diff --git a/src/api/core/ciphers.rs b/src/api/core/ciphers.rs
index 537a0c15..7907cd76 100644
--- a/src/api/core/ciphers.rs
+++ b/src/api/core/ciphers.rs
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@ pub struct CipherData {
     // Folder id is not included in import
     folder_id: Option<String>,
     // TODO: Some of these might appear all the time, no need for Option
+    #[serde(alias = "organizationID")]
     pub organization_id: Option<String>,
 
     key: Option<String>,
@@ -286,6 +287,10 @@ async fn post_ciphers_create(
     if data.cipher.organization_id.is_some() && data.collection_ids.is_empty() {
         err!("You must select at least one collection.");
     }
+    // reverse sanity check to prevent corruptions
+    if !data.collection_ids.is_empty() && data.cipher.organization_id.is_none() {
+        err!("The client has not provided an organization id!");
+    }
 
     // This check is usually only needed in update_cipher_from_data(), but we
     // need it here as well to avoid creating an empty cipher in the call to