diff --git a/src/alerts/mod.rs b/src/alerts/mod.rs
index 6e9422af1..e38c1ad54 100644
--- a/src/alerts/mod.rs
+++ b/src/alerts/mod.rs
@@ -1214,6 +1214,10 @@ pub enum AlertError {
     FromStrError(#[from] FromStrError),
     #[error("Invalid Target ID- {0}")]
     InvalidTargetID(String),
+    #[error("Target title {0:?} already exists")]
+    DuplicateTargetName(String),
+    #[error("Alert title {0:?} already exists")]
+    DuplicateAlertTitle(String),
     #[error("Invalid target modification request: {0}")]
     InvalidTargetModification(String),
     #[error("Can't delete a Target which is being used")]
@@ -1237,6 +1241,7 @@ pub enum AlertError {
 }
 
 impl actix_web::ResponseError for AlertError {
+    // Keep every error-to-status mapping explicit. skipcq: RS-R1000
     fn status_code(&self) -> StatusCode {
         match self {
             Self::ObjectStorage(_) => StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
@@ -1252,6 +1257,8 @@ impl actix_web::ResponseError for AlertError {
             Self::InvalidAlertModifyRequest => StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
             Self::FromStrError(_) => StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
             Self::InvalidTargetID(_) => StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
+            Self::DuplicateTargetName(_) => StatusCode::CONFLICT,
+            Self::DuplicateAlertTitle(_) => StatusCode::CONFLICT,
             Self::InvalidTargetModification(_) => StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
             Self::TargetInUse => StatusCode::CONFLICT,
             Self::ParserError(_) => StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
diff --git a/src/alerts/target.rs b/src/alerts/target.rs
index 8a4851d4f..cb864a30f 100644
--- a/src/alerts/target.rs
+++ b/src/alerts/target.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ use http::header::AUTHORIZATION;
 use itertools::Itertools;
 use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 use serde_json::{Value, json};
-use tokio::sync::RwLock;
+use tokio::sync::{Mutex as AsyncMutex, RwLock};
 use tracing::{error, trace, warn};
 use ulid::Ulid;
 use url::Url;
@@ -47,11 +47,13 @@ use crate::{
 
 pub static TARGETS: Lazy<TargetConfigs> = Lazy::new(|| TargetConfigs {
     target_configs: RwLock::new(HashMap::new()),
+    mutation_lock: AsyncMutex::new(()),
 });
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct TargetConfigs {
     pub target_configs: RwLock<HashMap<String, HashMap<Ulid, Target>>>,
+    mutation_lock: AsyncMutex<()>,
 }
 
 impl TargetConfigs {
@@ -73,17 +75,32 @@ impl TargetConfigs {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub async fn update(&self, target: Target) -> Result<(), AlertError> {
+    pub async fn update(&self, target: Target, is_create: bool) -> Result<(), AlertError> {
+        let tenant_id = target.tenant.as_deref().unwrap_or(DEFAULT_TENANT);
+        let _mutation_guard = self.mutation_lock.lock().await;
+        if is_create && let Some(targets) = self.target_configs.read().await.get(tenant_id) {
+            if targets
+                .values()
+                .any(|existing| existing.name == target.name)
+            {
+                return Err(AlertError::DuplicateTargetName(target.name));
+            }
+            if targets.contains_key(&target.id) {
+                return Err(AlertError::InvalidTargetModification(
+                    "Target ID already exists".to_string(),
+                ));
+            }
+        }
         PARSEABLE
             .metastore
             .put_target(&target, &target.tenant)
             .await?;
-        let mut map = self.target_configs.write().await;
-        let tenant_id = target.tenant.as_deref().unwrap_or(DEFAULT_TENANT);
-        map.entry(tenant_id.to_owned())
+        self.target_configs
+            .write()
+            .await
+            .entry(tenant_id.to_owned())
             .or_default()
             .insert(target.id, target);
-        // map.insert(target.id, target.clone());
         Ok(())
     }
 
@@ -121,6 +138,7 @@ impl TargetConfigs {
         tenant_id: &Option<String>,
     ) -> Result<Target, AlertError> {
         let tenant = tenant_id.as_deref().unwrap_or(DEFAULT_TENANT);
+        let _mutation_guard = self.mutation_lock.lock().await;
         // ensure that the target is not being used by any alert
         let guard = ALERTS.read().await;
         let alerts = if let Some(alerts) = guard.as_ref() {
@@ -134,9 +152,10 @@ impl TargetConfigs {
                 return Err(AlertError::TargetInUse);
             }
         }
-        let target = if let Some(targets) = self.target_configs.write().await.get_mut(tenant) {
+        let target = if let Some(targets) = self.target_configs.read().await.get(tenant) {
             targets
-                .remove(target_id)
+                .get(target_id)
+                .cloned()
                 .ok_or(AlertError::InvalidTargetID(target_id.to_string()))?
         } else {
             return Err(AlertError::InvalidTargetID(target_id.to_string()));
@@ -145,6 +164,9 @@ impl TargetConfigs {
             .metastore
             .delete_target(&target, tenant_id)
             .await?;
+        if let Some(targets) = self.target_configs.write().await.get_mut(tenant) {
+            targets.remove(target_id);
+        }
         Ok(target)
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/handlers/http/alerts.rs b/src/handlers/http/alerts.rs
index 0e544ce6b..a952b6405 100644
--- a/src/handlers/http/alerts.rs
+++ b/src/handlers/http/alerts.rs
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ use actix_web::{
     web::{self, Json, Path},
 };
 use chrono::{DateTime, Utc};
+use tokio::sync::Mutex;
 use ulid::Ulid;
 
 // Reserved query parameter names that are not treated as other_fields filters
@@ -48,6 +49,9 @@ const RESERVED_PARAMS: [&str; 3] = ["tags", "offset", "limit"];
 const MAX_LIMIT: usize = 1000;
 const DEFAULT_LIMIT: usize = 100;
 
+// Serialize alert creation, updates, and deletion in this process.
+static ALERT_MUTATION_LOCK: Mutex<()> = Mutex::const_new(());
+
 /// Query parameters for listing alerts
 struct ListQueryParams {
     tags_list: Vec<String>,
@@ -317,17 +321,30 @@ pub async fn post_internal(
         }
     };
 
-    let guard = ALERTS.write().await;
-    let alerts = if let Some(alerts) = guard.as_ref() {
-        alerts
-    } else {
-        return Err(AlertError::CustomError("No AlertManager set".into()));
+    let _mutation_guard = ALERT_MUTATION_LOCK.lock().await;
+    let alerts = {
+        let guard = ALERTS.read().await;
+        guard
+            .as_ref()
+            .cloned()
+            .ok_or_else(|| AlertError::CustomError("No AlertManager set".into()))?
     };
 
     // validate the incoming alert query
     // does the user have access to these tables or not?
     alert.validate(session_key).await?;
 
+    if alerts
+        .get_all_alerts(tenant_id)
+        .await
+        .values()
+        .any(|existing| existing.get_title() == alert.get_title())
+    {
+        return Err(AlertError::DuplicateAlertTitle(
+            alert.get_title().to_owned(),
+        ));
+    }
+
     // update persistent storage first
     PARSEABLE
         .metastore
@@ -396,11 +413,13 @@ pub async fn delete_internal(
     alert_id: Ulid,
     tenant_id: &Option<String>,
 ) -> Result<String, AlertError> {
-    let guard = ALERTS.write().await;
-    let alerts = if let Some(alerts) = guard.as_ref() {
-        alerts
-    } else {
-        return Err(AlertError::CustomError("No AlertManager set".into()));
+    let _mutation_guard = ALERT_MUTATION_LOCK.lock().await;
+    let alerts = {
+        let guard = ALERTS.read().await;
+        guard
+            .as_ref()
+            .cloned()
+            .ok_or_else(|| AlertError::CustomError("No AlertManager set".into()))?
     };
 
     let alert = alerts.get_alert_by_id(alert_id, tenant_id).await?;
@@ -465,6 +484,7 @@ pub async fn update_notification_state(
         }
     };
 
+    let _mutation_guard = ALERT_MUTATION_LOCK.lock().await;
     let guard = ALERTS.write().await;
     let alerts = if let Some(alerts) = guard.as_ref() {
         alerts
@@ -506,6 +526,7 @@ pub async fn disable_alert_internal(
     alert_id: Ulid,
     tenant_id: &Option<String>,
 ) -> Result<AlertConfigResponse, AlertError> {
+    let _mutation_guard = ALERT_MUTATION_LOCK.lock().await;
     let guard = ALERTS.write().await;
     let alerts = if let Some(alerts) = guard.as_ref() {
         alerts
@@ -547,6 +568,7 @@ pub async fn enable_alert_internal(
     alert_id: Ulid,
     tenant_id: &Option<String>,
 ) -> Result<AlertConfigResponse, AlertError> {
+    let _mutation_guard = ALERT_MUTATION_LOCK.lock().await;
     let guard = ALERTS.write().await;
     let alerts = if let Some(alerts) = guard.as_ref() {
         alerts
@@ -603,14 +625,13 @@ pub async fn modify_alert_internal(
     alert_request: AlertRequest,
     tenant_id: &Option<String>,
 ) -> Result<AlertConfigResponse, AlertError> {
-    // Get alerts manager reference without holding the global lock
+    let _mutation_guard = ALERT_MUTATION_LOCK.lock().await;
     let alerts = {
         let guard = ALERTS.read().await;
-        if let Some(alerts) = guard.as_ref() {
-            alerts.clone()
-        } else {
-            return Err(AlertError::CustomError("No AlertManager set".into()));
-        }
+        guard
+            .as_ref()
+            .cloned()
+            .ok_or_else(|| AlertError::CustomError("No AlertManager set".into()))?
     };
 
     // Validate and prepare the new alert
@@ -659,6 +680,20 @@ pub async fn modify_alert_internal(
 
     new_alert.validate(session_key).await?;
 
+    if new_alert.get_title() != alert.get_title()
+        && alerts
+            .get_all_alerts(tenant_id)
+            .await
+            .values()
+            .any(|existing| {
+                existing.get_id() != &alert_id && existing.get_title() == new_alert.get_title()
+            })
+    {
+        return Err(AlertError::DuplicateAlertTitle(
+            new_alert.get_title().to_owned(),
+        ));
+    }
+
     // Perform I/O operations
     PARSEABLE
         .metastore
diff --git a/src/handlers/http/targets.rs b/src/handlers/http/targets.rs
index 286bc1ff8..7c4a02633 100644
--- a/src/handlers/http/targets.rs
+++ b/src/handlers/http/targets.rs
@@ -48,10 +48,13 @@ pub async fn post_internal(
     tenant_id: &Option<String>,
 ) -> Result<serde_json::Value, AlertError> {
     target.tenant.clone_from(tenant_id);
+    if target.name.trim().is_empty() {
+        return Err(AlertError::ValidationFailure(
+            "Target title is required".into(),
+        ));
+    }
     target.validate_outbound_policy().await?;
-    // should check for duplicacy and liveness (??)
-    // add to the map
-    TARGETS.update(target.clone()).await?;
+    TARGETS.update(target.clone(), true).await?;
 
     Ok(serde_json::to_value(target.mask())?)
 }
@@ -165,9 +168,7 @@ pub async fn update_internal(
     target.id = target_id;
     target.tenant.clone_from(tenant_id);
     target.validate_outbound_policy().await?;
-    // should check for duplicacy and liveness (??)
-    // add to the map
-    TARGETS.update(target.clone()).await?;
+    TARGETS.update(target.clone(), false).await?;
 
     Ok(serde_json::to_value(target.mask())?)
 }