diff --git a/ts/services/storageRecordOps.ts b/ts/services/storageRecordOps.ts
index bcaad6ff1..b41f2952f 100644
--- a/ts/services/storageRecordOps.ts
+++ b/ts/services/storageRecordOps.ts
@@ -1305,12 +1305,14 @@ export async function mergeStoryDistributionListRecord(
     details.push('adding unknown fields');
   }
 
+  const deletedAtTimestamp = getTimestampFromLong(
+    storyDistributionListRecord.deletedAtTimestamp
+  );
+
   const storyDistribution: StoryDistributionWithMembersType = {
     id: listId,
     name: String(storyDistributionListRecord.name),
-    deletedAtTimestamp: isMyStories
-      ? undefined
-      : getTimestampFromLong(storyDistributionListRecord.deletedAtTimestamp),
+    deletedAtTimestamp: isMyStories ? undefined : deletedAtTimestamp,
     allowsReplies: Boolean(storyDistributionListRecord.allowsReplies),
     isBlockList: Boolean(storyDistributionListRecord.isBlockList),
     members: remoteListMembers,
@@ -1352,6 +1354,14 @@ export async function mergeStoryDistributionListRecord(
     details.push('clearing unknown fields');
   }
 
+  const isBadRemoteData = !deletedAtTimestamp && !storyDistribution.name;
+  if (isBadRemoteData) {
+    Object.assign(storyDistribution, {
+      name: localStoryDistributionList.name,
+      members: localStoryDistributionList.members,
+    });
+  }
+
   const { hasConflict, details: conflictDetails } = doRecordsConflict(
     toStoryDistributionListRecord(storyDistribution),
     storyDistributionListRecord
diff --git a/ts/sql/Client.ts b/ts/sql/Client.ts
index 8744b58aa..9f164c955 100644
--- a/ts/sql/Client.ts
+++ b/ts/sql/Client.ts
@@ -1746,6 +1746,10 @@ async function _deleteAllStoryDistributions(): Promise<void> {
 async function createNewStoryDistribution(
   distribution: StoryDistributionWithMembersType
 ): Promise<void> {
+  strictAssert(
+    distribution.name,
+    'Distribution list does not have a valid name'
+  );
   await channels.createNewStoryDistribution(distribution);
 }
 async function getAllStoryDistributionsWithMembers(): Promise<
@@ -1761,6 +1765,17 @@ async function getStoryDistributionWithMembers(
 async function modifyStoryDistribution(
   distribution: StoryDistributionType
 ): Promise<void> {
+  if (distribution.deletedAtTimestamp) {
+    strictAssert(
+      !distribution.name,
+      'Attempt to delete distribution list but still has a name'
+    );
+  } else {
+    strictAssert(
+      distribution.name,
+      'Cannot clear distribution list name without deletedAtTimestamp set'
+    );
+  }
   await channels.modifyStoryDistribution(distribution);
 }
 async function modifyStoryDistributionMembers(
@@ -1779,6 +1794,17 @@ async function modifyStoryDistributionWithMembers(
     toRemove: Array<UUIDStringType>;
   }
 ): Promise<void> {
+  if (distribution.deletedAtTimestamp) {
+    strictAssert(
+      !distribution.name,
+      'Attempt to delete distribution list but still has a name'
+    );
+  } else {
+    strictAssert(
+      distribution.name,
+      'Cannot clear distribution list name without deletedAtTimestamp set'
+    );
+  }
   await channels.modifyStoryDistributionWithMembers(distribution, options);
 }
 async function deleteStoryDistribution(id: UUIDStringType): Promise<void> {