diff --git a/lib/thinx/transfer.js b/lib/thinx/transfer.js
index fc3ef2a3e..7a2d3be63 100644
--- a/lib/thinx/transfer.js
+++ b/lib/thinx/transfer.js
@@ -241,9 +241,9 @@ module.exports = class Transfer {
 		return Promise.resolve(false); // transfer not pending
 	}
 
-	store_pending_transfer(udid, transfer_id) {
-		this.redis.set("dtr:" + udid, transfer_id);
-		this.redis.expire("dtr:" + udid, 86400); // expire pending transfer in one day...
+	async store_pending_transfer(udid, transfer_id) {
+		await this.redis.set("dtr:" + udid, transfer_id);
+		await this.redis.expire("dtr:" + udid, 86400); // expire pending transfer in one day...
 	}
 
 	// public
@@ -364,11 +364,13 @@ module.exports = class Transfer {
 		// 3. store as "dt:uuid()" to redis
 		var transfer_uuid = uuidV4(); // used for email
 		var transfer_id = "dt:" + transfer_uuid;
-		this.redis.set(transfer_id, JSON.stringify(body));
+		await this.redis.set(transfer_id, JSON.stringify(body));
+
+		console.log("[debug] [transfer] setting dtid with body", transfer_id, {body});
 
 		// 4. store pending transfer for each device
 		for (var did in body.udids) {
-			this.store_pending_transfer(did, transfer_id);
+			await this.store_pending_transfer(did, transfer_id);
 		}
 
 		// 6. send the e-mail 
diff --git a/spec/jasmine/TransferSpec.js b/spec/jasmine/TransferSpec.js
index 1ced5124f..2b06229ad 100644
--- a/spec/jasmine/TransferSpec.js
+++ b/spec/jasmine/TransferSpec.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ describe("Transfer", function () {
     var owner = envi.oid;
 
     // create transfer request
-    let response = await transfer.request(owner, body);
+    let response = await transfer.request(owner, body); // should return transfer_id without prefix
 
     console.log("[spec] CHECKME! transfer request response:", response);
       
@@ -66,8 +66,9 @@ describe("Transfer", function () {
 
     // 00-02 Decline
     await transfer.decline(tbody).catch((e) => {
-      // may throw various exceptions, like invalid_device_transfer_identifier
-      console.log("[spec] CHECKME! exception", e);
+      // may throw various exceptions, like `invalid_device_transfer_identifier`
+      expect(e.indexOf("invalid_device_transfer_identifier") !== -1);
+      console.log("[spec] CHECKME! exception", e); 
     });
     //expect(d_response).to.be.a('string');