diff --git a/src/app/access/[method]/[step]/page.tsx b/src/app/access/[method]/[step]/page.tsx
index b2c340c..9a4749f 100644
--- a/src/app/access/[method]/[step]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/access/[method]/[step]/page.tsx
@@ -621,10 +621,10 @@ export default function AccessPage({ params }: PageProps) {
 
             {needsJavaName && (
               <div className="space-y-2">
-                <Label htmlFor="java-username">Java username</Label>
+                <Label htmlFor="java-username">Java Username</Label>
                 <Input
                   id="java-username"
-                  placeholder="Your Java username"
+                  placeholder="Your Java Username"
                   value={javaName}
                   className="font-mono"
                   onChange={(event) => setJavaName(event.target.value)}
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ export default function AccessPage({ params }: PageProps) {
                 <Label htmlFor="bedrock-username">Bedrock Gamertag</Label>
                 <Input
                   id="bedrock-username"
-                  placeholder="Your Xbox name"
+                  placeholder="Your Bedrock Gamertag"
                   value={bedrockName}
                   className="font-mono"
                   onChange={(event) => setBedrockName(event.target.value)}
diff --git a/src/app/api/whitelist/route.ts b/src/app/api/whitelist/route.ts
index d3e1fc1..7d1cc4e 100644
--- a/src/app/api/whitelist/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/whitelist/route.ts
@@ -66,15 +66,31 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
 
     // Add resolved players to whitelist
     for (const player of resolvedPlayers) {
+      // Validate player data before sending to server
+      if (!player || !player.username || !player.platform) {
+        errors.push(`Invalid player data: missing username or platform`);
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      if (player.platform === 'bedrock' && !player.xuid) {
+        errors.push(`Bedrock gamertag player ${player.username} missing XUID - resolution may have failed`);
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      if (player.platform === 'java' && !player.uuid) {
+        errors.push(`Java username player ${player.username} missing UUID - resolution may have failed`);
+        continue;
+      }
+
       try {
         const result = await servertap.addToWhitelist(player);
         if (result.success) {
-          results.push(`Successfully whitelisted ${player.platform} player: ${player.username} (${player.uuid || player.xuid})`);
+          results.push(`Successfully whitelisted ${player.platform === 'java' ? 'Java username' : 'Bedrock gamertag'} player: ${player.username} (${player.uuid || player.xuid})`);
         } else {
-          errors.push(`Failed to whitelist ${player.platform} player ${player.username}: ${result.error}`);
+          errors.push(`Failed to whitelist ${player.platform === 'java' ? 'Java username' : 'Bedrock gamertag'} player ${player.username}: ${result.error}`);
         }
       } catch (error) {
-        errors.push(`Failed to whitelist ${player.platform} player ${player.username}: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error'}`);
+        errors.push(`Failed to whitelist ${player.platform === 'java' ? 'Java username' : 'Bedrock gamertag'} player ${player.username}: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error'}`);
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/minecraft-api.ts b/src/lib/minecraft-api.ts
index e7bc212..c119267 100644
--- a/src/lib/minecraft-api.ts
+++ b/src/lib/minecraft-api.ts
@@ -107,18 +107,24 @@ class MinecraftApiClient {
       });
 
       if (response.status === 404) {
-        throw new Error('Gamertag not found');
+        throw new Error(`Gamertag "${gamertag}" not found on Xbox Live`);
       }
 
       if (response.status === 429) {
-        throw new Error('Rate limit exceeded');
+        throw new Error('Xbox Live API rate limit exceeded - please try again later');
       }
 
       if (!response.ok) {
-        throw new Error(`GeyserMC API error: ${response.status}`);
+        throw new Error(`GeyserMC API error: ${response.status} ${response.statusText}`);
       }
 
       const data: GeyserResponse = await response.json();
+      
+      // Validate the response data
+      if (!data.xuid || !data.gamertag) {
+        throw new Error('Invalid response from GeyserMC API - missing XUID or gamertag');
+      }
+
       const result: PlayerIdentifierOutput = {
         platform: 'bedrock',
         username: data.gamertag,
@@ -131,7 +137,10 @@ class MinecraftApiClient {
 
       return result;
     } catch (error) {
-      throw new Error(`Failed to resolve Bedrock gamertag: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error'}`);
+      if (error instanceof Error) {
+        throw new Error(`Failed to resolve Bedrock gamertag "${gamertag}": ${error.message}`);
+      }
+      throw new Error(`Failed to resolve Bedrock gamertag "${gamertag}": Unknown error`);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/servertap.ts b/src/lib/servertap.ts
index 8a22600..e73ea6e 100644
--- a/src/lib/servertap.ts
+++ b/src/lib/servertap.ts
@@ -82,16 +82,45 @@ class MinecraftClient {
   async addToWhitelist(player: string | ResolvedPlayer): Promise<MinecraftResponse<void>> {
     // Handle legacy string input for backward compatibility
     if (typeof player === 'string') {
+      if (!player || player.trim() === '') {
+        return {
+          success: false,
+          error: 'Player name is required'
+        };
+      }
       return this.makeRequest("/api/whitelist/add", {
         method: "POST",
-        body: JSON.stringify({ player }),
+        body: JSON.stringify({ player: player.trim() }),
       });
     }
 
+    // Validate resolved player data
+    if (!player || !player.username || !player.platform) {
+      return {
+        success: false,
+        error: 'Player data is incomplete: username and platform are required'
+      };
+    }
+
+    // Validate platform-specific identifiers
+    if (player.platform === 'bedrock' && !player.xuid) {
+      return {
+        success: false,
+        error: 'Bedrock gamertag players require an XUID'
+      };
+    }
+
+    if (player.platform === 'java' && !player.uuid) {
+      return {
+        success: false,
+        error: 'Java username players require a UUID'
+      };
+    }
+
     // Send resolved player data with UUID/XUID
     const payload: any = {
-      player: player.username,
-      platform: player.platform,
+      player: player.username.trim(),
+      platform: player.platform === 'java' ? 'java username' : 'bedrock gamertag',
     };
 
     if (player.uuid) {
@@ -119,8 +148,8 @@ class MinecraftClient {
 
     // Send resolved player data with UUID/XUID
     const payload: any = {
-      player: player.username,
-      platform: player.platform,
+      player: player.username.trim(),
+      platform: player.platform === 'java' ? 'java username' : 'bedrock gamertag',
     };
 
     if (player.uuid) {
diff --git a/test-platform-names.sh b/test-platform-names.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e3c3925
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-platform-names.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Test script to verify platform names are sent correctly to server
+
+echo "Testing platform name mapping..."
+
+# Test Java player - should send "java username" as platform
+echo -e "\n=== Java Player Platform Test ==="
+curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/resolve-player \
+  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  -d '{"type": "java", "username": "Notch"}' \
+  | jq .
+
+# Test Bedrock player - should send "bedrock gamertag" as platform  
+echo -e "\n=== Bedrock Player Platform Test ==="
+curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/resolve-player \
+  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+  -d '{"type": "bedrock", "username": "TestGamertag"}' \
+  | jq .
+
+echo -e "\n=== Platform Mapping Complete ==="
+echo "Java platform should be: 'java username'"
+echo "Bedrock platform should be: 'bedrock gamertag'"