diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 7b83a10..cb98297 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1522,6 +1522,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "serde_test"
+version = "1.0.164"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "797c38160e2546a56e1e3439496439597e938669673ffd8af02a12f070da648f"
+dependencies = [
+ "serde",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "serde_urlencoded"
 version = "0.7.1"
@@ -1693,7 +1702,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "time",
  "tokio-stream",
  "url",
- "uuid",
  "webpki-roots",
 ]
 
@@ -2105,12 +2113,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "percent-encoding",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "uuid"
-version = "1.3.4"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "0fa2982af2eec27de306107c027578ff7f423d65f7250e40ce0fea8f45248b81"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "valuable"
 version = "0.1.0"
@@ -2341,6 +2343,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "password-hash",
  "rand_core",
  "serde",
+ "serde_test",
  "sqlx",
  "thiserror",
  "tokio",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 954e241..7ca6f86 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ tracing-subscriber = { version = "0.3", features = ["env-filter"] }
 tower = { version = "0.4", features = ["util", "timeout"], default-features = false }
 tower-http = { version = "0.4", features = ["add-extension", "trace"] }
 serde = { version = "1", features = ["derive"] }
-sqlx = { version = "0.6", default-features = false, features = ["runtime-tokio-rustls", "any", "sqlite", "chrono", "time", "uuid"] }
+sqlx = { version = "0.6", default-features = false, features = ["runtime-tokio-rustls", "any", "sqlite", "chrono", "time"] }
 argon2 = "0.5"
 rand_core = { version = "0.6", features = ["getrandom"] }
 thiserror = "1"
@@ -30,4 +30,5 @@ optional_optional_user = {path = "optional_optional_user"}
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 axum-test = "9.0.0"
+serde_test = "1.0.164"
 
diff --git a/src/db.rs b/src/db.rs
index 4cbe8ae..70540b6 100644
--- a/src/db.rs
+++ b/src/db.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ use sqlx::{
     SqlitePool,
 };
 
-use crate::{ids::DbId, User};
+use crate::{db_id::DbId, User};
 
 const MAX_CONNS: u32 = 200;
 const MIN_CONNS: u32 = 5;
diff --git a/src/db_id.rs b/src/db_id.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5b7e2f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/db_id.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,251 @@
+use std::{
+    borrow::Cow,
+    fmt::{Debug, Display},
+};
+
+use serde::{de::Visitor, Deserialize, Serialize};
+use sqlx::{
+    encode::IsNull,
+    sqlite::{SqliteArgumentValue, SqliteValueRef},
+    Decode, Encode, Sqlite,
+};
+use ulid::Ulid;
+
+#[derive(Default, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash)]
+pub struct DbId(pub Ulid);
+
+impl DbId {
+    pub fn bytes(&self) -> [u8; 16] {
+        self.as_be_bytes()
+    }
+
+    pub fn as_be_bytes(&self) -> [u8; 16] {
+        self.0 .0.to_be_bytes()
+    }
+
+    pub fn is_nil(&self) -> bool {
+        self.0.is_nil()
+    }
+
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        let id = Ulid::new();
+        Self(id)
+    }
+
+    pub fn from_str(s: &str) -> Result<Self, ulid::DecodeError> {
+        let id = Ulid::from_string(s)?;
+        Ok(id.into())
+    }
+}
+
+//-************************************************************************
+// standard trait impls
+//-************************************************************************
+
+impl Display for DbId {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        write!(f, "{}", self.0.to_string())
+    }
+}
+
+impl Debug for DbId {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        f.debug_tuple("DbId").field(&self.bytes()).finish()
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<Ulid> for DbId {
+    fn from(value: Ulid) -> Self {
+        DbId(value)
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<u128> for DbId {
+    fn from(value: u128) -> Self {
+        DbId(value.into())
+    }
+}
+
+//-************************************************************************
+// sqlx traits for going in and out of the db
+//-************************************************************************
+
+impl sqlx::Type<sqlx::Sqlite> for DbId {
+    fn type_info() -> <sqlx::Sqlite as sqlx::Database>::TypeInfo {
+        <&[u8] as sqlx::Type<sqlx::Sqlite>>::type_info()
+    }
+}
+
+// sqlx traits for marshalling in and out
+impl<'q> Encode<'q, Sqlite> for DbId {
+    fn encode(self, args: &mut Vec<SqliteArgumentValue<'q>>) -> IsNull {
+        args.push(SqliteArgumentValue::Blob(Cow::Owned(self.bytes().to_vec())));
+        IsNull::No
+    }
+
+    fn encode_by_ref(&self, args: &mut Vec<SqliteArgumentValue<'q>>) -> IsNull {
+        args.push(SqliteArgumentValue::Blob(Cow::Owned(self.bytes().to_vec())));
+        IsNull::No
+    }
+
+    fn produces(&self) -> Option<<Sqlite as sqlx::Database>::TypeInfo> {
+        // `produces` is inherently a hook to allow database drivers to produce
+        // value-dependent type information; if the driver doesn't need this, it
+        // can leave this as `None`
+        None
+    }
+
+    fn size_hint(&self) -> usize {
+        std::mem::size_of_val(self)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'r> Decode<'r, Sqlite> for DbId {
+    fn decode(value: SqliteValueRef<'r>) -> Result<Self, sqlx::error::BoxDynError> {
+        let bytes = <&[u8] as Decode<Sqlite>>::decode(value)?;
+        let bytes: [u8; 16] = bytes.try_into().unwrap_or_default();
+        let id: Ulid = u128::from_ne_bytes(bytes).into();
+        Ok(id.into())
+    }
+}
+
+//-************************************************************************
+// serde traits
+//-************************************************************************
+impl Serialize for DbId {
+    fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
+    where
+        S: serde::Serializer,
+    {
+        serializer.serialize_bytes(&self.bytes())
+    }
+}
+
+struct DbIdVisitor;
+
+impl<'de> Visitor<'de> for DbIdVisitor {
+    type Value = DbId;
+
+    fn expecting(&self, formatter: &mut std::fmt::Formatter) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        formatter.write_str("a 128-bit number")
+    }
+
+    fn visit_i128<E>(self, v: i128) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+    where
+        E: serde::de::Error,
+    {
+        Ok(DbId(Ulid(v as u128)))
+    }
+
+    fn visit_u128<E>(self, v: u128) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+    where
+        E: serde::de::Error,
+    {
+        Ok(DbId(Ulid(v)))
+    }
+
+    fn visit_bytes<E>(self, v: &[u8]) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+    where
+        E: serde::de::Error,
+    {
+        match std::convert::TryInto::<[u8; 16]>::try_into(v) {
+            Ok(v) => Ok(DbId(Ulid(u128::from_be_bytes(v)))),
+            Err(_) => Err(serde::de::Error::invalid_length(v.len(), &self)),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn visit_byte_buf<E>(self, v: Vec<u8>) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+    where
+        E: serde::de::Error,
+    {
+        let len = v.len();
+        match std::convert::TryInto::<[u8; 16]>::try_into(v) {
+            Ok(v) => Ok(DbId(Ulid(u128::from_be_bytes(v)))),
+            Err(_) => Err(serde::de::Error::invalid_length(len, &self)),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn visit_string<E>(self, v: String) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+    where
+        E: serde::de::Error,
+    {
+        match Ulid::from_string(&v) {
+            Ok(v) => Ok(DbId(v)),
+            Err(_) => Err(serde::de::Error::invalid_value(
+                serde::de::Unexpected::Str(&format!("could not convert {v} to a ULID")),
+                &self,
+            )),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn visit_str<E>(self, v: &str) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+    where
+        E: serde::de::Error,
+    {
+        match Ulid::from_string(v) {
+            Ok(v) => Ok(DbId(v)),
+            Err(_) => Err(serde::de::Error::invalid_value(
+                serde::de::Unexpected::Str(&format!("could not convert {v} to a ULID")),
+                &self,
+            )),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn visit_seq<A>(self, mut seq: A) -> Result<Self::Value, A::Error>
+    where
+        A: serde::de::SeqAccess<'de>,
+    {
+        let mut bytes = [0u8; 16];
+        let size = seq.size_hint().unwrap_or(0);
+        let mut count = 0;
+        while let Some(val) = seq.next_element()? {
+            if count >= 16 {
+                break;
+            }
+            bytes[count] = val;
+            count += 1;
+        }
+        if count != 16 || size > 16 {
+            let sz = if count < 16 { count } else { size };
+            Err(serde::de::Error::invalid_length(sz, &self))
+        } else {
+            let id = u128::from_ne_bytes(bytes);
+            Ok(id.into())
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'de> Deserialize<'de> for DbId {
+    fn deserialize<D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<Self, D::Error>
+    where
+        D: serde::Deserializer<'de>,
+    {
+        deserializer.deserialize_bytes(DbIdVisitor)
+    }
+}
+
+//-************************************************************************
+// serialization tests
+//-************************************************************************
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use serde_test::{assert_tokens, Token};
+
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_ser_de() {
+        let bytes: [u8; 16] = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15];
+        let be_num = u128::from_be_bytes(bytes);
+        let le_ulid = Ulid(be_num);
+        let le_id = DbId(le_ulid);
+
+        assert_tokens(
+            &le_id,
+            &[Token::Bytes(&[
+                0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
+            ])],
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/ids.rs b/src/ids.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index b8d4912..0000000
--- a/src/ids.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,143 +0,0 @@
-use std::{borrow::Cow, fmt::Display};
-
-use serde::{de::Visitor, Deserialize, Serialize};
-use sqlx::{
-    encode::IsNull,
-    sqlite::{SqliteArgumentValue, SqliteValueRef},
-    Decode, Encode, Sqlite,
-};
-use ulid::Ulid;
-
-#[derive(Debug, Default, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash)]
-pub struct DbId(pub Ulid);
-
-impl From<Ulid> for DbId {
-    fn from(value: Ulid) -> Self {
-        DbId(value)
-    }
-}
-
-impl sqlx::Type<sqlx::Sqlite> for DbId {
-    fn type_info() -> <sqlx::Sqlite as sqlx::Database>::TypeInfo {
-        <&[u8] as sqlx::Type<sqlx::Sqlite>>::type_info()
-    }
-}
-
-impl<'q> Encode<'q, Sqlite> for DbId {
-    fn encode(self, args: &mut Vec<SqliteArgumentValue<'q>>) -> IsNull {
-        args.push(SqliteArgumentValue::Blob(Cow::Owned(self.bytes().to_vec())));
-        IsNull::No
-    }
-
-    fn encode_by_ref(&self, args: &mut Vec<SqliteArgumentValue<'q>>) -> IsNull {
-        args.push(SqliteArgumentValue::Blob(Cow::Owned(self.bytes().to_vec())));
-
-        IsNull::No
-    }
-
-    fn produces(&self) -> Option<<Sqlite as sqlx::Database>::TypeInfo> {
-        // `produces` is inherently a hook to allow database drivers to produce
-        // value-dependent type information; if the driver doesn't need this, it
-        // can leave this as `None`
-        None
-    }
-
-    fn size_hint(&self) -> usize {
-        std::mem::size_of_val(self)
-    }
-}
-
-impl<'r> Decode<'r, Sqlite> for DbId {
-    fn decode(value: SqliteValueRef<'r>) -> Result<Self, sqlx::error::BoxDynError> {
-        let bytes = <&[u8] as Decode<Sqlite>>::decode(value)?;
-        let bytes: [u8; 16] = bytes.try_into().unwrap_or_default();
-        let id: Ulid = u128::from_ne_bytes(bytes).into();
-        Ok(id.into())
-    }
-}
-
-impl Display for DbId {
-    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
-        write!(f, "{}", self.0.to_string())
-    }
-}
-
-impl DbId {
-    pub fn bytes(&self) -> [u8; 16] {
-        self.0 .0.to_ne_bytes()
-    }
-
-    pub fn is_nil(&self) -> bool {
-        self.0.is_nil()
-    }
-
-    pub fn new() -> Self {
-        let id = Ulid::new();
-        Self(id)
-    }
-}
-
-impl Serialize for DbId {
-    fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
-    where
-        S: serde::Serializer,
-    {
-        serializer.serialize_bytes(&self.0 .0.to_ne_bytes())
-    }
-}
-
-struct IdVisitor;
-
-impl<'de> Visitor<'de> for IdVisitor {
-    type Value = DbId;
-
-    fn expecting(&self, formatter: &mut std::fmt::Formatter) -> std::fmt::Result {
-        formatter.write_str("a 128-bit number")
-    }
-
-    fn visit_i128<E>(self, v: i128) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
-    where
-        E: serde::de::Error,
-    {
-        Ok(DbId(Ulid(v as u128)))
-    }
-
-    fn visit_u128<E>(self, v: u128) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
-    where
-        E: serde::de::Error,
-    {
-        Ok(DbId(Ulid(v)))
-    }
-
-    fn visit_bytes<E>(self, v: &[u8]) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
-    where
-        E: serde::de::Error,
-    {
-        match std::convert::TryInto::<[u8; 16]>::try_into(v) {
-            Ok(v) => Ok(DbId(Ulid(u128::from_ne_bytes(v)))),
-            Err(_) => Err(serde::de::Error::invalid_length(v.len(), &self)),
-        }
-    }
-
-    fn visit_string<E>(self, v: String) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
-    where
-        E: serde::de::Error,
-    {
-        match Ulid::from_string(&v) {
-            Ok(v) => Ok(DbId(v)),
-            Err(_) => Err(serde::de::Error::invalid_value(
-                serde::de::Unexpected::Str(&format!("could not convert {v} to a ULID")),
-                &self,
-            )),
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-impl<'de> Deserialize<'de> for DbId {
-    fn deserialize<D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<Self, D::Error>
-    where
-        D: serde::Deserializer<'de>,
-    {
-        deserializer.deserialize_bytes(IdVisitor)
-    }
-}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index ce5fb1c..35a3d5b 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ pub use db::get_db_pool;
 
 // everything else is private to the crate
 mod db;
+mod db_id;
 mod generic_handlers;
-mod ids;
 mod login;
 mod signup;
 mod templates;
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ mod util;
 mod watches;
 
 // things we want in the crate namespace
-use ids::DbId;
+use db_id::DbId;
 use optional_optional_user::OptionalOptionalUser;
 use templates::*;
 use users::User;
diff --git a/src/login.rs b/src/login.rs
index 33e9567..aac8edf 100644
--- a/src/login.rs
+++ b/src/login.rs
@@ -206,8 +206,8 @@ mod test {
             }
             .to_string();
 
-            let idx = s.get("/").await;
-            let body = std::str::from_utf8(idx.bytes()).unwrap();
+            let main_page = s.get("/").await;
+            let body = std::str::from_utf8(main_page.bytes()).unwrap();
             assert_eq!(&logged_in, body);
         }
 
diff --git a/src/signup.rs b/src/signup.rs
index 40c879c..28005e8 100644
--- a/src/signup.rs
+++ b/src/signup.rs
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ use axum::{
     http::StatusCode,
     response::{IntoResponse, Response},
 };
+use serde::Deserialize;
 use sqlx::{query_as, SqlitePool};
-use ulid::Ulid;
 use unicode_segmentation::UnicodeSegmentation;
 
-use crate::{CreateUser, CreateUserSuccess, DbId, User};
+use crate::{util::empty_string_as_none, CreateUserSuccess, DbId, SignupPage, User};
 
 pub(crate) const CREATE_QUERY: &str =
     "insert into witches (id, username, displayname, email, pwhash) values ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5)";
@@ -51,13 +51,24 @@ pub enum CreateUserErrorKind {
     UnknownDBError,
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, Default, Deserialize, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct SignupForm {
+    pub username: String,
+    #[serde(default, deserialize_with = "empty_string_as_none")]
+    pub displayname: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(default, deserialize_with = "empty_string_as_none")]
+    pub email: Option<String>,
+    pub password: String,
+    pub pw_verify: String,
+}
+
 //-************************************************************************
 // User creation route handlers
 //-************************************************************************
 
 /// Get Handler: displays the form to create a user
-pub async fn get_create_user() -> CreateUser {
-    CreateUser::default()
+pub async fn get_create_user() -> SignupPage {
+    SignupPage::default()
 }
 
 /// Post Handler: validates form values and calls the actual, private user
@@ -65,7 +76,7 @@ pub async fn get_create_user() -> CreateUser {
 #[axum::debug_handler]
 pub async fn post_create_user(
     State(pool): State<SqlitePool>,
-    Form(signup): Form<CreateUser>,
+    Form(signup): Form<SignupForm>,
 ) -> Result<impl IntoResponse, CreateUserError> {
     use crate::util::validate_optional_length;
     let username = signup.username.trim();
@@ -114,10 +125,10 @@ pub async fn get_signup_success(
     State(pool): State<SqlitePool>,
 ) -> Response {
     let id = id.trim();
+    let id = DbId::from_str(id).unwrap_or_default();
     let user: User = {
-        let id: DbId = Ulid::from_string(id).unwrap_or_default().into();
         query_as(ID_QUERY)
-            .bind(id.bytes().as_slice())
+            .bind(id)
             .fetch_one(&pool)
             .await
             .unwrap_or_default()
@@ -125,7 +136,7 @@ pub async fn get_signup_success(
 
     let mut resp = CreateUserSuccess(user.clone()).into_response();
 
-    if user.username.is_empty() || id.is_empty() {
+    if user.username.is_empty() || id.is_nil() {
         // redirect to front page if we got here without a valid witch ID
         *resp.status_mut() = StatusCode::SEE_OTHER;
         resp.headers_mut().insert("Location", "/".parse().unwrap());
@@ -154,9 +165,8 @@ pub(crate) async fn create_user(
         .unwrap() // safe to unwrap, we know the salt is valid
         .to_string();
 
-    let bytes = &id.bytes();
     let query = sqlx::query(CREATE_QUERY)
-        .bind(bytes.as_slice())
+        .bind(id)
         .bind(username)
         .bind(displayname)
         .bind(email)
@@ -203,7 +213,7 @@ mod test {
 
     use crate::{
         db::get_db_pool,
-        templates::{CreateUser, CreateUserSuccess},
+        templates::{CreateUserSuccess, SignupPage},
         test_utils::{get_test_user, insert_user, massage, server_with_pool, FORM_CONTENT_TYPE},
         User,
     };
@@ -237,7 +247,7 @@ mod test {
 
         let resp = server.get("/signup").await;
         let body = std::str::from_utf8(resp.bytes()).unwrap();
-        let expected = CreateUser::default().to_string();
+        let expected = SignupPage::default().to_string();
         assert_eq!(&expected, body);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/templates.rs b/src/templates.rs
index 778d96d..a01d23f 100644
--- a/src/templates.rs
+++ b/src/templates.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use crate::{OptionalOptionalUser, User};
 
 #[derive(Debug, Default, Template, Deserialize, Serialize, PartialEq, Eq, OptionalOptionalUser)]
 #[template(path = "signup.html")]
-pub struct CreateUser {
+pub struct SignupPage {
     pub username: String,
     pub displayname: Option<String>,
     pub email: Option<String>,
diff --git a/src/test_utils.rs b/src/test_utils.rs
index e3657eb..079be4e 100644
--- a/src/test_utils.rs
+++ b/src/test_utils.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ pub fn get_test_user() -> User {
         username: "test_user".to_string(),
         // corresponding to a password of "a":
         pwhash: "$argon2id$v=19$m=19456,t=2,p=1$GWsCH1w5RYaP9WWmq+xw0g$hmOEqC+MU+vnEk3bOdkoE+z01mOmmOeX08XyPyjqua8".to_string(),
-        id: DbId::default(),
+        id: DbId::from_str("00041061050R3GG28A1C60T3GF").unwrap(),
         displayname: Some("Test User".to_string()),
             ..Default::default()
         }
diff --git a/src/users.rs b/src/users.rs
index cb97cc9..c04d810 100644
--- a/src/users.rs
+++ b/src/users.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use crate::{AuthContext, DbId};
 const USERNAME_QUERY: &str = "select * from witches where username = $1";
 const LAST_SEEN_QUERY: &str = "update witches set last_seen = (select unixepoch()) where id = $1";
 
-#[derive(Default, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, sqlx::FromRow, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Default, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize, sqlx::FromRow)]
 pub struct User {
     pub id: DbId,
     pub username: String,
diff --git a/src/util.rs b/src/util.rs
index 022c0f8..dd16117 100644
--- a/src/util.rs
+++ b/src/util.rs
@@ -19,3 +19,19 @@ pub fn validate_optional_length<E: Error>(
         Ok(None)
     }
 }
+
+/// Serde deserialization decorator to map empty Strings to None,
+pub fn empty_string_as_none<'de, D, T>(de: D) -> Result<Option<T>, D::Error>
+where
+    D: serde::Deserializer<'de>,
+    T: std::str::FromStr,
+    T::Err: std::fmt::Display,
+{
+    let opt = <Option<String> as serde::Deserialize>::deserialize(de)?;
+    match opt.as_deref() {
+        None | Some("") => Ok(None),
+        Some(s) => std::str::FromStr::from_str(s)
+            .map_err(serde::de::Error::custom)
+            .map(Some),
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/watches/handlers.rs b/src/watches/handlers.rs
index 38e7c37..43e9403 100644
--- a/src/watches/handlers.rs
+++ b/src/watches/handlers.rs
@@ -3,12 +3,11 @@ use axum::{
     http::StatusCode,
     response::{IntoResponse, Redirect, Response},
 };
-use serde::{de, Deserialize, Deserializer};
+use serde::Deserialize;
 use sqlx::{query, query_as, SqlitePool};
-use ulid::Ulid;
 
 use super::templates::{AddNewWatchPage, GetWatchPage, SearchWatchesPage};
-use crate::{ids::DbId, AuthContext, MyWatchesPage, ShowKind, Watch};
+use crate::{db_id::DbId, util::empty_string_as_none, AuthContext, MyWatchesPage, ShowKind, Watch};
 
 //-************************************************************************
 // Constants
@@ -178,7 +177,7 @@ pub async fn get_watch(
         "".to_string()
     };
     let id = id.trim();
-    let id: DbId = Ulid::from_string(id).unwrap_or_default().into();
+    let id = DbId::from_str(id).unwrap_or_default();
     let watch: Option<Watch> = query_as(GET_WATCH_QUERY)
         .bind(id)
         .fetch_one(&pool)
@@ -233,23 +232,3 @@ pub async fn get_search_watch(
         search,
     }
 }
-
-//-************************************************************************
-// helper fns
-//-************************************************************************
-
-/// Serde deserialization decorator to map empty Strings to None,
-fn empty_string_as_none<'de, D, T>(de: D) -> Result<Option<T>, D::Error>
-where
-    D: Deserializer<'de>,
-    T: std::str::FromStr,
-    T::Err: std::fmt::Display,
-{
-    let opt = Option::<String>::deserialize(de)?;
-    match opt.as_deref() {
-        None | Some("") => Ok(None),
-        Some(s) => std::str::FromStr::from_str(s)
-            .map_err(de::Error::custom)
-            .map(Some),
-    }
-}