diff --git a/gulpfile.js b/gulpfile.js
index e04a60ecb7..902f142ce3 100644
--- a/gulpfile.js
+++ b/gulpfile.js
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ gulp.task('serve', ['build-manifest'], function(cb) {
     ignore: paths.serverIgnore,
     exec: path.join(__dirname, 'node_modules/.bin/babel-node'),
     env: {
-      'NODE_ENV': 'development',
+      'NODE_ENV': process.env.NODE_ENV || 'development',
       'DEBUG': process.env.DEBUG || 'freecc:*'
     }
   })
diff --git a/server/boot/challenge.js b/server/boot/challenge.js
index c0d2992330..18c0469aeb 100644
--- a/server/boot/challenge.js
+++ b/server/boot/challenge.js
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ function getRenderData$(user, challenge$, origChallengeName, solution) {
   debug('looking for %s', testChallengeName);
 
   return challenge$
+    .map(challenge => challenge.toJSON())
     .filter((challenge) => {
       return testChallengeName.test(challenge.name) &&
         shouldNotFilterComingSoon(challenge);
@@ -164,7 +165,6 @@ function getRenderData$(user, challenge$, origChallengeName, solution) {
         });
       }
 
-      console.log(challenge.helpRoom);
       // save user does nothing if user does not exist
       return Observable.just({
         data: {
@@ -414,7 +414,11 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
   app.use(router);
 
   function redirectToCurrentChallenge(req, res, next) {
-    const challengeId = req.query.id || req.cookies.currentChallengeId;
+    let challengeId = req.query.id || req.cookies.currentChallengeId;
+    // prevent serialized null/undefined from breaking things
+    if (challengeId === 'undefined' || challengeId === 'null') {
+      challengeId = null;
+    }
     getChallengeById$(challenge$, challengeId)
       .doOnNext(({ dashedName })=> {
         if (!dashedName) {
@@ -430,7 +434,10 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
   }
 
   function redirectToNextChallenge(req, res, next) {
-    const challengeId = req.query.id || req.cookies.currentChallengeId;
+    let challengeId = req.query.id || req.cookies.currentChallengeId;
+    if (challengeId === 'undefined' || challengeId === 'null') {
+      challengeId = null;
+    }
 
     Observable.combineLatest(
       firstChallenge$,
@@ -485,8 +492,9 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
             return res.redirect(redirectUrl);
           }
           var view = challengeView[data.challengeType];
-          res.cookie('currentChallengeId', data.id);
-          console.log(data.helpRoom);
+          if (data.id) {
+            res.cookie('currentChallengeId', data.id);
+          }
           res.render(view, data);
         },
         next,
diff --git a/server/middlewares/error-handlers.js b/server/middlewares/error-handlers.js
index 359d713272..ddabe06a38 100644
--- a/server/middlewares/error-handlers.js
+++ b/server/middlewares/error-handlers.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export default function prodErrorHandler() {
           msg: message
         });
       }
-      return res.redirect('/');
+      return res.redirect('/map');
       // json
     } else if (type === 'json') {
       res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json');