diff --git a/api/resolvers/sub.js b/api/resolvers/sub.js
index ead446c9..ef18d92e 100644
--- a/api/resolvers/sub.js
+++ b/api/resolvers/sub.js
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ export default {
         throw new GraphQLError('you must be logged in', { extensions: { code: 'UNAUTHENTICATED' } })
       }
 
-      await ssValidate(territorySchema, data, { models, me })
+      await ssValidate(territorySchema, data, { models, me, sub: { name: data.oldName } })
 
       if (data.oldName) {
         return await updateSub(parent, data, { me, models, lnd, hash, hmac })
diff --git a/components/territory-form.js b/components/territory-form.js
index 279cecc0..70dc3157 100644
--- a/components/territory-form.js
+++ b/components/territory-form.js
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ export default function TerritoryForm ({ sub }) {
           moderated: sub?.moderated || false,
           nsfw: sub?.nsfw || false
         }}
-        schema={territorySchema({ client, me })}
+        schema={territorySchema({ client, me, sub })}
         invoiceable
         onSubmit={onSubmit}
         className='mb-5'
diff --git a/lib/validate.js b/lib/validate.js
index 9e65b5e5..a07a823c 100644
--- a/lib/validate.js
+++ b/lib/validate.js
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ async function usernameExists (name, { client, models }) {
   return !!user
 }
 
-async function subExists (name, { client, models, me }) {
+async function subExists (name, { client, models, me, filter }) {
   if (!client && !models) {
     throw new Error('cannot check for territory')
   }
@@ -191,13 +191,13 @@ async function subExists (name, { client, models, me }) {
   let sub
   // apollo client
   if (client) {
-    const { data } = await client.query({ query: SUB, variables: { sub: name } })
+    const { data } = await client.query({ query: SUB, variables: { sub: name }, fetchPolicy: 'no-cache' })
     sub = data?.sub
   } else {
     sub = await models.sub.findUnique({ where: { name } })
   }
 
-  return !!sub && sub.userId !== Number(me?.id)
+  return !!sub && (!filter || filter(sub))
 }
 
 async function subActive (name, { client, models, me }) {
@@ -277,22 +277,19 @@ export function advPostSchemaMembers ({ me, existingBoost = 0, ...args }) {
 }
 
 export function subSelectSchemaMembers (args) {
-  // for subSelectSchemaMembers we want to filter out me
-  // because we want to allow the user to select their own territory
-  const { me, ...filteredArgs } = args
   return {
     sub: string().required('required').test({
       name: 'sub',
       test: async sub => {
         if (!sub || !sub.length) return false
-        return await subExists(sub, filteredArgs)
+        return await subExists(sub, args)
       },
       message: 'pick valid territory'
     }).test({
       name: 'sub',
       test: async sub => {
         if (!sub || !sub.length) return false
-        return await subActive(sub, filteredArgs)
+        return await subActive(sub, args)
       },
       message: 'territory is not active'
     })
@@ -414,7 +411,15 @@ export function territorySchema (args) {
         name: 'name',
         test: async name => {
           if (!name || !name.length) return false
-          return !(await subExists(name, args))
+          const edit = !!args.sub
+          let exists
+          if (edit) {
+            // ignore the sub we are currently editing
+            exists = await subExists(name, { ...args, filter: sub => sub.name !== args.sub.name })
+          } else {
+            exists = await subExists(name, args)
+          }
+          return !exists
         },
         message: 'taken'
       }),