diff --git a/internal/api/client/statuses/statuscreate_test.go b/internal/api/client/statuses/statuscreate_test.go
index 548eced29..090dae593 100644
--- a/internal/api/client/statuses/statuscreate_test.go
+++ b/internal/api/client/statuses/statuscreate_test.go
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ func (suite *StatusCreateTestSuite) TestPostNewStatusIntPolicyJSON() {
 func (suite *StatusCreateTestSuite) TestPostNewStatusMessedUpIntPolicy() {
 	out, recorder := suite.postStatus(nil, `{
   "status": "this is a brand new status! #helloworld",
-  "visibility": "followers_only",
+  "visibility": "private",
   "interaction_policy": {
     "can_reply": {
       "always": [
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ func (suite *StatusCreateTestSuite) TestPostNewStatusMessedUpIntPolicy() {
 	// We should have a helpful error
 	// message telling us how we screwed up.
 	suite.Equal(`{
-  "error": "Bad Request: error converting followers_only.can_reply.always: policyURI public is not feasible for visibility followers_only"
+  "error": "Bad Request: error converting private.can_reply.always: policyURI public is not feasible for visibility private"
 }`, out)
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/processing/status/create.go b/internal/processing/status/create.go
index f9f986256..3604d3a4a 100644
--- a/internal/processing/status/create.go
+++ b/internal/processing/status/create.go
@@ -218,7 +218,9 @@ func (p *Processor) Create(
 	}
 
 	// Process the incoming created status visibility.
-	processVisibility(form, requester.Settings.Privacy, status)
+	if errWithCode := processVisibility(form, requester.Settings.Privacy, status); errWithCode != nil {
+		return nil, errWithCode
+	}
 
 	// Process policy AFTER visibility as it relies
 	// on status.Visibility and form.Visibility being set.
@@ -444,11 +446,20 @@ func processVisibility(
 	form *apimodel.StatusCreateRequest,
 	accountDefaultVis gtsmodel.Visibility,
 	status *gtsmodel.Status,
-) {
+) gtserror.WithCode {
 	switch {
 	// Visibility set on form, use that.
 	case form.Visibility != "":
-		status.Visibility = typeutils.APIVisToVis(form.Visibility)
+		visibility := typeutils.APIVisToVis(form.Visibility)
+
+		if visibility == 0 {
+			const errText = "invalid visibility"
+			err := gtserror.New(errText)
+			errWithCode := gtserror.NewErrorUnprocessableEntity(err, err.Error())
+			return errWithCode
+		}
+
+		status.Visibility = visibility
 
 	// Fall back to account default, set
 	// this back on the form for later use.
@@ -467,6 +478,8 @@ func processVisibility(
 	// assuming federated (ie., not local-only) by default.
 	localOnly := util.PtrOrValue(form.LocalOnly, false)
 	status.Federated = util.Ptr(!localOnly)
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 func processInteractionPolicy(
diff --git a/internal/processing/status/create_test.go b/internal/processing/status/create_test.go
index a2adb5f79..82bc801c4 100644
--- a/internal/processing/status/create_test.go
+++ b/internal/processing/status/create_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 package status_test
 
 import (
+	"net/http"
 	"testing"
 
 	apimodel "code.superseriousbusiness.org/gotosocial/internal/api/model"
@@ -240,6 +241,31 @@ func (suite *StatusCreateTestSuite) TestProcessNoContentTypeUsesDefault() {
 	suite.Equal(apimodel.StatusContentTypeDefault, apiStatus.ContentType)
 }
 
+func (suite *StatusCreateTestSuite) TestProcessInvalidVisibility() {
+	ctx := suite.T().Context()
+	creatingAccount := suite.testAccounts["local_account_1"]
+	creatingApplication := suite.testApplications["application_1"]
+
+	statusCreateForm := &apimodel.StatusCreateRequest{
+		Status:      "my tests content is boring",
+		SpoilerText: "",
+		MediaIDs:    []string{},
+		Poll:        nil,
+		InReplyToID: "",
+		Sensitive:   false,
+		Visibility:  "local",
+		LocalOnly:   util.Ptr(false),
+		ScheduledAt: nil,
+		Language:    "en",
+		ContentType: apimodel.StatusContentTypePlain,
+	}
+
+	apiStatus, errWithCode := suite.status.Create(ctx, creatingAccount, creatingApplication, statusCreateForm)
+	suite.Nil(apiStatus)
+	suite.Equal(http.StatusUnprocessableEntity, errWithCode.Code())
+	suite.Equal("Unprocessable Entity: processVisibility: invalid visibility", errWithCode.Safe())
+}
+
 func TestStatusCreateTestSuite(t *testing.T) {
 	suite.Run(t, new(StatusCreateTestSuite))
 }