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/main/views/dashboard.py b/app/main/views/dashboard.py
index 54407681f..d91cbbef9 100644
--- a/app/main/views/dashboard.py
+++ b/app/main/views/dashboard.py
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ def service_dashboard(service_id):
 
 
 @main.route("/services/<service_id>/dashboard.json")
-@login_required
 @user_has_permissions('view_activity', admin_override=True)
 def service_dashboard_updates(service_id):
     return jsonify(**get_dashboard_partials(service_id))
diff --git a/app/main/views/jobs.py b/app/main/views/jobs.py
index a7fd87154..eed140221 100644
--- a/app/main/views/jobs.py
+++ b/app/main/views/jobs.py
@@ -172,7 +172,6 @@ def cancel_job(service_id, job_id):
 
 
 @main.route("/services/<service_id>/jobs/<job_id>.json")
-@login_required
 @user_has_permissions('view_activity', admin_override=True)
 def view_job_updates(service_id, job_id):
     return jsonify(**get_job_partials(
diff --git a/app/utils.py b/app/utils.py
index 66d787ce0..72232cc6b 100644
--- a/app/utils.py
+++ b/app/utils.py
@@ -42,11 +42,17 @@ 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
 
diff --git a/tests/app/main/test_permissions.py b/tests/app/main/test_permissions.py
index f168a3a39..62c873dff 100644
--- a/tests/app/main/test_permissions.py
+++ b/tests/app/main/test_permissions.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import pytest
 from app.utils import user_has_permissions
 from app.main.views.index import index
-from werkzeug.exceptions import Forbidden
+from werkzeug.exceptions import Forbidden, Unauthorized
 from flask import request
 
 
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ def _test_permissions(app_, usr, permissions, service_id, will_succeed, any_=Fal
     with app_.test_request_context() as ctx:
         request.view_args.update({'service_id': service_id})
         with app_.test_client() as client:
-            client.login(usr)
+            if usr:
+                client.login(usr)
             decorator = user_has_permissions(*permissions, any_=any_, admin_override=admin_override)
             decorated_index = decorator(index)
             if will_succeed:
@@ -17,8 +18,8 @@ def _test_permissions(app_, usr, permissions, service_id, will_succeed, any_=Fal
             else:
                 try:
                     response = decorated_index()
-                    pytest.fail("Failed to throw a forbidden exception")
-                except Forbidden:
+                    pytest.fail("Failed to throw a forbidden or unauthorised exception")
+                except (Forbidden, Unauthorized):
                     pass
 
 
@@ -107,6 +108,17 @@ def test_platform_admin_user_can_not_access_page(app_,
         admin_override=False)
 
 
+def test_no_user_returns_401_unauth(app_):
+    from flask_login import current_user
+    assert not current_user
+    _test_permissions(
+        app_,
+        None,
+        [],
+        '',
+        will_succeed=False)
+
+
 def _user_with_permissions():
     from app.notify_client.user_api_client import User