diff --git a/pages/add/WhereInput.vue b/pages/add/WhereInput.vue
index 7b0e7c8f..66881481 100644
--- a/pages/add/WhereInput.vue
+++ b/pages/add/WhereInput.vue
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ export default {
       if (typeof p === 'object' && !p.create) {
         this.place.name = p.name.trim()
         this.place.address = p.address
+        this.place.id = p.id
         this.disableAddress = true
       } else { // this is a new place
         this.place.name = p.name || p
@@ -83,9 +84,11 @@ export default {
         const place = this.places.find(p => p.name.toLowerCase() === tmpPlace)
         if (place) {
           this.place.name = place.name
+          this.place.id = place.id
           this.place.address = place.address
           this.disableAddress = true
         } else {
+          delete this.place.id
           this.place.address = ''
           this.disableAddress = false
           this.$refs.place.blur()
diff --git a/pages/add/_edit.vue b/pages/add/_edit.vue
index e3cf64d5..13728cba 100644
--- a/pages/add/_edit.vue
+++ b/pages/add/_edit.vue
@@ -187,12 +187,15 @@ export default {
 
       if (this.event.media.length) {
         formData.append('image', this.event.media[0].image)
-        formData.append('image_url', this.event.media[0].url)
+        // formData.append('image_url', this.event.media[0].url)
         formData.append('image_name', this.event.media[0].name)
         formData.append('image_focalpoint', this.event.media[0].focalpoint)
       }
 
       formData.append('title', this.event.title)
+      if (this.event.place.id) {
+        formData.append('place_id', this.event.place.id)
+      }
       formData.append('place_name', this.event.place.name)
       formData.append('place_address', this.event.place.address)
       formData.append('description', this.event.description)
diff --git a/server/api/controller/event.js b/server/api/controller/event.js
index 4e0dd2f6..84219e9d 100644
--- a/server/api/controller/event.js
+++ b/server/api/controller/event.js
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ const eventController = {
   },
 
   async isAnonEventAllowed (_req, res, next) {
-    if (!res.locals.settings.allow_anon_event) {
+    if (!res.locals.settings.allow_anon_event && !res.locals.user) {
       return res.sendStatus(403)
     }
     next()
@@ -307,11 +307,28 @@ const eventController = {
       const body = req.body
       const recurrent = body.recurrent ? JSON.parse(body.recurrent) : null
 
-      const required_fields = [ 'title', 'place_name', 'start_datetime']
-      const missing_field = required_fields.find(required_field => !body[required_field])
+      const required_fields = [ 'title', 'start_datetime']
+      let missing_field = required_fields.find(required_field => !body[required_field])
       if (missing_field) {
-        log.warn(`${missing_field} is required`)
-        return res.status(400).send(`${missing_field} is required`)
+        log.warn(`${missing_field} required`)
+        return res.status(400).send(`${missing_field} required`)
+      }
+
+      // find or create the place
+      let place
+      if (body.place_id) {
+        place = await Place.findByPk(body.place_id)
+      } else {
+        place = await Place.findOne({ where: { name: body.place_name.trim() }})
+        if (!place) {
+          if (!body.place_address || !body.place_name) {
+            return res.status(400).send(`place_id or place_name and place_address required`)
+          }
+          place = await Place.create({
+            name: body.place_name,
+            address: body.place_address
+          })
+        }
       }
 
       const eventDetails = {
@@ -347,13 +364,6 @@ const eventController = {
 
       let event = await Event.create(eventDetails)
 
-      const [place] = await Place.findOrCreate({
-        where: { name: body.place_name },
-        defaults: {
-          address: body.place_address
-        }
-      })
-
       await event.setPlace(place)
 
       // create/assign tags
@@ -427,8 +437,9 @@ const eventController = {
         }
       }
 
-      if (req.file || body.image_url) {
-        if (body.image_url && /^https?:\/\//.test(body.image_url)) {
+      // modify associated media only if a new file is uploaded or remote image_url is used
+      if (req.file || (body.image_url && /^https?:\/\//.test(body.image_url))) {
+        if (body.image_url) {
           req.file = await helpers.getImageFromURL(body.image_url)
         }
 
@@ -441,10 +452,9 @@ const eventController = {
           name: body.image_name || body.title || '',
           focalpoint: [parseFloat(focalpoint[0].slice(0, 6)), parseFloat(focalpoint[1].slice(0, 6))]
         }]
-      } else {
+      } else if (!body.image) {
         eventDetails.media = []
       }
-
       await event.update(eventDetails)
       const [place] = await Place.findOrCreate({
         where: { name: body.place_name },