diff --git a/app/Notification/Filter.php b/app/Notification/Filter.php
index 7c3687b0c..aeed7c2db 100644
--- a/app/Notification/Filter.php
+++ b/app/Notification/Filter.php
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 namespace Gazelle\Notification;
 
+use Gazelle\Manager\User as UserManager;
+use Gazelle\User         as User;
+
 class Filter extends \Gazelle\Base {
     protected int $id;
     protected array $field = [];
@@ -23,9 +26,9 @@ class Filter extends \Gazelle\Base {
         'user'            => 'Users',
     ];
 
-    public function create(int $userId): int {
+    public function create(User $user): int {
         $set = ['UserID', 'Label'];
-        $args = [$userId, $this->field['label']];
+        $args = [$user->id, $this->field['label']];
         foreach ($this->fieldMap as $field => $column) {
             if (isset($this->field[$field])) {
                 $set[] = $column;
@@ -83,11 +86,10 @@ class Filter extends \Gazelle\Base {
         return $this;
     }
 
-    public function setUsers(\Gazelle\Manager\User $userMan, string $data): static {
-        $usernames = $this->multiLineSplit($data);
-        foreach ($usernames as $username) {
+    public function setUsers($data, UserManager $userMan = new UserManager()): static {
+        foreach ($this->multiLineSplit($data) as $username) {
             $user = $userMan->findByUsername($username);
-            if ($user && !$user->isParanoid('notifications')) {
+            if ($user instanceof User && !$user->isParanoid('notifications')) {
                 $this->field['user'][] = $user->id;
             }
         }
@@ -118,7 +120,7 @@ class Filter extends \Gazelle\Base {
         return null;
     }
 
-    public function modify(int $userId, int $filterId): int {
+    public function modify(User $user, int $filterId): int {
         $set = [];
         $args = [];
         foreach ($this->fieldMap as $field => $column) {
@@ -130,7 +132,7 @@ class Filter extends \Gazelle\Base {
                 $args[] = $this->arg((string)$field);
             }
         }
-        $args[] = $userId;
+        $args[] = $user->id;
         $args[] = $filterId;
         self::$db->prepared_query("
             UPDATE users_notify_filters SET
diff --git a/sections/user/notify_handle.php b/sections/user/notify_handle.php
index db3550cff..d7dbdd549 100644
--- a/sections/user/notify_handle.php
+++ b/sections/user/notify_handle.php
@@ -12,17 +12,24 @@ if (!$Viewer->permitted('site_torrents_notify')) {
 authorize();
 
 $releaseTypes = new ReleaseType()->list();
-
-$formId = (int)$_POST['formid'];
+$formId       = (int)$_POST['formid'];
+$tags         = trim($_POST['tags' . $formId]);
+$notTags      = trim($_POST['nottags' . $formId]);
+if (strlen($tags) > 500) {
+    Error400::error('Tag list cannot exceed 500 characters');
+}
+if (strlen($notTags) > 500) {
+    Error400::error('"Not Tag" list cannot exceed 500 characters');
+}
 
 $filter = new Notification\Filter()
     ->setYears((int)$_POST['fromyear' . $formId], (int)$_POST['toyear' . $formId])
-    ->setUsers(new Manager\User(), $_POST['users' . $formId])
+    ->setUsers($_POST['users' . $formId])
     ->setBoolean('exclude_va', isset($_POST['excludeva' . $formId]))
     ->setBoolean('new_groups_only', isset($_POST['newgroupsonly' . $formId]))
     ->setMultiLine('artist', $_POST['artists' . $formId])
-    ->setMultiLine('tag', $_POST['tags' . $formId])
-    ->setMultiLine('not_tag', $_POST['nottags' . $formId])
+    ->setMultiLine('tag', $tags)
+    ->setMultiLine('not_tag', $notTags)
     ->setMultiLine('record_label', $_POST['recordlabel' . $formId])
     ->setMultiValue('category', array_map(fn($id) => CATEGORY[$id], $_POST['categories' . $formId] ?? []))
     ->setMultiValue('format', array_map(fn($id) => FORMAT[$id], $_POST['formats' . $formId] ?? []))
@@ -48,9 +55,9 @@ if ($error) {
 }
 
 if ($filterId) {
-    $filter->modify($Viewer->id(), $filterId);
+    $filter->modify($Viewer, $filterId);
 } else {
-    $filter->create($Viewer->id());
+    $filter->create($Viewer);
 }
 
 $Cache->delete_multi(["u_notify_" . $Viewer->id(), "notify_artists_" . $Viewer->id()]);
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/NotificationUploadTest.php b/tests/phpunit/NotificationUploadTest.php
index 45f68a886..9ad4f54a0 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/NotificationUploadTest.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/NotificationUploadTest.php
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
             ->setLabel('Artists')
             ->setMultiLine('artist', $artistName);
         $this->assertTrue($artistFilter->isConfigured(), 'filter-artist-configured');
-        $filter['artist'] = $artistFilter->create($this->userList['artist']->id());
+        $filter['artist'] = $artistFilter->create($this->userList['artist']);
         $this->assertGreaterThan(0, $filter['artist'], 'filter-artist-created');
         $nextFilter = $filter['artist'] + 1;
 
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
                 ->setMultiLine('artist', '') // TODO: INSERT fails on not null assertion
                 ->setMultiValue('encoding', ['Lossless', '24bit Lossless'])
                 ->setMultiValue('media',  ['WEB', 'CD'])
-                ->create($this->userList['enc.med']->id()),
+                ->create($this->userList['enc.med']),
             'filter-enc.med-created'
         );
 
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
                 ->setLabel('No compilations')
                 ->setMultiLine('artist', '')
                 ->setBoolean('exclude_va', true)
-                ->create($this->userList['xva']->id()),
+                ->create($this->userList['xva']),
             'filter-exclude-va-created'
         );
 
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
                 ->setLabel('Release')
                 ->setMultiLine('artist', '')
                 ->setMultiLine('release_type', "Single")
-                ->create($this->userList['release']->id()),
+                ->create($this->userList['release']),
             'filter-tag-created'
         );
 
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
                 ->setLabel('Tags')
                 ->setMultiLine('artist', '')
                 ->setMultiLine('tag', "electronic\n\n")
-                ->create($this->userList['tag']->id()),
+                ->create($this->userList['tag']),
             'filter-tag-created'
         );
 
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
                 ->setLabel('Two Tags')
                 ->setMultiLine('artist', '')
                 ->setMultiLine('tag', "jazz\nelectronic\n")
-                ->create($this->userList['tag2yes']->id()),
+                ->create($this->userList['tag2yes']),
             'filter-two-tag-created'
         );
 
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
                 ->setLabel('Two Tags+')
                 ->setMultiLine('artist', '')
                 ->setMultiLine('tag', "jazz.rock\nhard.bop\n")
-                ->create($this->userList['tag2no']->id()),
+                ->create($this->userList['tag2no']),
             'filter-two-tag-no-created'
         );
 
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
                 ->setLabel('Not these tags')
                 ->setMultiLine('artist', '')
                 ->setMultiLine('not_tag', "funk\nfolk\n")
-                ->create($this->userList['tagno']->id()),
+                ->create($this->userList['tagno']),
             'filter-not-tag-created'
         );
 
@@ -177,8 +177,8 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
             $filter['user'] = new Notification\Filter()
                 ->setLabel('Users')
                 ->setMultiLine('artist', '')
-                ->setUsers(new Manager\User(), $this->torrent->uploader()->username())
-                ->create($this->userList['user']->id()),
+                ->setUsers($this->torrent->uploader()->username())
+                ->create($this->userList['user']),
             'filter-users-created'
         );
 
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
                 ->setLabel('Tags')
                 ->setMultiLine('artist', '')
                 ->setMultiLine('category', "Music")
-                ->create($this->torrent->uploaderId()),
+                ->create($this->torrent->uploader()),
             'filter-self-created'
         );
 
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
                 ->setLabel('Year')
                 ->setMultiLine('artist', '')
                 ->setYears(2020, 2022)
-                ->create($this->userList['year']->id()),
+                ->create($this->userList['year']),
             'filter-year-created'
         );
 
@@ -210,9 +210,9 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
         $this->assertEquals(NotificationTicketState::Pending, $ticket->state(), 'ntick-state');
 
         // it should be pending, so make it active
-        $this->assertNull($ticketManager->findByExclusion(NotificationTicketState::Pending, exclude: [$this->torrent->id()]), 'ntick-pending-exclude');
+        $this->assertNull($ticketManager->findByExclusion(NotificationTicketState::Pending, exclude: [$this->torrent->id]), 'ntick-pending-exclude');
         $ticket = $ticketManager->findByExclusion(NotificationTicketState::Pending, exclude: []);
-        $this->assertEquals($this->torrent->id(), $ticket?->torrentId(), 'ntick-pending-torrent-id');
+        $this->assertEquals($this->torrent->id, $ticket?->torrentId(), 'ntick-pending-torrent-id');
         $ticket?->setActive();
         $this->assertEquals($ticket?->state(), NotificationTicketState::Active, 'ntick-active-value');
         $this->assertEquals(1, new Manager\Notification()->ticketStats()['active']['total'], 'notifier-ticket-stats-now-active');
@@ -271,21 +271,21 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
         $this->assertEquals(0, $this->userList['release']->removeNotificationFilter($filter['tag']), 'user-remove-other-filter');
 
         // look for an unread user notification
-        $notifier = new Notification\Torrent($this->userList['artist']->id());
+        $notifier = new Notification\Torrent($this->userList['artist']->id);
         $this->assertEquals(1, $notifier->total(), 'notifier-artist-total');
         $unreadList = $notifier->unreadList(1, 0);
         $this->assertCount(1, $unreadList, 'notifier-artist-unread-list');
-        $this->assertEquals($this->torrent->id(), $unreadList[0]['torrentId'], 'notifier-artist-unread-torrent-id');
+        $this->assertEquals($this->torrent->id, $unreadList[0]['torrentId'], 'notifier-artist-unread-torrent-id');
 
         // catch notifications
         unset($notifier);
-        $notifier = new Notification\Torrent($this->userList['enc.med']->id());
+        $notifier = new Notification\Torrent($this->userList['enc.med']->id);
         $this->assertEquals(1, $notifier->catchup(), 'notifier-encmed-catchup');
         $this->assertCount(1, $notifier->unreadList(1, 0), 'notifier-encmed-unread'); // FIXME: it's actually read+unread
 
         // clear unread user notifications
         unset($notifier);
-        $notifier = new Notification\Torrent($this->userList['tag']->id());
+        $notifier = new Notification\Torrent($this->userList['tag']->id);
         $this->assertEquals(1, $notifier->catchupFilter($filter['tag']), 'notifier-tag-catchup-filter');
         $this->assertCount(1, $notifier->unreadList(1, 0), 'notifier-tag-catchup-unread');
         $this->assertEquals(1, $notifier->clearFilter($filter['tag']), 'notifier-tag-clear-filter');
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
             ->setLabel('Record Labels')
             ->setMultiLine('artist', '') // TODO: INSERT fails on not null assertion
             ->setMultiLine('record.label', "Unitest Artists Corporation")
-            ->create($this->userList['record.label']->id());
+            ->create($this->userList['record.label']);
 
         // create the ticket and pretend it is seeding
         $ticketManager = new Manager\NotificationTicket();
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
 
         // ticket has been handled
         unset($ticket);
-        $ticket = $ticketManager->findById($this->torrent->id());
+        $ticket = $ticketManager->findById($this->torrent->id);
         $this->assertTrue($ticket?->isDone(), 'ntick-is-done');
     }
 
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
             ->setLabel('Backlog')
             ->setMultiLine('artist', '') // TODO: INSERT fails on not null assertion
             ->setMultiLine('record.label', "Unitest Artists Corporation")
-            ->create($this->userList['backlog']->id());
+            ->create($this->userList['backlog']);
 
         $ticketManager = new Manager\NotificationTicket();
         $ticket = $ticketManager->create($this->torrent);
@@ -343,11 +343,11 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
 
         // ticket has been handled
         unset($ticket);
-        $ticket = $ticketManager->findById($this->torrent->id());
+        $ticket = $ticketManager->findById($this->torrent->id);
         $this->assertTrue($ticket?->isDone(), 'backlog-is-done');
 
         $rss  = new Feed()->byFeedName($this->userList['backlog'], 'torrents_music');
-        $link = SITE_URL . "/torrents.php?id={$this->torrent->groupId()}&torrentid={$this->torrent->id()}&action=download&torrent_pass={$this->userList['backlog']->announceKey()}";
+        $link = SITE_URL . "/torrents.php?id={$this->torrent->groupId()}&torrentid={$this->torrent->id}&action=download&torrent_pass={$this->userList['backlog']->announceKey()}";
         $tags = implode(',', $this->torrent->group()->tagNameList());
         $this->assertStringContainsString("<guid>$link</guid>", $rss, 'notif-rss-guid');
         $this->assertStringContainsString("<category><![CDATA[{$tags}]]></category>", $rss, 'notif-rss-tags');
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
             ->setLabel('Stale')
             ->setMultiLine('artist', '') // TODO: INSERT fails on not null assertion
             ->setMultiLine('record.label', "Unitest Artists Corporation")
-            ->create($this->userList['backlog']->id());
+            ->create($this->userList['backlog']);
 
         $ticketManager = new Manager\NotificationTicket();
         $ticket        = $ticketManager->create($this->torrent);
@@ -372,12 +372,12 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
         }
 
         unset($ticket);
-        $ticket = $ticketManager->findById($this->torrent->id());
+        $ticket = $ticketManager->findById($this->torrent->id);
         $this->assertTrue($ticket?->isPending(), 'ntick-stale-is-pending');
 
         $manager->processBacklog($ticketManager, $this->torMan);
         unset($ticket);
-        $ticket = $ticketManager->findById($this->torrent->id());
+        $ticket = $ticketManager->findById($this->torrent->id);
         $this->assertTrue($ticket?->isStale(), 'ntick-stale-is-stale');
     }
 
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
             ->setLabel('New Group')
             ->setMultiLine('artist', '') // TODO: INSERT fails on not null assertion
             ->setBoolean('new_groups_only', true)
-            ->create($this->userList['new.grp']->id());
+            ->create($this->userList['new.grp']);
 
         $ticketManager = new Manager\NotificationTicket();
         $ticket        = $ticketManager->create($this->torrent);
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
         $manager = new Manager\Notification();
         $manager->handleTicket($ticket, $this->torMan);
 
-        $notifier = new Notification\Torrent($this->userList['new.grp']->id());
+        $notifier = new Notification\Torrent($this->userList['new.grp']->id);
         $this->assertEquals(1, $notifier->total(), 'notifier-new-group-1-total');
         $this->assertEquals(1, $notifier->catchupFilter($filter), 'notifier-new-group-catchup');
         $this->assertEquals(1, $notifier->clearFilter($filter), 'notifier-new-group-clear');
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
         Helper::generateTorrentSeed($newTorrent, $newTorrent->uploader());
         $manager->handleTicket($ticket, $this->torMan);
 
-        $notifier = new Notification\Torrent($this->userList['new.grp']->id());
+        $notifier = new Notification\Torrent($this->userList['new.grp']->id);
         $this->assertEquals(0, $notifier->total(), 'notifier-no-new-group-2-total');
 
         $stats = $manager->ticketStats();
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
             ->setLabel('Search')
             ->setMultiLine('release_type', "Compilation")
             ->setMultiLine('artist', '')
-            ->create($this->userList['search']->id());
+            ->create($this->userList['search']);
 
         $torrent = $this->torMan->create(
             tgroup:                  $this->torrent->group(),
@@ -490,10 +490,10 @@ class NotificationUploadTest extends TestCase {
 
         $item = current($page);
         $this->assertEquals($filter, $item['id'], 'notif-search-filter-id');
-        $this->assertEquals($filter, $item['filter']->id(), 'notif-search-filter-id');
+        $this->assertEquals($filter, $item['filter']->id, 'notif-search-filter-id');
 
         $result = $item['result'];
-        $this->assertEquals($torrent->id(), $result[0]['torrent']->id(), 'notif-search-torrent-id');
+        $this->assertEquals($torrent->id, $result[0]['torrent']->id, 'notif-search-torrent-id');
         $this->assertEquals(1, $result[0]['unread'], 'notif-search-unread');
     }
 }