diff --git a/spec/controllers/hyrax/dashboard/collections_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/hyrax/dashboard/collections_controller_spec.rb
index 90eed650fe..ab4307d0d6 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/hyrax/dashboard/collections_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/hyrax/dashboard/collections_controller_spec.rb
@@ -184,23 +184,29 @@
 
     context "when create fails" do
       let(:collection) { Collection.new }
+      let(:error) { "Failed to save collection" }
 
       before do
         allow(controller).to receive(:authorize!)
         allow(Collection).to receive(:new).and_return(collection)
         allow(collection).to receive(:save).and_return(false)
-
-        allow(Hyrax.persister)
-          .to receive(:save)
-          .with(any_args)
-          .and_raise(StandardError, 'Failed to save collection')
+        allow(collection).to receive(:errors).and_return(error)
       end
 
       it "renders the form again" do
         post :create, params: { collection: collection_attrs }
 
-        expect(response).to have_http_status(:unprocessable_entity)
+        expect(response).to have_http_status(:ok)
         expect(response).to render_template(:new)
+        expect(flash[:error]).to eq error
+      end
+
+      it "renders json" do
+        post :create, params: { collection: collection_attrs, format: :json }
+
+        expect(response).to have_http_status(:unprocessable_entity)
+        expect(response.content_type).to eq "application/json"
+        expect(response.body).to eq error
       end
     end
   end
@@ -339,19 +345,18 @@
     end
 
     context "when update fails" do
-      let(:collection) { FactoryBot.valkyrie_create(:hyrax_collection) }
+      let(:collection) { FactoryBot.create(:collection_lw) }
       let(:repository) { instance_double(Blacklight::Solr::Repository, search: result) }
       let(:result) { double(documents: [], total: 0) }
+      let(:error) { "Failed to save collection"}
 
       before do
         allow(controller).to receive(:authorize!)
         allow(Collection).to receive(:find).and_return(collection)
         allow(collection).to receive(:update).and_return(false)
         allow(controller).to receive(:repository).and_return(repository)
-        allow(Hyrax.persister)
-          .to receive(:save)
-          .with(any_args)
-          .and_raise(StandardError, 'Failed to save collection')
+        allow_any_instance_of(::Collection).to receive(:save).and_return(false)
+        allow(collection).to receive(:errors).and_return(error)
       end
 
       it "renders the form again" do
@@ -359,9 +364,20 @@
           id: collection,
           collection: collection_attrs
         }
-        expect(response).to have_http_status(:unprocessable_entity)
+        expect(response).to have_http_status(:ok)
         expect(response).to render_template(:edit)
       end
+
+      it "renders json" do
+        put :update, params: {
+          id: collection,
+          collection: collection_attrs,
+          format: :json
+        }
+        expect(response).to have_http_status(:unprocessable_entity)
+        expect(response.content_type).to eq "application/json"
+        expect(response.body).to eq error
+      end
     end
 
     context "updating a collections branding metadata" do
diff --git a/spec/controllers/hyrax/dashboard/collections_controller_with_resource_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/hyrax/dashboard/collections_controller_with_resource_spec.rb
index 7aad8662ce..0e1d2f4148 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/hyrax/dashboard/collections_controller_with_resource_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/hyrax/dashboard/collections_controller_with_resource_spec.rb
@@ -189,6 +189,19 @@
           expect(flash[:error]).to match(/Failed to save collection/)
           expect(response).to render_template(:new)
         end
+
+        it "renders json" do
+          post :create, params: { collection: collection_attrs, format: :json }
+
+          expect(response).to have_http_status(:unprocessable_entity)
+          expect(response.content_type).to eq "application/json"
+
+          json_response = JSON.parse(response.body)
+          expect(json_response["code"]).to eq 422
+          expect(json_response["message"]).to eq "Unprocessable Entity"
+          expect(json_response["description"]).to eq "The resource you attempted to modify cannot be modified according to your request."
+          expect(json_response["errors"]).to match(/Failed to save collection/)
+        end
       end
 
       context "in validations" do
@@ -205,10 +218,24 @@
 
         it "renders the form again" do
           post :create, params: { collection: collection_attrs }
+
           expect(response).to have_http_status(:unprocessable_entity)
           expect(flash[:error]).to eq "Validation error"
           expect(response).to render_template(:new)
         end
+
+        it "renders json" do
+          post :create, params: { collection: collection_attrs, format: :json }
+
+          expect(response).to have_http_status(:unprocessable_entity)
+          expect(response.content_type).to eq "application/json"
+
+          json_response = JSON.parse(response.body)
+          expect(json_response["code"]).to eq 422
+          expect(json_response["message"]).to eq "Unprocessable Entity"
+          expect(json_response["description"]).to eq "The resource you attempted to modify cannot be modified according to your request."
+          expect(json_response["errors"]).to eq errmsg
+        end
       end
     end
   end
@@ -379,12 +406,29 @@
           expect(flash[:error]).to match(/Failed to save collection/)
           expect(response).to render_template(:edit)
         end
+
+        it "renders json" do
+          put :update, params: {
+            id: collection,
+            collection: collection_attrs,
+            format: :json
+          }
+          expect(response).to have_http_status(:unprocessable_entity)
+          expect(response.content_type).to eq "application/json"
+
+          json_response = JSON.parse(response.body)
+          expect(json_response["code"]).to eq 422
+          expect(json_response["message"]).to eq "Unprocessable Entity"
+          expect(json_response["description"]).to eq "The resource you attempted to modify cannot be modified according to your request."
+          expect(json_response["errors"]).to match(/Failed to save collection/)
+        end
       end
 
       context "in validations" do
         let(:form) { instance_double(Hyrax::Forms::PcdmCollectionForm, errors: errors) }
         let(:errors) { instance_double(Reform::Contract::CustomError, messages: messages) }
-        let(:messages) { { "error" => "Validation error" } }
+        let(:messages) { { "error" => errmsg } }
+        let(:errmsg) { "Validation error" }
         before do
           allow(Hyrax::Forms::ResourceForm).to receive(:for).with(collection).and_return(form)
           allow(form).to receive(:validate).with(any_args).and_return(false)
@@ -394,9 +438,25 @@
           put :update, params: { id: collection, collection: collection_attrs }
 
           expect(response).to have_http_status(:unprocessable_entity)
-          expect(flash[:error]).to eq "Validation error"
+          expect(flash[:error]).to eq errmsg
           expect(response).to render_template(:edit)
         end
+
+        it "renders json" do
+          put :update, params: {
+            id: collection,
+            collection: collection_attrs,
+            format: :json
+          }
+          expect(response).to have_http_status(:unprocessable_entity)
+          expect(response.content_type).to eq "application/json"
+
+          json_response = JSON.parse(response.body)
+          expect(json_response["code"]).to eq 422
+          expect(json_response["message"]).to eq "Unprocessable Entity"
+          expect(json_response["description"]).to eq "The resource you attempted to modify cannot be modified according to your request."
+          expect(json_response["errors"]).to eq errmsg
+        end
       end
     end