diff --git a/app/controllers/tasks_controller.rb b/app/controllers/tasks_controller.rb
index 42136b8f29..9e10026888 100755
--- a/app/controllers/tasks_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/tasks_controller.rb
@@ -7,19 +7,15 @@ class TasksController < ApplicationController
   before_filter :authorize, :except => [:new]
 
   def create
-    attribs = params.select{|k,v| k != 'id' and Task::SAFE_ATTRIBUTES.include? k }
-    attribs = Hash[*attribs.flatten]
-    attribs['author_id'] = User.current.id
-    attribs['tracker_id'] = Task.tracker
-    attribs['project_id'] = @project.id
-
-    task = Task.new(attribs)
-    if task.save!
-      status = 200
-    else
-      status = 400
-    end
-    render :partial => "task", :object => task, :status => status    
+    # FAT MODELS, SKINNY CONTROLLERS PLEASE!
+    # http://weblog.jamisbuck.org/2006/10/18/skinny-controller-fat-model
+    @task = Task.create_with_relationships(params, User.current.id, @project.id)
+    status = if @task.errors.length==0
+               200
+             else
+               400
+             end
+    render :partial => "task", :object => @task, :status => status
   end
 
   def index
@@ -52,9 +48,6 @@ class TasksController < ApplicationController
   end
 
   def update
-    # FAT MODELS, SKINNY CONTROLLERS PLEASE!
-    # http://weblog.jamisbuck.org/2006/10/18/skinny-controller-fat-model
-
     status = if @task.update_with_relationships(params)
                200
              else
diff --git a/app/models/task.rb b/app/models/task.rb
index 147b6649aa..a14b8fe06f 100755
--- a/app/models/task.rb
+++ b/app/models/task.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,23 @@
 class Task < Issue
   unloadable
 
+  def self.create_with_relationships(params, user_id, project_id)
+    attribs = params.clone.delete_if {|k,v| !Task::SAFE_ATTRIBUTES.include?(k) }
+    attribs[:remaining_hours] = 0 if IssueStatus.find(params[:status_id]).is_closed?
+    attribs['author_id'] = user_id
+    attribs['tracker_id'] = Task.tracker
+    attribs['project_id'] = project_id
+
+    task = new(attribs)
+
+    if task.validate_blocks_list(params[:blocks]) && task.save
+      task.move_after params[:prev]
+      task.update_blocked_list params[:blocks].split(/\D+/)
+    end
+
+    task
+  end
+
   def self.tracker
     task_tracker = Setting.plugin_redmine_backlogs[:task_tracker]
     return nil if task_tracker.nil? or task_tracker == ''
@@ -11,30 +28,39 @@ class Task < Issue
     attribs = params.clone.delete_if {|k,v| !Task::SAFE_ATTRIBUTES.include?(k) }
     attribs[:remaining_hours] = 0 if IssueStatus.find(params[:status_id]).is_closed?
 
-    if result = journalized_update_attributes!(attribs)
+    if validate_blocks_list(params[:blocks]) && result = journalized_update_attributes!(attribs)
       move_after params[:prev]
-      update_blocked_list! params[:blocks].split(/\D+/)
+      update_blocked_list params[:blocks].split(/\D+/)
+      result
+    else
+      false
     end
-    
-    result
   end
   
-  def update_blocked_list!(for_blocking)    
+  def update_blocked_list(for_blocking)
     # Existing relationships not in for_blocking should be removed from the 'blocks' list
     relations_from.find(:all, :conditions => "relation_type='blocks'").each{ |ir| 
       ir.destroy unless for_blocking.include?( ir[:issue_to_id] )
     }
 
     already_blocking = relations_from.find(:all, :conditions => "relation_type='blocks'").map{|ir| ir.issue_to_id}
-        
+
     # Non-existing relationships that are in for_blocking should be added to the 'blocks' list
     for_blocking.select{ |id| !already_blocking.include?(id) }.each{ |id|
       ir = relations_from.new(:relation_type=>'blocks')
-      ir['issue_to_id'] = id
+      ir[:issue_to_id] = id
       ir.save!
     }
     reload
   end
   
+  def validate_blocks_list(list)
+    if list.split(/\D+/).length==0
+      errors.add "blocks", "must contain at least one valid id"
+      false
+    else
+      true
+    end
+  end
   
 end