diff --git a/ui/component/publishFile/view.jsx b/ui/component/publishFile/view.jsx
index 1eed81911..7417ffdb4 100644
--- a/ui/component/publishFile/view.jsx
+++ b/ui/component/publishFile/view.jsx
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ type Props = {
   isLivestreamClaim: boolean,
   checkLivestreams: () => void,
   isCheckingLivestreams: boolean,
+  setWaitForFile: (boolean) => void,
 };
 
 function PublishFile(props: Props) {
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ function PublishFile(props: Props) {
     subtitle,
     checkLivestreams,
     isCheckingLivestreams,
+    setWaitForFile,
   } = props;
 
   const SOURCE_NONE = 'none';
@@ -111,6 +113,7 @@ function PublishFile(props: Props) {
     { label: __('None'), actionName: SOURCE_NONE },
   ];
 
+  const livestreamDataStr = JSON.stringify(livestreamData);
   const hasLivestreamData = livestreamData && Boolean(livestreamData.length);
   const showSourceSelector = isLivestreamClaim;
 
@@ -138,6 +141,7 @@ function PublishFile(props: Props) {
   // set default file source to select if necessary
   useEffect(() => {
     if (hasLivestreamData && isLivestreamClaim) {
+      setWaitForFile(true);
       setFileSelectSource(SOURCE_SELECT);
     } else if (isLivestreamClaim) {
       setFileSelectSource(SOURCE_NONE);
@@ -157,12 +161,13 @@ function PublishFile(props: Props) {
   };
   // update remoteUrl when replay selected
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (selectedFileIndex !== null) {
+    const livestreamData = JSON.parse(livestreamDataStr);
+    if (selectedFileIndex !== null && livestreamData && livestreamData.length) {
       updatePublishForm({
         remoteFileUrl: normalizeUrlForProtocol(livestreamData[selectedFileIndex].data.fileLocation),
       });
     }
-  }, [selectedFileIndex, updatePublishForm]);
+  }, [selectedFileIndex, updatePublishForm, livestreamDataStr]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!filePath || filePath === '') {
@@ -320,6 +325,7 @@ function PublishFile(props: Props) {
       }
     }
     setFileSelectSource(source);
+    setWaitForFile(source !== SOURCE_NONE);
   }
 
   function handleTitleChange(event) {
diff --git a/ui/component/publishForm/index.js b/ui/component/publishForm/index.js
index 102738c87..0f22b8381 100644
--- a/ui/component/publishForm/index.js
+++ b/ui/component/publishForm/index.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import {
   SETTINGS,
   selectMyChannelClaims,
   makeSelectClaimIsStreamPlaceholder,
+  makeSelectPublishFormValue,
 } from 'lbry-redux';
 import * as RENDER_MODES from 'constants/file_render_modes';
 import { doPublishDesktop } from 'redux/actions/publish';
@@ -45,6 +46,8 @@ const select = (state) => {
     // If I clicked the "edit" button, have I changed the uri?
     // Need this to make it easier to find the source on previously published content
     myClaimForUri,
+    filePath: makeSelectPublishFormValue('filePath')(state),
+    remoteUrl: makeSelectPublishFormValue('remoteFileUrl')(state),
     isStillEditing: selectIsStillEditing(state),
     isResolvingUri: selectIsResolvingPublishUris(state),
     totalRewardValue: selectUnclaimedRewardValue(state),
diff --git a/ui/component/publishForm/view.jsx b/ui/component/publishForm/view.jsx
index b4eabe2b6..c4b69efa1 100644
--- a/ui/component/publishForm/view.jsx
+++ b/ui/component/publishForm/view.jsx
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
  */
 
 import { SITE_NAME, ENABLE_NO_SOURCE_CLAIMS, SIMPLE_SITE, CHANNEL_STAKED_LEVEL_LIVESTREAM } from 'config';
-import React, { useEffect } from 'react';
+import { SITE_NAME, ENABLE_NO_SOURCE_CLAIMS, SIMPLE_SITE } from 'config';
+import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { buildURI, isURIValid, isNameValid, THUMBNAIL_STATUSES, Lbry } from 'lbry-redux';
 import Button from 'component/button';
 import ChannelSelect from 'component/channelSelector';
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@ type Props = {
   isLivestreamClaim: boolean,
   isPostClaim: boolean,
   permanentUrl: ?string,
+  remoteUrl: ?string,
 };
 
 function PublishForm(props: Props) {
@@ -122,6 +124,7 @@ function PublishForm(props: Props) {
     isLivestreamClaim,
     isPostClaim,
     permanentUrl,
+    remoteUrl,
   } = props;
 
   const { replace, location } = useHistory();
@@ -189,8 +192,9 @@ function PublishForm(props: Props) {
   const [fileEdited, setFileEdited] = React.useState(false);
   const [prevFileText, setPrevFileText] = React.useState('');
 
+  const [waitForFile, setWaitForFile] = useState(false);
   const [livestreamData, setLivestreamData] = React.useState([]);
-  const [signedMessage, setSignedMessage] = React.useState({});
+  const [signedMessage, setSignedMessage] = React.useState({ signature: undefined, signing_ts: undefined });
   const signedMessageStr = JSON.stringify(signedMessage);
   const TAGS_LIMIT = 5;
   const fileFormDisabled = mode === PUBLISH_MODES.FILE && !filePath;
@@ -208,6 +212,7 @@ function PublishForm(props: Props) {
 
   const nameEdited = isStillEditing && name !== prevName;
 
+  const waitingForFile = waitForFile && !remoteUrl && !filePath;
   // If they are editing, they don't need a new file chosen
   const formValidLessFile =
     name &&
@@ -222,8 +227,8 @@ function PublishForm(props: Props) {
 
   const formValid = isOverwritingExistingClaim
     ? false
-    : editingURI && !filePath
-    ? isStillEditing && formValidLessFile
+    : editingURI && !filePath // if we're editing we don't need a file
+    ? isStillEditing && formValidLessFile && !waitingForFile
     : formValidLessFile;
 
   const [previewing, setPreviewing] = React.useState(false);
@@ -258,10 +263,9 @@ function PublishForm(props: Props) {
   }, [modal]);
 
   // move this to lbryinc OR to a file under ui, and/or provide a standardized livestreaming config.
-  function checkLivestreams(channelId, signature, timestamp) {
-    // $FlowFixMe Bitwave's API can handle garbage
+  function fetchLivestreams(channelId, signature, timestamp) {
     setCheckingLivestreams(true);
-    fetch(`${BITWAVE_REPLAY_API}/${channelId}?signature=${signature}&signing_ts=${timestamp}`) // claimChannelId
+    fetch(`${BITWAVE_REPLAY_API}/${channelId}?signature=${signature || ''}&signing_ts=${timestamp || ''}`) // claimChannelId
       .then((res) => res.json())
       .then((res) => {
         if (!res || !res.data) {
@@ -279,7 +283,7 @@ function PublishForm(props: Props) {
   useEffect(() => {
     const signedMessage = JSON.parse(signedMessageStr);
     if (claimChannelId && isLivestreamClaim && signedMessage.signature) {
-      checkLivestreams(claimChannelId, signedMessage.signature, signedMessage.signing_ts);
+      fetchLivestreams(claimChannelId, signedMessage.signature, signedMessage.signing_ts);
     }
   }, [claimChannelId, isLivestreamClaim, signedMessageStr]);
 
@@ -544,8 +548,11 @@ function PublishForm(props: Props) {
         setPrevFileText={setPrevFileText}
         livestreamData={livestreamData}
         subtitle={customSubtitle}
+        setWaitForFile={setWaitForFile}
         isCheckingLivestreams={isCheckingLivestreams}
-        checkLivestreams={checkLivestreams}
+        checkLivestreams={(claimChannelId, signature = signedMessage.signature, ts = signedMessage.signing_ts) =>
+          fetchLivestreams(claimChannelId, signature, ts)
+        }
         header={
           <>
             {AVAILABLE_MODES.map((modeName) => (
@@ -619,7 +626,7 @@ function PublishForm(props: Props) {
         </div>
         <p className="help">
           {!formDisabled && !formValid ? (
-            <PublishFormErrors mode={mode} />
+            <PublishFormErrors mode={mode} waitForFile={waitingForFile} />
           ) : (
             <I18nMessage
               tokens={{
diff --git a/ui/component/publishFormErrors/view.jsx b/ui/component/publishFormErrors/view.jsx
index bce5c8a4f..9445b79eb 100644
--- a/ui/component/publishFormErrors/view.jsx
+++ b/ui/component/publishFormErrors/view.jsx
@@ -12,14 +12,26 @@ type Props = {
   filePath: ?string,
   isStillEditing: boolean,
   uploadThumbnailStatus: string,
+  waitForFile: boolean,
 };
 
 function PublishFormErrors(props: Props) {
-  const { name, title, bid, bidError, editingURI, filePath, isStillEditing, uploadThumbnailStatus } = props;
+  const {
+    name,
+    title,
+    bid,
+    bidError,
+    editingURI,
+    filePath,
+    isStillEditing,
+    uploadThumbnailStatus,
+    waitForFile,
+  } = props;
   // These are extra help
   // If there is an error it will be presented as an inline error as well
   return (
     <div className="error__text">
+      {waitForFile && <div>{__('Choose a replay file, or select None')}</div>}
       {!title && <div>{__('A title is required')}</div>}
       {!name && <div>{__('A URL is required')}</div>}
       {!isNameValid(name, false) && INVALID_NAME_ERROR}