diff --git a/lib/harmony/harmonytask/harmonytask.go b/lib/harmony/harmonytask/harmonytask.go
index 595e5b63a..31b632975 100644
--- a/lib/harmony/harmonytask/harmonytask.go
+++ b/lib/harmony/harmonytask/harmonytask.go
@@ -146,6 +146,11 @@ func New(
 			TaskTypeDetails: c.TypeDetails(),
 			TaskEngine:      e,
 		}
+
+		if len(h.Name) > 16 {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("task name too long: %s, max 16 characters", h.Name)
+		}
+
 		e.handlers = append(e.handlers, &h)
 		e.taskMap[h.TaskTypeDetails.Name] = &h
 	}
diff --git a/provider/lpmessage/sender.go b/provider/lpmessage/sender.go
index 5d03cfd02..5467e5d2f 100644
--- a/provider/lpmessage/sender.go
+++ b/provider/lpmessage/sender.go
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ func (s *Sender) Send(ctx context.Context, msg *types.Message, mss *api.MessageS
 
 	for {
 		var err error
-		var sigCidStr, sendError string
+		var sigCidStr, sendError *string
 		var sendSuccess *bool
 
 		err = s.db.QueryRow(ctx, `select signed_cid, send_success, send_error from message_sends where send_task_id = $1`, &sendTaskID).Scan(&sigCidStr, &sendSuccess, &sendError)
@@ -373,6 +373,11 @@ func (s *Sender) Send(ctx context.Context, msg *types.Message, mss *api.MessageS
 			continue
 		}
 
+		if sigCidStr == nil || sendError == nil {
+			// should never happen because sendSuccess is already not null here
+			return cid.Undef, xerrors.Errorf("got null values for sigCidStr or sendError, this should never happen")
+		}
+
 		if !*sendSuccess {
 			sendErr = xerrors.Errorf("send error: %s", sendError)
 		} else {
diff --git a/provider/lpwindow/recover_task.go b/provider/lpwindow/recover_task.go
index 6006f3c35..12f8522b5 100644
--- a/provider/lpwindow/recover_task.go
+++ b/provider/lpwindow/recover_task.go
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ func (w *WdPostRecoverDeclareTask) CanAccept(ids []harmonytask.TaskID, engine *h
 func (w *WdPostRecoverDeclareTask) TypeDetails() harmonytask.TaskTypeDetails {
 	return harmonytask.TaskTypeDetails{
 		Max:  128,
-		Name: "WdPostRecoverDeclare",
+		Name: "WdPostRecover",
 		Cost: resources.Resources{
 			Cpu: 1,
 			Gpu: 0,