diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 467b245ea..5937319f1 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ GEM
     responders (3.1.1)
       actionpack (>= 5.2)
       railties (>= 5.2)
-    rexml (3.3.3)
+    rexml (3.3.6)
       strscan
     rouge (4.2.0)
     rspec-core (3.12.2)
diff --git a/app/controllers/assessment/handin.rb b/app/controllers/assessment/handin.rb
index 2874ee253..d78886969 100755
--- a/app/controllers/assessment/handin.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/assessment/handin.rb
@@ -277,59 +277,6 @@ def log_submit
     ASSESSMENT_LOGGER.setAssessment(@assessment)
     ASSESSMENT_LOGGER.log("#{@user.email},0,#{@result}")
 
-    # Load up the lab.rb file
-    mod_name = @assessment.name + (@course.name).gsub(/[^A-Za-z0-9]/, "")
-    require(Rails.root.join("assessmentConfig", "#{@course.name}-#{@assessment.name}.rb"))
-    eval("extend #{mod_name.camelcase}")
-
-    begin
-      # Call the parseAutoresult function defined in the lab.rb file.  If
-      # the list of scores it returns is empty, then we the lab developer is
-      # asking us not to create an unofficial submission in the
-      # database. Simply return a successful status string to the client and
-      # exit.
-      scores = parseAutoresult(@result, false)
-
-      render(plain: "OK", status: 200) && return if scores.keys.length == 0
-
-      # Try to find an existing submission (always version 0).
-      submission = @assessment.submissions.find_by(version: 0, course_user_datum_id: @cud.id)
-      if !submission
-        submission = @assessment.submissions.new(
-          version: 0,
-          autoresult: @result,
-          user_id: @cud.id,
-          submitted_by_id: 0,
-        )
-        submission.save!
-      else
-        # update this one
-        submission.autoresult = @result
-        submission.created_at = Time.now
-        submission.save!
-      end
-
-      # Update the scores in the db's unofficial submission using the list
-      # returned by the parseAutoresult function
-      scores.keys.each do |key|
-        problem = @assessment.problems.find_by(name: key)
-        score = submission.scores.find_or_initialize_by(problem_id: problem.id)
-        score.score = scores[key]
-        score.released = true
-        score.grader_id = 0
-        score.save!
-      end
-    rescue StandardError => e
-      ExceptionNotifier.notify_exception(e, env: request.env,
-                                            data: {
-                                              user: current_user,
-                                              course: @course,
-                                              assessment: @assessment,
-                                              submission: submission,
-                                            })
-      COURSE_LOGGER.log(e.to_s)
-    end
-
     render(plain: "OK", status: 200) && return
   end
 
diff --git a/app/models/assessment.rb b/app/models/assessment.rb
index 13de87225..32dc35e3f 100755
--- a/app/models/assessment.rb
+++ b/app/models/assessment.rb
@@ -300,6 +300,36 @@ def dump_yaml
     File.open(asmt_yaml_path, "w") { |f| f.write(YAML.dump(sort_hash(serialize))) }
   end
 
+  # If the name field in a yaml for an assessment differs from the folder name
+  # then the name field for the assessment gets overridden, which then causes
+  # the yaml file to no longer be found, and then for cleanup to fail because
+  # the folder can no longer also be found. For example a folder with
+  # homework01 and a homework01.yml file but with a name field of homework02
+  # would cause assessment.name = homework02 so then it would try to find
+  # homework02/homework02.yml. Instead we rename the name field to match the folder
+  # name.
+  # Similarly for a bunch of other fields in the yaml, if they are not provided,
+  # then we may run into issues loading the assessment
+  def validate_yaml(yaml_map)
+    unless yaml_map["general"]
+      raise "General section missing in yaml"
+    end
+
+    if yaml_map["general"]["name"] != name
+      yaml_map["general"]["name"] = name
+    end
+    # ensure display name is present, otherwise fill in with name
+    if yaml_map["general"]["display_name"].blank?
+      yaml_map["general"]["display_name"] = name
+    end
+    if yaml_map["general"]["handin_directory"].blank?
+      yaml_map["general"]["handin_directory"] = "handin"
+    end
+    return if yaml_map["general"]["handin_filename"].present?
+
+    yaml_map["general"]["handin_filename"] = "handin.c"
+  end
+
   ##
   # reads from the properties of the YAML file and saves them to the assessment.
   # Will only run if the assessment has not been saved.
@@ -308,6 +338,7 @@ def load_yaml
     return unless new_record?
 
     props = YAML.safe_load(File.open(asmt_yaml_path, "r", &:read))
+    validate_yaml(props)
     backwards_compatibility(props)
     deserialize(props)
   end
@@ -576,8 +607,11 @@ def deserialize(s)
       raise "General section missing in yaml"
     end
 
-    if s["dates"] && s["dates"]["start_at"]
-      if s["dates"]["due_at"] && s["dates"]["end_at"]
+    # ensure that if date fields are provided, they are
+    # valid, fill in dates based on whatever fields are provided
+    # or fill in automatically if no dates provided
+    if s["dates"] && s["dates"]["start_at"].present?
+      if s["dates"]["due_at"].present? && s["dates"]["end_at"].present?
         self.due_at = Time.zone.parse(s["dates"]["due_at"])
         self.start_at = Time.zone.parse(s["dates"]["start_at"])
         self.end_at = Time.zone.parse(s["dates"]["end_at"])
@@ -590,6 +624,7 @@ def deserialize(s)
 
     self.quiz = false
     self.quizData = ""
+
     update!(s["general"])
     Problem.deserialize_list(self, s["problems"]) if s["problems"]