diff --git a/server/src/main/java/au/org/aodn/ogcapi/server/processes/RestServices.java b/server/src/main/java/au/org/aodn/ogcapi/server/processes/RestServices.java
index 464b1225..97cd0e1e 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/au/org/aodn/ogcapi/server/processes/RestServices.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/au/org/aodn/ogcapi/server/processes/RestServices.java
@@ -81,8 +81,16 @@ public ResponseEntity<String> downloadData(
         parameters.put(DatasetDownloadEnums.Parameter.UUID.getValue(), id);
         parameters.put(DatasetDownloadEnums.Parameter.START_DATE.getValue(), startDate);
         parameters.put(DatasetDownloadEnums.Parameter.END_DATE.getValue(), endDate);
-        parameters.put(DatasetDownloadEnums.Parameter.MULTI_POLYGON.getValue(), objectMapper.writeValueAsString(polygons));
         parameters.put(DatasetDownloadEnums.Parameter.RECIPIENT.getValue(), recipient);
+        if (polygons == null || polygons.toString().isEmpty()) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Polygons parameter should now be null. If users didn't specify polygons, a 'non-specified' should be sent.");
+
+        // String (e.g. "non-specified") is working weird with function ObjectMapper.writeValueAsString(), so handle it separately
+        } else if (polygons.toString().equals("non-specified")) {
+            parameters.put(DatasetDownloadEnums.Parameter.MULTI_POLYGON.getValue(), polygons.toString());
+        } else {
+            parameters.put(DatasetDownloadEnums.Parameter.MULTI_POLYGON.getValue(), objectMapper.writeValueAsString(polygons));
+        }
 
         parameters.put(
                 DatasetDownloadEnums.Parameter.TYPE.getValue(),
diff --git a/server/src/test/java/au/org/aodn/ogcapi/server/processes/RestServicesTest.java b/server/src/test/java/au/org/aodn/ogcapi/server/processes/RestServicesTest.java
index 43275fa6..18530f1f 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/au/org/aodn/ogcapi/server/processes/RestServicesTest.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/au/org/aodn/ogcapi/server/processes/RestServicesTest.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.AfterEach;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeEach;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.mockito.ArgumentCaptor;
 import org.mockito.InjectMocks;
 import org.mockito.Mock;
 import org.mockito.MockitoAnnotations;
@@ -68,4 +69,27 @@ public void testDownloadDataJsonProcessingException() throws JsonProcessingExcep
             assertEquals("Error", e.getMessage());
         }
     }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testDownloadDataCapturesSubmitJobRequest() throws JsonProcessingException {
+        // Arrange
+        String jobId = "12345";
+        SubmitJobResponse submitJobResponse = SubmitJobResponse.builder().jobId(jobId).build();
+        when(batchClient.submitJob(any(SubmitJobRequest.class))).thenReturn(submitJobResponse);
+        when(objectMapper.writeValueAsString(any())).thenReturn("test-multipolygon");
+
+        // Act
+        ResponseEntity<String> response = restServices.downloadData(
+                "test-uuid", "2023-01-01", "2023-01-31", "non-specified", "test@example.com");
+
+        // Capture the submitted request
+        ArgumentCaptor<SubmitJobRequest> captor =
+                ArgumentCaptor.forClass(SubmitJobRequest.class);
+        verify(batchClient, times(1)).submitJob(captor.capture());
+        SubmitJobRequest captured = captor.getValue();
+
+        // Assert relevant parameters
+        assertEquals("non-specified", captured.parameters().get("multi_polygon"));
+        assertEquals(ResponseEntity.ok("Job submitted with ID: " + jobId), response);
+    }
 }