diff --git a/resources/lib/UnityGroup.php b/resources/lib/UnityGroup.php
index bc057410..688d7106 100644
--- a/resources/lib/UnityGroup.php
+++ b/resources/lib/UnityGroup.php
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ public function requestGroup(bool $send_mail_to_admins, bool $send_mail = true):
             "name" => $this->getOwner()->getFullName(),
             "email" => $this->getOwner()->getMail(),
         ];
-        $this->SQL->addRequest($this->getOwner()->uid);
+        $this->SQL->addRequest($this->getOwner()->uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI);
         if ($send_mail) {
             $this->MAILER->sendMail($this->getOwner()->getMail(), "group_request");
             $this->WEBHOOK->sendWebhook("group_request_admin", $context);
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public function approveGroup(?UnityUser $operator = null, bool $send_mail = true
         }
         \ensure($this->getOwner()->exists());
         $this->init();
-        $this->SQL->removeRequest($this->getOwner()->uid);
+        $this->SQL->removeRequest($this->getOwner()->uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI);
         $operator = is_null($operator) ? $this->getOwner()->uid : $operator->uid;
         $this->SQL->addLog(
             $operator,
@@ -137,10 +137,10 @@ public function denyGroup(?UnityUser $operator = null, bool $send_mail = true):
 
     public function cancelGroupRequest(bool $send_mail = true): void
     {
-        if (!$this->SQL->requestExists($this->getOwner()->uid)) {
+        if (!$this->SQL->requestExists($this->getOwner()->uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI)) {
             return;
         }
-        $this->SQL->removeRequest($this->getOwner()->uid);
+        $this->SQL->removeRequest($this->getOwner()->uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI);
         if ($send_mail) {
             $this->MAILER->sendMail("admin", "group_request_cancelled", [
                 "uid" => $this->getOwner()->uid,
diff --git a/resources/lib/UnitySQL.php b/resources/lib/UnitySQL.php
index 5d4c7803..2d9d8e5b 100644
--- a/resources/lib/UnitySQL.php
+++ b/resources/lib/UnitySQL.php
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public function getConn(): PDO
     //
     // requests table methods
     //
-    public function addRequest(string $requestor, string $dest = self::REQUEST_BECOME_PI): void
+    public function addRequest(string $requestor, string $dest): void
     {
         if ($this->requestExists($requestor, $dest)) {
             return;
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public function addRequest(string $requestor, string $dest = self::REQUEST_BECOM
         $stmt->execute();
     }
 
-    public function removeRequest($requestor, string $dest = self::REQUEST_BECOME_PI): void
+    public function removeRequest($requestor, string $dest): void
     {
         if (!$this->requestExists($requestor, $dest)) {
             return;
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ public function removeRequest($requestor, string $dest = self::REQUEST_BECOME_PI
         $stmt->execute();
     }
 
-    public function removeRequests(string $dest = self::REQUEST_BECOME_PI): void
+    public function removeRequests(string $dest): void
     {
         $stmt = $this->conn->prepare(
             "DELETE FROM " . self::TABLE_REQS . " WHERE request_for=:request_for",
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ public function getRequest(string $user, string $dest): array
         return $result[0];
     }
 
-    public function requestExists(string $requestor, string $dest = self::REQUEST_BECOME_PI): bool
+    public function requestExists(string $requestor, string $dest): bool
     {
         try {
             $this->getRequest($requestor, $dest);
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ public function getAllRequests(): array
         return $stmt->fetchAll();
     }
 
-    public function getRequests(string $dest = self::REQUEST_BECOME_PI): array
+    public function getRequests(string $dest): array
     {
         $stmt = $this->conn->prepare(
             "SELECT * FROM " . self::TABLE_REQS . " WHERE request_for=:request_for",
diff --git a/test/functional/PiBecomeRequestTest.php b/test/functional/PiBecomeRequestTest.php
index 5714a6b9..0ac80e3f 100644
--- a/test/functional/PiBecomeRequestTest.php
+++ b/test/functional/PiBecomeRequestTest.php
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ private function assertNumberPiBecomeRequests(int $x)
     {
         global $USER, $SQL;
         if ($x == 0) {
-            $this->assertFalse($SQL->requestExists($USER->uid));
+            $this->assertFalse($SQL->requestExists($USER->uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI));
         } elseif ($x > 0) {
-            $this->assertTrue($SQL->requestExists($USER->uid));
+            $this->assertTrue($SQL->requestExists($USER->uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI));
         } else {
             throw new RuntimeException("x must not be negative");
         }
diff --git a/webroot/admin/pi-mgmt.php b/webroot/admin/pi-mgmt.php
index 3fdd28fc..7b161a4b 100644
--- a/webroot/admin/pi-mgmt.php
+++ b/webroot/admin/pi-mgmt.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 use UnityWebPortal\lib\UnityUser;
 use UnityWebPortal\lib\UnityGroup;
 use UnityWebPortal\lib\UnityHTTPD;
+use UnityWebPortal\lib\UnitySQL;
 
 if (!$USER->isAdmin()) {
     UnityHTTPD::forbidden("not an admin");
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@
     </tr>
 
     <?php
-    $requests = $SQL->getRequests();
+    $requests = $SQL->getRequests(UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI);
 
     foreach ($requests as $request) {
         $uid = $request["uid"];
diff --git a/webroot/panel/account.php b/webroot/panel/account.php
index 7167a122..eaff0d55 100644
--- a/webroot/panel/account.php
+++ b/webroot/panel/account.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 use UnityWebPortal\lib\UnityHTTPD;
 use UnityWebPortal\lib\exceptions\EncodingUnknownException;
 use UnityWebPortal\lib\exceptions\EncodingConversionException;
+use UnityWebPortal\lib\UnitySQL;
 
 $hasGroups = count($USER->getPIGroupGIDs()) > 0;
 
@@ -70,13 +71,13 @@
             if ($USER->isPI()) {
                 UnityHTTPD::badRequest("already a PI");
             }
-            if ($SQL->requestExists($USER->uid)) {
+            if ($SQL->requestExists($USER->uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI)) {
                 UnityHTTPD::badRequest("already requested to be PI");
             }
             if (!isset($_POST["tos"]) || $_POST["tos"] != "agree") {
                 UnityHTTPD::badRequest("user did not agree to terms of service");
             }
-            $USER->getPIGroup()->requestGroup($SEND_PIMESG_TO_ADMINS);
+            $USER->getPIGroup()->requestGroup($SEND_PIMESG_TO_ADMINS, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI);
             break;
         case "cancel_pi_request":
             $USER->getPIGroup()->cancelGroupRequest();
@@ -165,7 +166,7 @@
             </label>
         ";
     } else {
-        if ($SQL->requestExists($USER->uid)) {
+        if ($SQL->requestExists($USER->uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI)) {
             $onclick = "return confirm(\"Are you sure you want to cancel this request?\")";
             echo "<input type='submit' value='Cancel PI Account Request' onclick='$onclick'/>";
             echo "