Definition must not be blank]"));
+
+        assertThat(layoutRepository.findAll()).isEmpty();
+        assertThat(metadataRepository.findAll()).isEmpty();
     }
 
     @Test
-    void createLayout_validLayoutButInvalidMetadata_returns400AndDoesNotCreateLayout()
-        throws Exception {
+    void createLayout_invalidRequestBodyMetadataIsNull_returns400AndDoesNotCreateLayout() throws Exception {
         LayoutRequestDTO layoutRequest = createValidLayoutRequest();
         layoutRequest.setMetadata(null);
 
@@ -202,6 +200,25 @@ void createLayout_validLayoutButInvalidMetadata_returns400AndDoesNotCreateLayout
         assertThat(metadataRepository.findAll()).isEmpty();
     }
 
+
+    @Test
+    void createLayout_invalidRequestBodyUnexpectedFormat_returns400() throws Exception {
+        String invalidLayout = "invalidLayout";
+
+        mockMvc.perform(post("/layouts")
+                .content(invalidLayout)
+                .contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON))
+            .andExpect(status().isBadRequest())
+            .andExpect(content().string(
+                "JSON parse error: Unrecognized token 'invalidLayout': was expecting (JSON "
+                    + "String, Number, Array, Object or token 'null', 'true' or 'false'); nested "
+                    + "exception is com.fasterxml.jackson.core.JsonParseException: Unrecognized "
+                    + "token 'invalidLayout': was expecting (JSON String, Number, Array, Object "
+                    + "or token 'null', 'true' or 'false')\n"
+                    + " at [Source: (org.springframework.util.StreamUtils$NonClosingInputStream);"
+                    + " line: 1, column: 14]"));
+    }
+
     @Test
     void updateLayout_validIdAndValidRequest_returns204AndLayoutHasChanged() throws Exception {
         Layout layout = createDefaultLayoutInDatabase();