diff --git a/lbrynet/core/LBRYMetadata.py b/lbrynet/core/LBRYMetadata.py
index 2bf31c9c7..9a0ea49c4 100644
--- a/lbrynet/core/LBRYMetadata.py
+++ b/lbrynet/core/LBRYMetadata.py
@@ -43,10 +43,15 @@ class LBRYFeeValidator(dict):
         self.address = self[self.currency_symbol]['address']
 
     def _get_amount(self):
-        if isinstance(self[self.currency_symbol]['amount'], float):
-            return self[self.currency_symbol]['amount']
+        amt = self[self.currency_symbol]['amount']
+        if isinstance(amt, float):
+            return amt
         else:
-            return float(self[self.currency_symbol]['amount'])
+            try:
+                return float(amt)
+            except TypeError:
+                log.error('Failed to convert %s to float', amt)
+                raise
 
     def _verify_fee(self, currency, f):
         # str in case someone made a claim with a wierd fee
diff --git a/lbrynet/lbrynet_daemon/LBRYExchangeRateManager.py b/lbrynet/lbrynet_daemon/LBRYExchangeRateManager.py
index cc924ab7e..b578a2983 100644
--- a/lbrynet/lbrynet_daemon/LBRYExchangeRateManager.py
+++ b/lbrynet/lbrynet_daemon/LBRYExchangeRateManager.py
@@ -131,12 +131,15 @@ class ExchangeRateManager(object):
 
     def convert_currency(self, from_currency, to_currency, amount):
         log.info("Converting %f %s to %s" % (amount, from_currency, to_currency))
+        if from_currency == to_currency:
+            return amount
         for market in self.market_feeds:
             if market.rate.currency_pair == (from_currency, to_currency):
                 return amount * market.rate.spot
         for market in self.market_feeds:
             if market.rate.currency_pair[0] == from_currency:
                 return self.convert_currency(market.rate.currency_pair[1], to_currency, amount * market.rate.spot)
+        raise Exception('Unable to convert {} from {} to {}'.format(amount, from_current, to_currency))
 
     def fee_dict(self):
         return {market: market.rate.as_dict() for market in self.market_feeds}