diff --git a/src/services/item/controller.ts b/src/services/item/controller.ts
index 23e85ef7fa..4056cb74ca 100644
--- a/src/services/item/controller.ts
+++ b/src/services/item/controller.ts
@@ -198,23 +198,27 @@ const plugin: FastifyPluginAsync = async (fastify) => {
           repositories,
           resultOfToList(items),
         );
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('update', ids, items),
-          );
-        }
-      }).catch((e: Error) => {
-        log.error(e);
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('update', ids, { error: e }),
-          );
-        }
-      });
+        return items;
+      })
+        .then((items) => {
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('update', ids, items),
+            );
+          }
+        })
+        .catch((e: Error) => {
+          log.error(e);
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('update', ids, { error: e }),
+            );
+          }
+        });
       reply.status(StatusCodes.ACCEPTED);
       return ids;
     },
@@ -236,26 +240,30 @@ const plugin: FastifyPluginAsync = async (fastify) => {
         const repositories = buildRepositories(manager);
         const items = await itemService.deleteMany(member, repositories, ids);
         await actionItemService.postManyDeleteAction(request, reply, repositories, items);
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('delete', ids, {
-              data: Object.fromEntries(items.map((i) => [i.id, i])),
-              errors: [],
-            }),
-          );
-        }
-      }).catch((e) => {
-        log.error(e);
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('delete', ids, { error: e }),
-          );
-        }
-      });
+        return items;
+      })
+        .then((items) => {
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('delete', ids, {
+                data: Object.fromEntries(items.map((i) => [i.id, i])),
+                errors: [],
+              }),
+            );
+          }
+        })
+        .catch((e) => {
+          log.error(e);
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('delete', ids, { error: e }),
+            );
+          }
+        });
       reply.status(StatusCodes.ACCEPTED);
       return ids;
     },
@@ -275,26 +283,30 @@ const plugin: FastifyPluginAsync = async (fastify) => {
         const repositories = buildRepositories(manager);
         const items = await itemService.moveMany(member, repositories, ids, parentId);
         await actionItemService.postManyMoveAction(request, reply, repositories, items);
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('move', ids, {
-              data: Object.fromEntries(items.map((i) => [i.id, i])),
-              errors: [],
-            }),
-          );
-        }
-      }).catch((e) => {
-        log.error(e);
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('move', ids, { error: e }),
-          );
-        }
-      });
+        return items;
+      })
+        .then((items) => {
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('move', ids, {
+                data: Object.fromEntries(items.map((i) => [i.id, i])),
+                errors: [],
+              }),
+            );
+          }
+        })
+        .catch((e) => {
+          log.error(e);
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('move', ids, { error: e }),
+            );
+          }
+        });
       reply.status(StatusCodes.ACCEPTED);
       return ids;
     },
@@ -319,26 +331,30 @@ const plugin: FastifyPluginAsync = async (fastify) => {
           parentId,
         });
         await actionItemService.postManyCopyAction(request, reply, repositories, items);
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('copy', ids, {
-              data: Object.fromEntries(items.map((i) => [i.id, i])),
-              errors: [],
-            }),
-          );
-        }
-      }).catch((e) => {
-        log.error(e);
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('copy', ids, { error: e }),
-          );
-        }
-      });
+        return items;
+      })
+        .then((items) => {
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('copy', ids, {
+                data: Object.fromEntries(items.map((i) => [i.id, i])),
+                errors: [],
+              }),
+            );
+          }
+        })
+        .catch((e) => {
+          log.error(e);
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('copy', ids, { error: e }),
+            );
+          }
+        });
       reply.status(StatusCodes.ACCEPTED);
       return ids;
     },
diff --git a/src/services/item/plugins/action/index.ts b/src/services/item/plugins/action/index.ts
index 7c11ce3c68..f4e1283c3f 100644
--- a/src/services/item/plugins/action/index.ts
+++ b/src/services/item/plugins/action/index.ts
@@ -161,24 +161,27 @@ const plugin: FastifyPluginAsync<GraaspActionsOptions> = async (fastify) => {
       } = request;
       db.transaction(async (manager) => {
         const repositories = buildRepositories(manager);
-        const item = await requestExportService.request(member, repositories, itemId);
-        if (member && item) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('export', [itemId], { data: { [item.id]: item }, errors: [] }),
-          );
-        }
-      }).catch((e: Error) => {
-        log.error(e);
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('export', [itemId], { error: e }),
-          );
-        }
-      });
+        return await requestExportService.request(member, repositories, itemId);
+      })
+        .then((item) => {
+          if (member && item) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('export', [itemId], { data: { [item.id]: item }, errors: [] }),
+            );
+          }
+        })
+        .catch((e: Error) => {
+          log.error(e);
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('export', [itemId], { error: e }),
+            );
+          }
+        });
 
       // reply no content and let the server create the archive and send the mail
       reply.status(StatusCodes.NO_CONTENT);
diff --git a/src/services/item/plugins/recycled/index.ts b/src/services/item/plugins/recycled/index.ts
index 7a1aca6a33..f3ea9a8095 100644
--- a/src/services/item/plugins/recycled/index.ts
+++ b/src/services/item/plugins/recycled/index.ts
@@ -73,25 +73,27 @@ const plugin: FastifyPluginAsync<RecycledItemDataOptions> = async (fastify, opti
         log,
       } = request;
       db.transaction(async (manager) => {
-        const items = await recycleBinService.recycleMany(member, buildRepositories(manager), ids);
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('recycle', ids, items),
-          );
-        }
-        return items;
-      }).catch((e: Error) => {
-        log.error(e);
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('recycle', ids, { error: e }),
-          );
-        }
-      });
+        return await recycleBinService.recycleMany(member, buildRepositories(manager), ids);
+      })
+        .then((items) => {
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('recycle', ids, items),
+            );
+          }
+        })
+        .catch((e: Error) => {
+          log.error(e);
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('recycle', ids, { error: e }),
+            );
+          }
+        });
 
       reply.status(StatusCodes.ACCEPTED);
       return ids;
@@ -124,24 +126,27 @@ const plugin: FastifyPluginAsync<RecycledItemDataOptions> = async (fastify, opti
       log.info(`Restoring items ${ids}`);
 
       db.transaction(async (manager) => {
-        const items = await recycleBinService.restoreMany(member, buildRepositories(manager), ids);
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('restore', ids, items),
-          );
-        }
-      }).catch((e: Error) => {
-        log.error(e);
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('restore', ids, { error: e }),
-          );
-        }
-      });
+        return await recycleBinService.restoreMany(member, buildRepositories(manager), ids);
+      })
+        .then((items) => {
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('restore', ids, items),
+            );
+          }
+        })
+        .catch((e: Error) => {
+          log.error(e);
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('restore', ids, { error: e }),
+            );
+          }
+        });
       reply.status(StatusCodes.ACCEPTED);
       return ids;
     },
diff --git a/src/services/item/plugins/validation/index.ts b/src/services/item/plugins/validation/index.ts
index d117a72bf2..ab1bb91ee4 100644
--- a/src/services/item/plugins/validation/index.ts
+++ b/src/services/item/plugins/validation/index.ts
@@ -82,26 +82,28 @@ const plugin: FastifyPluginAsync<GraaspPluginValidationOptions> = async (fastify
           throw new UnauthorizedMember();
         }
         const repositories = buildRepositories(manager);
-        const item = await validationService.post(member, repositories, itemId);
-
-        // the process could take long time, so let the process run in the background and return the itemId instead
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('validate', [itemId], { data: { [item.id]: item }, errors: [] }),
-          );
-        }
-      }).catch((e: Error) => {
-        log.error(e);
-        if (member) {
-          websockets.publish(
-            memberItemsTopic,
-            member.id,
-            ItemOpFeedbackEvent('validate', [itemId], { error: e }),
-          );
-        }
-      });
+        return await validationService.post(member, repositories, itemId);
+      })
+        .then((item) => {
+          // the process could take long time, so let the process run in the background and return the itemId instead
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('validate', [itemId], { data: { [item.id]: item }, errors: [] }),
+            );
+          }
+        })
+        .catch((e: Error) => {
+          log.error(e);
+          if (member) {
+            websockets.publish(
+              memberItemsTopic,
+              member.id,
+              ItemOpFeedbackEvent('validate', [itemId], { error: e }),
+            );
+          }
+        });
       reply.status(StatusCodes.ACCEPTED);
       return itemId;
     },