diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/com/alttd/altitudeweb/controllers/forms/AppealController.java b/backend/src/main/java/com/alttd/altitudeweb/controllers/forms/AppealController.java
index b089301..6ba3f6d 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/com/alttd/altitudeweb/controllers/forms/AppealController.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/com/alttd/altitudeweb/controllers/forms/AppealController.java
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ public class AppealController implements AppealsApi {
     @RateLimit(limit = 3, timeValue = 1, timeUnit = TimeUnit.HOURS, key = "minecraftAppeal")
     @Override
     public ResponseEntity<AppealResponseDto> submitMinecraftAppeal(MinecraftAppealDto minecraftAppealDto) {
+        boolean success = true;
         CompletableFuture<Appeal> appealCompletableFuture = new CompletableFuture<>();
 
         Connection.getConnection(Databases.DEFAULT)
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ public class AppealController implements AppealsApi {
             appealDiscord.sendAppealToDiscord(appeal, history);
         } catch (Exception e) {
             log.error("Failed to send appeal {} to Discord", appeal.id(), e);
+            success = false;
         }
 
         appealMail.sendAppealNotification(appeal, history);
@@ -94,6 +96,15 @@ public class AppealController implements AppealsApi {
         if (!emailVerification.verified()) {
             return ResponseEntity.badRequest().build();
         }
+        if (!success) {
+            return ResponseEntity.internalServerError().build();
+        }
+        Connection.getConnection(Databases.DEFAULT)
+                .runQuery(sqlSession -> {
+                    log.debug("Marking appeal {} as sent", appeal.id());
+                    sqlSession.getMapper(AppealMapper.class)
+                            .markAppealAsSent(appeal.id());
+                });
         AppealResponseDto appealResponseDto = new AppealResponseDto(
                 appeal.id().toString(),
                 "Your appeal has been submitted. You will be notified when it has been reviewed.",
diff --git a/database/src/main/java/com/alttd/altitudeweb/database/web_db/forms/AppealMapper.java b/database/src/main/java/com/alttd/altitudeweb/database/web_db/forms/AppealMapper.java
index edf5931..aa9dcca 100644
--- a/database/src/main/java/com/alttd/altitudeweb/database/web_db/forms/AppealMapper.java
+++ b/database/src/main/java/com/alttd/altitudeweb/database/web_db/forms/AppealMapper.java
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@ package com.alttd.altitudeweb.database.web_db.forms;
 
 import org.apache.ibatis.annotations.Insert;
 import org.apache.ibatis.annotations.Select;
+import org.apache.ibatis.annotations.Update;
 
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.UUID;
 
 public interface AppealMapper {
 
@@ -26,4 +28,10 @@ public interface AppealMapper {
             WHERE uuid = #{uuid}
             """)
     List<Appeal> getAppealsByUuid(String uuid);
+
+    @Update("""
+            UPDATE appeals SET send_at = NOW()
+            WHERE id = #{id}
+            """)
+    void markAppealAsSent(UUID id);
 }
diff --git a/database/src/main/java/com/alttd/altitudeweb/setup/Connection.java b/database/src/main/java/com/alttd/altitudeweb/setup/Connection.java
index 3eb1f0d..9019d06 100644
--- a/database/src/main/java/com/alttd/altitudeweb/setup/Connection.java
+++ b/database/src/main/java/com/alttd/altitudeweb/setup/Connection.java
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import org.apache.ibatis.session.SqlSession;
 import org.apache.ibatis.session.SqlSessionFactory;
 import org.apache.ibatis.session.SqlSessionFactoryBuilder;
 import org.apache.ibatis.transaction.jdbc.JdbcTransactionFactory;
+import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.UUID;
@@ -119,18 +120,33 @@ public class Connection {
     }
 
     private SqlSessionFactory createSqlSessionFactory(DatabaseSettings settings, AddMappers addMappers) {
+        try {
+            Configuration configuration = getConfiguration(settings);
+            configuration.getTypeHandlerRegistry().register(UUID.class, UUIDTypeHandler.class);
+            addMappers.apply(configuration);
+
+            return new SqlSessionFactoryBuilder().build(configuration);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            log.error("""
+                    Failed to create sql session factory with
+                    \thost {}
+                    \tport: {}
+                    \tname: {}
+                    \tusername: {}
+                    """, settings.host(), settings.port(), settings.name(), settings.username(), e);
+            throw e;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static @NotNull Configuration getConfiguration(DatabaseSettings settings) {
         PooledDataSource dataSource = new PooledDataSource();
         dataSource.setDriver("com.mysql.cj.jdbc.Driver");
         dataSource.setUrl(String.format("jdbc:mysql://%s:%d/%s", settings.host(),
-                                        settings.port(), settings.name()));
+                settings.port(), settings.name()));
         dataSource.setUsername(settings.username());
         dataSource.setPassword(settings.password());
         Environment environment = new Environment("production", new JdbcTransactionFactory(), dataSource);
-        Configuration configuration = new Configuration(environment);
-        configuration.getTypeHandlerRegistry().register(UUID.class, UUIDTypeHandler.class);
-        addMappers.apply(configuration);
-
-        return new SqlSessionFactoryBuilder().build(configuration);
+        return new Configuration(environment);
     }
 
 }