diff --git a/common/models/user.json b/common/models/user.json
index 2811cfce2d..8e6ca8c2ae 100644
--- a/common/models/user.json
+++ b/common/models/user.json
@@ -126,9 +126,8 @@
       "type": "string"
     },
     "sentSlackInvite": {
-      "type": {
-        "type": false
-      }
+      "type": "boolean",
+      "default": false
     },
     "resetPasswordExpires": {
       "type": "string"
@@ -145,10 +144,12 @@
           "completedDate": "string",
           "solution": "string"
         }
-      ]
+      ],
+      "default": []
     },
     "uncompletedCoursewares": {
-      "type": "array"
+      "type": "array",
+      "default": []
     },
     "completedCoursewares": {
       "type": [
@@ -164,7 +165,8 @@
           "githubLink": "string",
           "verified": "boolean"
         }
-      ]
+      ],
+      "default": []
     },
     "completedFieldGuides": {
       "type": []
@@ -217,7 +219,8 @@
       "default": []
     },
     "uncompletedChallenges": {
-      "type": "array"
+      "type": "array",
+      "default": []
     }
   },
   "validations": [],
diff --git a/server/boot/fieldGuide.js b/server/boot/fieldGuide.js
index 3714847d72..c55067eda1 100644
--- a/server/boot/fieldGuide.js
+++ b/server/boot/fieldGuide.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 var R = require('ramda'),
-    // Rx = require('rx'),
-    // debug = require('debug')('freecc:fieldguides'),
-    utils = require('../utils');
+// Rx = require('rx'),
+// debug = require('debug')('freecc:fieldguides'),
+  utils = require('../utils');
 
 module.exports = function(app) {
   var router = app.loopback.Router();
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
         }
 
         var fieldGuide = R.head(fieldGuideFromMongo);
-          fieldGuide.name.toLowerCase().replace(/\s/g, '-').replace(/\?/g, '');
+        fieldGuide.name.toLowerCase().replace(/\s/g, '-').replace(/\?/g, '');
 
         // if (fieldGuide.dashedName !== dashedNameFromQuery) {
         //   return res.redirect('../field-guide/' + fieldGuide.dashedName);
@@ -80,45 +80,44 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
       return res.redirect('/field-guide/how-do-i-use-this-guide');
     }
 
-    var displayedFieldGuides =
-      FieldGuide.find({'id': req.user.uncompletedFieldGuides[0]});
+    FieldGuide.find({'id': req.user.uncompletedFieldGuides[0]},
+      function(err, fieldGuide) {
 
-    displayedFieldGuides.exec(function(err, fieldGuide) {
-      if (err) { return next(err); }
-      fieldGuide = fieldGuide.pop();
+        if (err) { return next(err); }
+        fieldGuide = fieldGuide.pop();
 
-      if (typeof fieldGuide === 'undefined') {
-        if (req.user.completedFieldGuides.length > 0) {
-          req.flash('success', {
-            msg: [
-              "You've read all our current Field Guide entries. If you have ",
-              'ideas for other Field Guide articles, please let us know on ',
-              "<a href='https://github.com/freecodecamp/freecodecamp/issues/new?&body=Please describe your idea for a Field Guide article and include links if possible.'>GitHub</a>."
-            ].join('')
-          });
+        if (typeof fieldGuide === 'undefined') {
+          if (req.user.completedFieldGuides.length > 0) {
+            req.flash('success', {
+              msg: [
+                "You've read all our current Field Guide entries. If you have ",
+                'ideas for other Field Guide articles, please let us know on ',
+                "<a href='https://github.com/freecodecamp/freecodecamp/issues/new?&body=Please describe your idea for a Field Guide article and include links if possible.'>GitHub</a>."
+              ].join('')
+            });
+          }
+          return res.redirect('../field-guide/how-do-i-use-this-guide');
         }
-        return res.redirect('../field-guide/how-do-i-use-this-guide');
-      }
-      return res.redirect('../field-guide/' + fieldGuide.dashedName);
-    });
-  }
-
-  function completedFieldGuide(req, res, next) {
-    var fieldGuideId = req.body.fieldGuideInfo.fieldGuideId;
-
-    req.user.completedFieldGuides.push(fieldGuideId);
-
-    var index = req.user.uncompletedFieldGuides.indexOf(fieldGuideId);
-    if (index > -1) {
-      req.user.progressTimestamps.push(Date.now());
-      req.user.uncompletedFieldGuides.splice(index, 1);
-    }
-
-    req.user.save(function (err) {
-      if (err) {
-        return next(err);
-      }
-      res.send(true);
-    });
+        return res.redirect('../field-guide/' + fieldGuide.dashedName);
+      });
   }
 };
+
+function completedFieldGuide(req, res, next) {
+  var fieldGuideId = req.body.fieldGuideInfo.fieldGuideId;
+
+  req.user.completedFieldGuides.push(fieldGuideId);
+
+  var index = req.user.uncompletedFieldGuides.indexOf(fieldGuideId);
+  if (index > -1) {
+    req.user.progressTimestamps.push(Date.now());
+    req.user.uncompletedFieldGuides.splice(index, 1);
+  }
+
+  req.user.save(function (err) {
+    if (err) {
+      return next(err);
+    }
+    res.send(true);
+  });
+}