diff --git a/server/app/auth.go b/server/app/auth.go
index 18f644d12..45779bda0 100644
--- a/server/app/auth.go
+++ b/server/app/auth.go
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func (a *App) RegisterUser(username string, email string, password string) error
 		var err error
 		user, err = a.store.GetUserByUsername(username)
 		if err == nil && user != nil {
-			return errors.Wrap(err, "The username already exists")
+			return errors.New("The username already exists")
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ func (a *App) RegisterUser(username string, email string, password string) error
 		var err error
 		user, err = a.store.GetUserByEmail(email)
 		if err == nil && user != nil {
-			return errors.Wrap(err, "The email already exists")
+			return errors.New("The email already exists")
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/webapp/src/app.tsx b/webapp/src/app.tsx
index 3106ec9e3..4a26092eb 100644
--- a/webapp/src/app.tsx
+++ b/webapp/src/app.tsx
@@ -65,11 +65,11 @@ export default class App extends React.PureComponent<unknown, State> {
                                     <Route path='/register'>
                                         <RegisterPage/>
                                     </Route>
-                                    <Route path='/'>
+                                    <Route path='/board'>
                                         {this.state.initialLoad && !this.state.user && <Redirect to='login'/>}
                                         <BoardPage setLanguage={this.setAndStoreLanguage}/>
                                     </Route>
-                                    <Route path='/board'>
+                                    <Route path='/'>
                                         {this.state.initialLoad && !this.state.user && <Redirect to='login'/>}
                                         <BoardPage setLanguage={this.setAndStoreLanguage}/>
                                     </Route>
diff --git a/webapp/src/octoClient.ts b/webapp/src/octoClient.ts
index 1a9895827..3e4a79227 100644
--- a/webapp/src/octoClient.ts
+++ b/webapp/src/octoClient.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,15 @@ class OctoClient {
         Utils.log(`OctoClient serverUrl: ${this.serverUrl}`)
     }
 
+    private async getJson(response: Response, defaultValue: any = {}): Promise<any> {
+        // The server may return null or malformed json
+        try {
+            return await response.json()
+        } catch {
+            return defaultValue
+        }
+    }
+
     async login(username: string, password: string): Promise<boolean> {
         const path = '/api/v1/login'
         const body = JSON.stringify({username, password, type: 'normal'})
@@ -36,7 +45,7 @@ class OctoClient {
             return false
         }
 
-        const responseJson = (await response.json() || {}) as {token?: string}
+        const responseJson = (await this.getJson(response)) as {token?: string}
         this.token = responseJson.token
         if (responseJson.token !== '') {
             localStorage.setItem('sessionId', this.token || '')
@@ -45,7 +54,7 @@ class OctoClient {
         return false
     }
 
-    async register(email: string, username: string, password: string, token?: string): Promise<200 | 401 | 500> {
+    async register(email: string, username: string, password: string, token?: string): Promise<{code: number, json: any}> {
         const path = '/api/v1/register'
         const body = JSON.stringify({email, username, password, token})
         const response = await fetch(this.serverUrl + path, {
@@ -53,10 +62,8 @@ class OctoClient {
             headers: this.headers(),
             body,
         })
-        if (response.status === 200 || response.status === 401) {
-            return response.status
-        }
-        return 500
+        const json = (await this.getJson(response))
+        return {code: response.status, json}
     }
 
     private headers() {
@@ -73,7 +80,7 @@ class OctoClient {
         if (response.status !== 200) {
             return undefined
         }
-        const user = (await response.json()) as IUser
+        const user = (await this.getJson(response)) as IUser
         return user
     }
 
@@ -86,7 +93,7 @@ class OctoClient {
         if (response.status !== 200) {
             return []
         }
-        const blocks = (await response.json() || []) as IMutableBlock[]
+        const blocks = (await this.getJson(response, [])) as IMutableBlock[]
         this.fixBlocks(blocks)
         return blocks
     }
@@ -97,7 +104,7 @@ class OctoClient {
         if (response.status !== 200) {
             return []
         }
-        const blocks = (await response.json() || []) as IMutableBlock[]
+        const blocks = (await this.getJson(response, [])) as IMutableBlock[]
         this.fixBlocks(blocks)
         return blocks
     }
@@ -135,7 +142,7 @@ class OctoClient {
         if (response.status !== 200) {
             return []
         }
-        const blocks = (await response.json() || []) as IMutableBlock[]
+        const blocks = (await this.getJson(response, [])) as IMutableBlock[]
         this.fixBlocks(blocks)
         return blocks
     }
@@ -217,7 +224,7 @@ class OctoClient {
                 Utils.log(`uploadFile response: ${text}`)
                 const json = JSON.parse(text)
 
-                // const json = await response.json()
+                // const json = await this.getJson(response)
                 return json.url
             } catch (e) {
                 Utils.logError(`uploadFile json ERROR: ${e}`)
@@ -237,7 +244,7 @@ class OctoClient {
         if (response.status !== 200) {
             return undefined
         }
-        const sharing = (await response.json()) as ISharing
+        const sharing = (await this.getJson(response)) as ISharing
         return sharing
     }
 
@@ -267,7 +274,7 @@ class OctoClient {
         if (response.status !== 200) {
             return undefined
         }
-        const workspace = (await response.json()) as IWorkspace
+        const workspace = (await this.getJson(response)) as IWorkspace
         return workspace
     }
 
diff --git a/webapp/src/pages/registerPage.tsx b/webapp/src/pages/registerPage.tsx
index b51bf83a0..fe876ec99 100644
--- a/webapp/src/pages/registerPage.tsx
+++ b/webapp/src/pages/registerPage.tsx
@@ -32,16 +32,19 @@ class RegisterPage extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
         const queryString = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search)
         const signupToken = queryString.get('t') || ''
 
-        const registered = await client.register(this.state.email, this.state.username, this.state.password, signupToken)
-        if (registered === 200) {
+        const response = await client.register(this.state.email, this.state.username, this.state.password, signupToken)
+        if (response.code === 200) {
             const logged = await client.login(this.state.username, this.state.password)
             if (logged) {
                 this.props.history.push('/')
+
+                // HACKHACK: react-router-dom seems to require a refresh to navigate correctly
+                // this.setState({email: '', username: '', password: ''})
             }
-        } else if (registered === 401) {
+        } else if (response.code === 401) {
             this.setState({errorMessage: 'Invalid registration link, please contact your administrator'})
         } else {
-            this.setState({errorMessage: 'Server error'})
+            this.setState({errorMessage: response.json.error})
         }
     }