diff --git a/app/controllers/Setup.scala b/app/controllers/Setup.scala
index 38dede3063..8161554288 100644
--- a/app/controllers/Setup.scala
+++ b/app/controllers/Setup.scala
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import lila.api.{ Context, BodyContext }
 import lila.app._
 import lila.common.{ HTTPRequest, LilaCookie }
 import lila.game.{ GameRepo, Pov, AnonCookie }
+import lila.setup.Processor.HookResult
 import lila.setup.{ HookConfig, ValidFen }
 import lila.user.UserRepo
 import views._
@@ -108,10 +109,14 @@ object Setup extends LilaController with TheftPrevention {
     }
   }
 
-  private def hookResponse(hookId: String) =
-    Ok(Json.obj(
+  private def hookResponse(res: HookResult) = res match {
+    case HookResult.Created(id) => Ok(Json.obj(
       "ok" -> true,
-      "hook" -> Json.obj("id" -> hookId))) as JSON
+      "hook" -> Json.obj("id" -> id))) as JSON
+    case HookResult.Refused => BadRequest(jsonError("Game was not created"))
+  }
+
+  private val hookRefused = BadRequest(jsonError("Game was not created"))
 
   def hook(uid: String) = OpenBody { implicit ctx =>
     implicit val req = ctx.body
@@ -123,9 +128,7 @@ object Setup extends LilaController with TheftPrevention {
             api = _ => BadRequest(errorsAsJson(err)).fuccess),
           config => (ctx.userId ?? Env.relation.api.fetchBlocking) flatMap {
             blocking =>
-              env.processor.hook(config, uid, HTTPRequest sid req, blocking) map hookResponse recover {
-                case e: IllegalArgumentException => BadRequest(jsonError(e.getMessage)) as JSON
-              }
+              env.processor.hook(config, uid, HTTPRequest sid req, blocking) map hookResponse
           }
         )
       }
@@ -140,9 +143,7 @@ object Setup extends LilaController with TheftPrevention {
             _.fold(config)(config.updateFrom)
           } flatMap { config =>
             (ctx.userId ?? Env.relation.api.fetchBlocking) flatMap { blocking =>
-              env.processor.hook(config, uid, HTTPRequest sid ctx.req, blocking) map hookResponse recover {
-                case e: IllegalArgumentException => BadRequest(jsonError(e.getMessage)) as JSON
-              }
+              env.processor.hook(config, uid, HTTPRequest sid ctx.req, blocking) map hookResponse
             }
           }
         }
diff --git a/modules/setup/src/main/Processor.scala b/modules/setup/src/main/Processor.scala
index bf5731428d..5d67c7dab7 100644
--- a/modules/setup/src/main/Processor.scala
+++ b/modules/setup/src/main/Processor.scala
@@ -42,23 +42,24 @@ private[setup] final class Processor(
     configBase: HookConfig,
     uid: String,
     sid: Option[String],
-    blocking: Set[String])(implicit ctx: UserContext): Fu[String] = {
+    blocking: Set[String])(implicit ctx: UserContext): Fu[Processor.HookResult] = {
+    import Processor.HookResult._
     val config = configBase.fixColor
     saveConfig(_ withHook config) >> {
       config.hook(uid, ctx.me, sid, blocking) match {
         case Left(hook) => fuccess {
           lobby ! AddHook(hook)
-          hook.id
+          Created(hook.id)
         }
-        case Right(Some(seek)) => ctx.userId.??(gameCache.nbPlaying) flatMap { nbPlaying =>
-          if (nbPlaying >= maxPlaying) fufail(s"${ctx.userId} already playing $maxPlaying games")
-          else fuccess {
+        case Right(Some(seek)) => ctx.userId.??(gameCache.nbPlaying) map { nbPlaying =>
+          if (nbPlaying >= maxPlaying) Refused
+          else {
             lobby ! AddSeek(seek)
-            seek.id
+            Created(seek.id)
           }
         }
-        case Right(None) if ctx.me.isEmpty => fufail(new IllegalArgumentException("Anon can't create seek"))
-        case _                             => fufail("Can't create seek for some unknown reason")
+        case Right(None) if ctx.me.isEmpty => fuccess(Refused)
+        case _                             => fuccess(Refused)
       }
     }
   }
@@ -69,3 +70,12 @@ private[setup] final class Processor(
   private def saveConfig(map: UserConfig => UserConfig)(implicit ctx: UserContext): Funit =
     ctx.me.fold(AnonConfigRepo.update(ctx.req) _)(user => UserConfigRepo.update(user) _)(map)
 }
+
+object Processor {
+
+  sealed trait HookResult
+  object HookResult {
+    case class Created(id: String) extends HookResult
+    case object Refused extends HookResult
+  }
+}