diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index a539756..3cbd775 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
     <packaging>jar</packaging>
 
     <properties>
-        <java.version>21</java.version>
+        <java.version>25</java.version>
         <lombok.version>1.18.44</lombok.version>
         <maven.compiler.source>${java.version}</maven.compiler.source>
         <maven.compiler.target>${java.version}</maven.compiler.target>
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/hypixel/nerdbot/tickets/listener/TicketListener.java b/src/main/java/net/hypixel/nerdbot/tickets/listener/TicketListener.java
index 02c04df..6647d8e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/hypixel/nerdbot/tickets/listener/TicketListener.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/hypixel/nerdbot/tickets/listener/TicketListener.java
@@ -32,9 +32,12 @@
 import net.hypixel.nerdbot.tickets.model.TicketFieldValue;
 import net.hypixel.nerdbot.discord.util.DiscordBotEnvironment;
 
+import net.hypixel.nerdbot.marmalade.validation.Validator;
+
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Optional;
+import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
 /**
  * Primary event listener for the ticketing system.
@@ -177,6 +180,37 @@ public void onModalInteraction(ModalInteractionEvent event) {
 
         if (templateOpt.isPresent()) {
             TicketTemplate template = templateOpt.get();
+
+            // Validate all fields at once so the user sees every problem in one reply
+            Validator validator = Validator.create();
+            for (TicketTemplateField field : template.getFields()) {
+                ModalMapping mapping = event.getValue(field.getId());
+                String value = mapping != null ? mapping.getAsString() : "";
+
+                if (field.isRequired()) {
+                    validator.notBlank(value, field.getLabel());
+                }
+                if (value != null && !value.isEmpty()) {
+                    if (field.getMinLength() > 0) {
+                        validator.minLength(value, field.getMinLength(), field.getLabel());
+                    }
+                    if (field.getMaxLength() > 0) {
+                        validator.maxLength(value, field.getMaxLength(), field.getLabel());
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            if (validator.hasErrors()) {
+                String errorMessage = validator.getErrors().stream()
+                    .map(e -> "- " + e.fieldName() + ": " + e.message())
+                    .collect(Collectors.joining("\n"));
+                event.getHook().editOriginal("Please fix the following errors:\n" + errorMessage).queue(
+                    null,
+                    error -> log.error("Failed to send validation error reply to user {}", userId, error)
+                );
+                return;
+            }
+
             for (TicketTemplateField field : template.getFields()) {
                 ModalMapping mapping = event.getValue(field.getId());
                 if (mapping != null && !mapping.getAsString().isEmpty()) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/hypixel/nerdbot/tickets/repository/TicketRepository.java b/src/main/java/net/hypixel/nerdbot/tickets/repository/TicketRepository.java
index 46c9bf1..0c861be 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/hypixel/nerdbot/tickets/repository/TicketRepository.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/hypixel/nerdbot/tickets/repository/TicketRepository.java
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 import net.hypixel.nerdbot.tickets.model.Ticket;
 import net.hypixel.nerdbot.tickets.model.TicketReservationResult;
 import net.hypixel.nerdbot.tickets.model.TicketStatus;
+import net.hypixel.nerdbot.marmalade.exception.RepositoryException;
+import net.hypixel.nerdbot.marmalade.functional.Result;
 import net.hypixel.nerdbot.marmalade.storage.repository.Repository;
 import org.bson.Document;
 import org.bson.conversions.Bson;
@@ -107,31 +109,38 @@ public com.mongodb.client.result.DeleteResult deleteFromDatabase(String id) {
 
     /**
      * Override findById to use integer type for ticketNumber filter.
+     * Checks the open ticket cache, then the closed ticket cache, then MongoDB.
      */
     @Override
-    public Ticket findById(String id) {
+    public Result<Ticket, RepositoryException> findById(String id) {
         Ticket cachedObject = getCache().getIfPresent(id);
         if (cachedObject != null) {
             log.debug("Found ticket with ID {} in cache", id);
-            return cachedObject;
+            return Result.success(cachedObject);
         }
 
         // Also check closed ticket cache
         Ticket closedTicket = closedTicketCache.getIfPresent(id);
         if (closedTicket != null) {
             log.debug("Found ticket with ID {} in closed cache", id);
-            return closedTicket;
+            return Result.success(closedTicket);
         }
 
-        // Use integer for ticketNumber filter to match MongoDB's storage type
-        Document document = getMongoCollection().find(Filters.eq("ticketNumber", Integer.parseInt(id))).first();
-        if (document != null) {
-            Ticket ticket = documentToEntity(document);
-            cacheTicketAppropriately(ticket);
-            return ticket;
+        try {
+            // Use integer for ticketNumber filter to match MongoDB's storage type
+            Document document = getMongoCollection().find(Filters.eq("ticketNumber", Integer.parseInt(id))).first();
+            if (document != null) {
+                Ticket ticket = documentToEntity(document);
+                cacheTicketAppropriately(ticket);
+                return Result.success(ticket);
+            }
+        } catch (com.mongodb.MongoException e) {
+            log.error("Database error looking up ticket with ID {}", id, e);
+            return Result.failure(new RepositoryException("Database error looking up ticket ID: " + id, e));
         }
 
-        return null;
+        log.debug("Ticket with ID {} not found in cache or database", id);
+        return Result.failure(new RepositoryException("Not found: " + id));
     }
 
     /**
@@ -237,10 +246,13 @@ public Optional<Ticket> findByChannelId(String channelId) {
         String ticketId = channelIdIndex.get(channelId);
         if (ticketId != null) {
             // Try open ticket cache first (most common case)
-            Ticket cachedTicket = findById(ticketId);
-            if (cachedTicket != null) {
-                log.debug("Found open ticket {} in cache for thread {}", cachedTicket.getFormattedTicketId(), channelId);
-                return Optional.of(cachedTicket);
+            Result<Ticket, RepositoryException> findResult = findById(ticketId);
+            if (findResult.isSuccess()) {
+                Ticket cachedTicket = findResult.orElse(null);
+                if (cachedTicket != null) {
+                    log.debug("Found open ticket {} in cache for thread {}", cachedTicket.getFormattedTicketId(), channelId);
+                    return Optional.of(cachedTicket);
+                }
             }
 
             // Try closed ticket cache