diff --git a/app/models/upload.rb b/app/models/upload.rb
index b037e60de..c22128b14 100644
--- a/app/models/upload.rb
+++ b/app/models/upload.rb
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class Upload < ActiveRecord::Base
   module ValidationMethods
     def uploader_is_not_limited
       if !uploader.can_upload?
-        update_column(:status, "error: uploader has reached their daily limit")
+        update_attribute(:status, "error: uploader has reached their daily limit")
       end
     end
 
@@ -29,19 +29,19 @@ class Upload < ActiveRecord::Base
     
     def validate_file_exists
       unless File.exists?(file_path)
-        update_column(:status, "error: file does not exist")
+        update_attribute(:status, "error: file does not exist")
       end
     end
     
     def validate_file_content_type
       unless is_valid_content_type?
-        update_column(:status, "error: invalid content type (#{file_ext} not allowed)")
+        update_attribute(:status, "error: invalid content type (#{file_ext} not allowed)")
       end
     end
     
     def validate_md5_confirmation
       if !md5_confirmation.blank? && md5_confirmation != md5
-        update_column(:status, "error: md5 mismatch")
+        update_attribute(:status, "error: md5 mismatch")
       end
     end
   end
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class Upload < ActiveRecord::Base
   module ConversionMethods
     def process!
       CurrentUser.scoped(uploader, uploader_ip_addr) do
-        update_column(:status, "processing")
+        update_attribute(:status, "processing")
         if is_downloadable?
           download_from_source(temp_file_path)
         end
@@ -67,12 +67,12 @@ class Upload < ActiveRecord::Base
         if post.save
           update_attributes(:status => "completed", :post_id => post.id)
         else
-          update_column(:status, "error: " + post.errors.full_messages.join(", "))
+          update_attribute(:status, "error: " + post.errors.full_messages.join(", "))
         end
       end
     rescue Exception => x
       raise
-      update_column(:status, "error: #{x} - #{x.message}")
+      update_attribute(:status, "error: #{x} - #{x.message}")
     ensure
       delete_temp_file
     end
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ class Upload < ActiveRecord::Base
     def merge_tags(post)
       post.tag_string += " #{tag_string}"
       post.save
-      update_column(:status, "duplicate: #{post.id}")
+      update_attribute(:status, "duplicate: #{post.id}")
     end
   end
   
diff --git a/test/functional/uploads_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/uploads_controller_test.rb
index b763c8a2f..dba826462 100644
--- a/test/functional/uploads_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/uploads_controller_test.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ require 'test_helper'
 class UploadsControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
   context "The uploads controller" do
     setup do
-      @user = Factory.create(:user)
+      @user = Factory.create(:contributor_user)
       CurrentUser.user = @user
       CurrentUser.ip_addr = "127.0.0.1"
     end
diff --git a/tmp/test.jpg b/tmp/test.jpg
deleted file mode 100644
index 253c508d9..000000000
Binary files a/tmp/test.jpg and /dev/null differ