diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/updateContent.js b/app/assets/javascripts/updateContent.js
index 41dd41ff5..89c87c550 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/updateContent.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/updateContent.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
     ).done(
       response => flushQueue(queue, response)
     ).fail(
-      () => clearQueue(queue)
+      () => poll = function(){}
     );
 
     setTimeout(
diff --git a/app/utils.py b/app/utils.py
index 66d787ce0..240245e5e 100644
--- a/app/utils.py
+++ b/app/utils.py
@@ -42,11 +42,18 @@ def user_has_permissions(*permissions, admin_override=False, any_=False):
         @wraps(func)
         def wrap_func(*args, **kwargs):
             from flask_login import current_user
-            if current_user and current_user.has_permissions(permissions=permissions,
-                                                             admin_override=admin_override, any_=any_):
-                return func(*args, **kwargs)
+
+            if current_user and current_user.is_authenticated:
+                if current_user.has_permissions(
+                    permissions=permissions,
+                    admin_override=admin_override,
+                    any_=any_
+                ):
+                    return func(*args, **kwargs)
+                else:
+                    abort(403)
             else:
-                abort(403)
+                abort(401)
         return wrap_func
     return wrap