diff --git a/agents-api/agents_api/models/agent/create_agent.py b/agents-api/agents_api/models/agent/create_agent.py
index d065cee77..860c9f268 100644
--- a/agents-api/agents_api/models/agent/create_agent.py
+++ b/agents-api/agents_api/models/agent/create_agent.py
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ def create_agent_query(
     pd.DataFrame: A DataFrame containing the results of the query execution.
     """
 
+    preset = default_settings["preset"]
+    default_settings["preset"] = getattr(preset, "value", preset)
+
     settings_cols, settings_vals = cozo_process_mutate_data(
         {
             **default_settings,
diff --git a/agents-api/agents_api/routers/agents/routers.py b/agents-api/agents_api/routers/agents/routers.py
index f8071d026..3ae11df97 100644
--- a/agents-api/agents_api/routers/agents/routers.py
+++ b/agents-api/agents_api/routers/agents/routers.py
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ async def create_agent(
         developer_id=x_developer_id,
         name=request.name,
         about=request.about,
-        instructions=request.instructions,
+        instructions=request.instructions or [],
         model=request.model,
         default_settings=(
             request.default_settings or AgentDefaultSettings()