diff --git a/src/apps.js b/src/apps.js
index 9718e1b5b..c715925fc 100644
--- a/src/apps.js
+++ b/src/apps.js
@@ -1348,9 +1348,10 @@ function getLogs(appId, options, callback) {
     });
 }
 
+// does a re-configure when called from most states. for install/clone errors, it re-installs with an optional manifest
 function repair(appId, data, auditSource, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof appId, 'string');
-    assert.strictEqual(typeof data, 'object');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof data, 'object'); // { manifest }
     assert.strictEqual(typeof auditSource, 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
@@ -1359,35 +1360,33 @@ function repair(appId, data, auditSource, callback) {
     get(appId, function (error, app) {
         if (error) return callback(error);
 
-        const appError = app.error || {}; // repair can always be called
-        const newState = appError.installationState ? appError.installationState : exports.ISTATE_PENDING_CONFIGURE;
+        const errorState = (app.error && app.error.installationState) || exports.ISTATE_PENDING_CONFIGURE;
 
-        debug(`Repairing app with error: ${JSON.stringify(error)} and state: ${newState}`);
+        const task = {
+            args: {},
+            values: {},
+            requiredState: null
+        };
 
-        let values = _.pick(data, 'location', 'domain', 'alternateDomains');
+        if (errorState === exports.ISTATE_PENDING_INSTALL || errorState === exports.ISTATE_PENDING_CLONE) {
+            if (data.manifest) {
+                error = manifestFormat.parse(data.manifest);
+                if (error) return callback(new BoxError(BoxError.BAD_FIELD, `manifest error: ${error.message}`));
 
-        const locations = (values.location ? [ { subdomain: values.location, domain: values.domain } ] : []).concat(values.alternateDomains || []);
-        validateLocations(locations, function (error, domainObjectMap) {
+                error = checkManifestConstraints(data.manifest);
+                if (error) return callback(error);
+
+                task.values.manifest = data.manifest;
+                task.args.oldManifest = app.manifest;
+            }
+        }
+
+        addTask(appId, errorState, task, function (error, result) {
             if (error) return callback(error);
 
-            tasks.get(appError.taskId || '', function (error, task) {
-                let args = !error ? task.args[1] : {}; // pick args for the failed task. the first argument is the app id
+            eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_APP_REPAIR, auditSource, { taskId: result.taskId, app });
 
-                if ('backupId' in data) {
-                    args.restoreConfig = data.backupId ? { backupId: data.backupId, backupFormat: data.backupFormat, oldManifest: app.manifest } : null; // when null, apptask simply reinstalls
-                }
-                args.overwriteDns = 'overwriteDns' in data ? data.overwriteDns : false;
-
-                // create a new task instead of updating the old one, since it helps tracking
-                addTask(appId, newState, { args, values, requiredState: null }, function (error, result) {
-                    if (error && error.reason === BoxError.ALREADY_EXISTS) error = getDuplicateErrorDetails(error.message, locations, domainObjectMap, { /* portBindings */});
-                    if (error) return callback(error);
-
-                    eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_APP_REPAIR, auditSource, { taskId: result.taskId, app, newState });
-
-                    callback(null, { taskId: result.taskId });
-                });
-            });
+            callback(null, { taskId: result.taskId });
         });
     });
 }
diff --git a/src/routes/apps.js b/src/routes/apps.js
index 6e47da83a..674321e31 100644
--- a/src/routes/apps.js
+++ b/src/routes/apps.js
@@ -349,19 +349,10 @@ function repairApp(req, res, next) {
 
     const data = req.body;
 
-    if (data.backupId && typeof data.backupId !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'backupId must be string or null'));
-    if (data.backupFormat && typeof data.backupFormat !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'backupFormat must be string or null'));
-
-    if (data.location && typeof data.location !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'location is required'));
-    if (data.domain && typeof data.domain !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'domain is required'));
-
-    if ('alternateDomains' in data) {
-        if (!Array.isArray(data.alternateDomains)) return next(new HttpError(400, 'alternateDomains must be an array'));
-        if (data.alternateDomains.some(function (d) { return (typeof d.domain !== 'string' || typeof d.subdomain !== 'string'); })) return next(new HttpError(400, 'alternateDomains array must contain objects with domain and subdomain strings'));
+    if ('manifest' in data) {
+        if (!data.manifest || typeof data.manifest !== 'object') return next(new HttpError(400, 'backupId must be an object'));
     }
 
-    if ('overwriteDns' in req.body && typeof req.body.overwriteDns !== 'boolean') return next(new HttpError(400, 'overwriteDns must be boolean'));
-
     apps.repair(req.params.id, data, auditSource.fromRequest(req), function (error, result) {
         if (error) return next(BoxError.toHttpError(error));