diff --git a/src/app/(frontend)/intelligence/missions/actions.ts b/src/app/(frontend)/intelligence/missions/actions.ts
index 4706cee..c9dc32f 100644
--- a/src/app/(frontend)/intelligence/missions/actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/(frontend)/intelligence/missions/actions.ts
@@ -234,6 +234,13 @@ export async function uploadSideOpModlist(
     return { success: true, data: { modlistId: created.id, modlistName: created.modlistName } };
   } catch (error) {
     const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : "Unknown error";
+    if (/invalid: file/i.test(message)) {
+      return {
+        success: false,
+        error:
+          "That file type is not accepted. Please upload the .html file exported from the Arma 3 launcher, or a .txt mod list.",
+      };
+    }
     return message === "Unauthorized"
       ? { success: false, error: "You must be logged in." }
       : { success: false, error: message };
diff --git a/src/collections/server/ModLists.ts b/src/collections/server/ModLists.ts
index 5697bc5..0f2d835 100644
--- a/src/collections/server/ModLists.ts
+++ b/src/collections/server/ModLists.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,6 @@ export const ModLists: CollectionConfig = {
     },
   ],
   upload: {
-    mimeTypes: ["text/html"],
+    mimeTypes: ["text/html", "text/plain"],
   },
 };
diff --git a/src/components/frontend/intelligence/CreateSideOpDialog.tsx b/src/components/frontend/intelligence/CreateSideOpDialog.tsx
index d93eda1..ecdd691 100644
--- a/src/components/frontend/intelligence/CreateSideOpDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/components/frontend/intelligence/CreateSideOpDialog.tsx
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ export function CreateSideOpDialog({
   useEffect(() => {
     if (open) {
       setError(null);
-      setNarrativeOpen(initial !== undefined);
+      setNarrativeOpen(false);
       if (initial) {
         setName(initial.name);
         setCodeName(initial.codeName);
@@ -174,6 +174,9 @@ export function CreateSideOpDialog({
   }, [open, initial]);
 
   function narrativeInput() {
+    if (!narrativeOpen) {
+      return {};
+    }
     return {
       briefing: narrative.briefing
         .filter((e) => e.sectionName.trim() !== "" || e.details.trim() !== "")
@@ -469,7 +472,7 @@ export function CreateSideOpDialog({
             </Select>
             <Input
               type="file"
-              accept=".html,.htm,text/html"
+              accept=".html,.htm,.txt,text/html,text/plain"
               disabled={modlistUploading}
               onChange={(e) => {
                 const file = e.target.files?.[0];
@@ -478,14 +481,15 @@ export function CreateSideOpDialog({
               }}
             />
             <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-              Upload the HTML mod list exported from the Arma 3 launcher, or pick an existing one.
+              Upload the mod list file exported from the Arma 3 launcher (.html) or a .txt mod
+              list, or pick an existing one.
             </p>
           </div>
 
           <Collapsible open={narrativeOpen} onOpenChange={setNarrativeOpen}>
             <CollapsibleTrigger asChild>
               <Button type="button" variant="outline" className="w-full justify-between">
-                Narrative &amp; logistics (briefing, objectives, infil/exfil)
+                Narrative &amp; logistics (optional)
                 <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
                   {narrativeOpen ? "Hide" : "Show"}
                 </span>