diff --git a/app/controllers/v0/disability_compensation_forms_controller.rb b/app/controllers/v0/disability_compensation_forms_controller.rb
index f97c77f5c80..09c0814e4e2 100644
--- a/app/controllers/v0/disability_compensation_forms_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/v0/disability_compensation_forms_controller.rb
@@ -53,14 +53,6 @@ def suggested_conditions
 
     def submit_all_claim
       saved_claim = SavedClaim::DisabilityCompensation::Form526AllClaim.from_hash(form_content)
-
-      if missing_new_and_increase_disabilities?(saved_claim)
-        raise Common::Exceptions::UnprocessableEntity.new(
-          detail: 'no new or increased disabilities were submitted',
-          source: 'DisabilityCompensationFormsController'
-        )
-      end
-
       saved_claim.save ? log_success(saved_claim) : log_failure(saved_claim)
       submission = create_submission(saved_claim)
       # if jid = 0 then the submission was prevented from going any further in the process
@@ -119,9 +111,7 @@ def lighthouse?
     end
 
     def create_submission(saved_claim)
-      Rails.logger.info(
-        'Creating 526 submission', user_uuid: @current_user&.uuid, saved_claim_id: saved_claim&.id
-      )
+      Rails.logger.info('Creating 526 submission', user_uuid: @current_user&.uuid, saved_claim_id: saved_claim&.id)
       submission = Form526Submission.new(
         user_uuid: @current_user.uuid,
         user_account: @current_user.user_account,
@@ -130,6 +120,13 @@ def create_submission(saved_claim)
         form_json: saved_claim.to_submission_data(@current_user),
         submit_endpoint: includes_toxic_exposure? ? 'claims_api' : 'evss'
       ) { |sub| sub.add_birls_ids @current_user.birls_id }
+
+      if missing_disabilities?(submission)
+        raise Common::Exceptions::UnprocessableEntity.new(
+          detail: 'no new or increased disabilities were submitted', source: 'DisabilityCompensationFormsController'
+        )
+      end
+
       submission.save! && submission
     rescue PG::NotNullViolation => e
       Rails.logger.error(
@@ -165,8 +162,8 @@ def includes_toxic_exposure?
       form_content['form526']['startedFormVersion']
     end
 
-    def missing_new_and_increase_disabilities?(saved_claim)
-      if saved_claim.form['updatedRatedDisabilities'].blank? && saved_claim.form['newPrimaryDisabilities'].blank?
+    def missing_disabilities?(submission)
+      if submission.form['form526']['form526']['disabilities'].none?
         StatsD.increment("#{stats_key}.failure")
         Rails.logger.error(
           'Creating 526 submission: no new or increased disabilities were submitted', user_uuid: @current_user&.uuid
diff --git a/spec/requests/v0/disability_compensation_form_spec.rb b/spec/requests/v0/disability_compensation_form_spec.rb
index 72b93a32b60..4da1e24bc80 100644
--- a/spec/requests/v0/disability_compensation_form_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/v0/disability_compensation_form_spec.rb
@@ -308,6 +308,7 @@ def test_error(cassette_path, status, headers)
         all_claims_form = File.read 'spec/support/disability_compensation_form/all_claims_fe_submission.json'
         json_object = JSON.parse(all_claims_form)
         json_object['form526'].delete('newPrimaryDisabilities')
+        json_object['form526'].delete('newSecondaryDisabilities')
         updated_form = JSON.generate(json_object)
         post('/v0/disability_compensation_form/submit_all_claim', params: updated_form, headers:)
         expect(response).to have_http_status(:unprocessable_entity)