diff --git a/common/models/User-Identity.js b/common/models/User-Identity.js
index f6815a38bc..5293dfbc48 100644
--- a/common/models/User-Identity.js
+++ b/common/models/User-Identity.js
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ const debug = debugFactory('fcc:models:userIdent');
 export default function(UserIdent) {
   // original source
   // github.com/strongloop/loopback-component-passport
+  const createAccountMessage =
+    'Accounts can only be created using GitHub or though email';
   UserIdent.login = function(
     provider,
     authScheme,
@@ -71,11 +73,11 @@ export default function(UserIdent) {
 
         const userObj = options.profileToUser(provider, profile, options);
         if (getSocialProvider(provider) !== 'github') {
-          return process.nextTick(() => cb(
-            new Error(
-              'accounts can only be created using Github or though email'
-            )
-          ));
+          const err = new Error(createAccountMessage);
+          err.userMessage = createAccountMessage;
+          err.messageType = 'info';
+          err.redirectTo = '/signin';
+          return process.nextTick(() => cb(err));
         }
 
         let query;
diff --git a/server/middlewares/error-handlers.js b/server/middlewares/error-handlers.js
index ddabe06a38..c37cd46908 100644
--- a/server/middlewares/error-handlers.js
+++ b/server/middlewares/error-handlers.js
@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@ export default function prodErrorHandler() {
     var message = 'Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later';
     if (type === 'html') {
       if (typeof req.flash === 'function') {
-        req.flash('errors', {
-          msg: message
+        req.flash(err.messageType || 'errors', {
+          msg: err.userMessage || message
         });
       }
-      return res.redirect('/map');
+      return res.redirect(err.redirectTo || '/map');
       // json
     } else if (type === 'json') {
       res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json');