diff --git a/lemur/certificates/service.py b/lemur/certificates/service.py
index 1416d372..081ea733 100644
--- a/lemur/certificates/service.py
+++ b/lemur/certificates/service.py
@@ -91,19 +91,22 @@ def update(cert_id, owner, description, active, destinations, notifications):
     cert.description = description
 
     # we might have to create new notifications if the owner changes
-    if owner != cert.owner:
-        for n in cert.notifications:
-            notification_name = "DEFAULT_{0}".format(cert.owner.split('@')[0].upper())
-            if n.name == notification_name:
-                cert.notifications.remove(n)
+    new_notifications = []
+    # get existing names to remove
+    notification_name = "DEFAULT_{0}".format(cert.owner.split('@')[0].upper())
+    for n in notifications:
+        if notification_name not in n.label:
+            new_notifications.append(n)
 
-        cert.owner = owner
-        notification_name = "DEFAULT_{0}".format(cert.owner.split('@')[0].upper())
-        notifications = notification_service.create_default_expiration_notifications(notification_name, owner)
+    notification_name = "DEFAULT_{0}".format(owner.split('@')[0].upper())
+    new_notifications += notification_service.create_default_expiration_notifications(notification_name, owner)
+
+    cert.notifications = new_notifications
 
-    database.update_list(cert, 'notifications', Notification, notifications)
     database.update_list(cert, 'destinations', Destination, destinations)
 
+    cert.owner = owner
+
     return database.update(cert)
 
 
diff --git a/lemur/certificates/views.py b/lemur/certificates/views.py
index 063f6dfb..834fdff7 100644
--- a/lemur/certificates/views.py
+++ b/lemur/certificates/views.py
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ from lemur.roles import service as role_service
 
 from lemur.common.utils import marshal_items, paginated_parser
 
+from lemur.notifications.views import notification_list
+
 
 mod = Blueprint('certificates', __name__)
 api = Api(mod)
@@ -569,7 +571,7 @@ class Certificates(AuthenticatedResource):
         self.reqparse.add_argument('owner', type=str, location='json')
         self.reqparse.add_argument('description', type=str, location='json')
         self.reqparse.add_argument('destinations', type=list, default=[], location='json')
-        self.reqparse.add_argument('notifications', type=list, default=[], location='json')
+        self.reqparse.add_argument('notifications', type=notification_list, default=[], location='json')
         args = self.reqparse.parse_args()
 
         cert = service.get(certificate_id)
diff --git a/lemur/notifications/views.py b/lemur/notifications/views.py
index 82bb3b86..5366c716 100644
--- a/lemur/notifications/views.py
+++ b/lemur/notifications/views.py
@@ -28,6 +28,36 @@ FIELDS = {
 }
 
 
+def notification(value, name):
+    """
+    Validates a given notification exits
+    :param value:
+    :param name:
+    :return:
+    """
+    n = service.get(value)
+    if not n:
+        raise ValueError("Unable to find notification specified")
+    return n
+
+
+def notification_list(value, name):
+    """
+    Validates a given notification exists and returns a list
+    :param value:
+    :param name:
+    :return:
+    """
+    notifications = []
+    for v in value:
+        try:
+            notifications.append(notification(v['id'], 'id'))
+        except ValueError:
+            pass
+
+    return notifications
+
+
 class NotificationsList(AuthenticatedResource):
     """ Defines the 'notifications' endpoint """
     def __init__(self):