diff --git a/module/finc/config/dds-form.php b/module/finc/config/dds-form.php
index 25bc048be9ebcb4c059c47aeb38cb70388e61a38..1fcb1903776403d48a9eebca09448e08b83a3a72 100644
--- a/module/finc/config/dds-form.php
+++ b/module/finc/config/dds-form.php
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ return [
                     'empty_option' => '',
                 ],
                 'attributes' => [
-                    'required' => false,
+                    'required' => true,
                     'id' => 'division',
                 ],
             ],
diff --git a/module/finc/src/finc/Controller/DocumentDeliveryServiceController.php b/module/finc/src/finc/Controller/DocumentDeliveryServiceController.php
index 23d91a76fd2b71f3d99fd9731d5a900dabd6f4cf..6d5f2b5148220374a3f79fd9392ee7f526ebfdfb 100644
--- a/module/finc/src/finc/Controller/DocumentDeliveryServiceController.php
+++ b/module/finc/src/finc/Controller/DocumentDeliveryServiceController.php
@@ -281,15 +281,7 @@ class DocumentDeliveryServiceController extends \VuFind\Controller\AbstractBase
                 ->send();
 
             if (!$response->isSuccess()) {
-                if ($response->getContent()) {
-                    $responseArray = $this->parseJsonAsArray($response->getContent());
-                    if (array_key_exists('error', $responseArray)) {
-                        $message = $responseArray['error'];
-                    }
-                } else {
-                    $message = 'HTTP status ' . $response->getStatusCode() . ' received';
-                }
-                throw new DDSException($message);
+                $this->throwErrorMessage($response);
             }
 
             $responseArray = $this->parseJsonAsArray($response->getBody());
@@ -585,6 +577,23 @@ class DocumentDeliveryServiceController extends \VuFind\Controller\AbstractBase
             );
         }
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * @param \Zend\Http\Response $response
+     * @throws DDSException
+     */
+    protected function throwErrorMessage(\Zend\Http\Response $response): void
+    {
+        $message = 'HTTP status ' . $response->getStatusCode() . ' received';
+        if ($response->getContent()) {
+            $responseArray = $this->parseJsonAsArray($response->getContent());
+            if ($responseArray && array_key_exists('error', $responseArray)) {
+                $message = $responseArray['error'];
+            }
+        }
+
+        throw new DDSException($message);
+    }
 
     /**
      * Retrieve data after successful sending previous record. Beware and keep
@@ -962,17 +971,8 @@ class DocumentDeliveryServiceController extends \VuFind\Controller\AbstractBase
                         );
                         exit;
                     }
-
-                    $responseArray = $this->parseJsonAsArray($response->getContent());
-                    if ($responseArray !== null && array_key_exists('error', $responseArray)) {
-                        $message = $responseArray['error'];
-                    }
-                } else {
-                    $message = 'HTTP status ' . $response->getStatusCode() . ' received';
-                }
-                if (!empty($message)) {
-                    throw new DDSException($message);
                 }
+                $this->throwErrorMessage($response);
             }
 
             return $this->parseJsonAsArray($response->getBody());
@@ -1026,15 +1026,7 @@ class DocumentDeliveryServiceController extends \VuFind\Controller\AbstractBase
                 ->send();
 
             if (!$response->isSuccess()) {
-                if ($response->getContent()) {
-                    $responseArray = $this->parseJsonAsArray($response->getContent());
-                    if (array_key_exists('error', $responseArray)) {
-                        $message = $responseArray['error'];
-                    }
-                } else {
-                    $message = 'HTTP status ' . $response->getStatusCode() . ' received';
-                }
-                throw new DDSException($message);
+                $this->throwErrorMessage($response);
             }
 
             $responseArray = $this->parseJsonAsArray($response->getBody());