diff --git a/api-server/server/boot/authentication.js b/api-server/server/boot/authentication.js
index 19f01f10e6..4fd4176ea6 100644
--- a/api-server/server/boot/authentication.js
+++ b/api-server/server/boot/authentication.js
@@ -39,6 +39,12 @@ module.exports = function enableAuthentication(app) {
   const ifNoUserRedirectHome = ifNoUserRedirectTo(homeLocation);
   const saveAuthCookies = saveResponseAuthCookies();
   const loginSuccessRedirect = loginRedirect();
+  const addRedirect = (req, res, next) => {
+    if (req && req.query && req.query.returnTo) {
+      req.query.returnTo = `${homeLocation}/${req.query.returnTo}`;
+    }
+    return next();
+  };
   const api = app.loopback.Router();
 
   // Use a local mock strategy for signing in if we are in dev mode.
@@ -47,27 +53,18 @@ module.exports = function enableAuthentication(app) {
   if (process.env.LOCAL_MOCK_AUTH === 'true') {
     api.get(
       '/signin',
+      addRedirect,
       passport.authenticate('devlogin'),
       saveAuthCookies,
       loginSuccessRedirect
     );
   } else {
-    api.get(
-      '/signin',
-      (req, res, next) => {
-        if (req && req.query && req.query.returnTo) {
-          req.query.returnTo = `${homeLocation}/${req.query.returnTo}`;
-        }
-        return next();
-      },
-      ifUserRedirect,
-      (req, res, next) => {
-        const state = req.query.returnTo
-          ? Buffer.from(req.query.returnTo).toString('base64')
-          : null;
-        return passport.authenticate('auth0-login', { state })(req, res, next);
-      }
-    );
+    api.get('/signin', addRedirect, ifUserRedirect, (req, res, next) => {
+      const state = req.query.returnTo
+        ? Buffer.from(req.query.returnTo).toString('base64')
+        : null;
+      return passport.authenticate('auth0-login', { state })(req, res, next);
+    });
 
     api.get(
       '/auth/auth0/callback',
diff --git a/api-server/server/component-passport.js b/api-server/server/component-passport.js
index fa12146774..fb467d9edc 100644
--- a/api-server/server/component-passport.js
+++ b/api-server/server/component-passport.js
@@ -81,9 +81,8 @@ export const saveResponseAuthCookies = () => {
 export const loginRedirect = () => {
   return (req, res) => {
     const successRedirect = req => {
-      if (!!req && req.session && req.session.returnTo) {
-        delete req.session.returnTo;
-        return `${homeLocation}/learn`;
+      if (req && req.query && req.query.returnTo) {
+        return req.query.returnTo;
       }
       return `${homeLocation}/learn`;
     };
diff --git a/api-server/server/middleware.json b/api-server/server/middleware.json
index 445290954d..3588498b11 100644
--- a/api-server/server/middleware.json
+++ b/api-server/server/middleware.json
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
   "auth:before": {
     "express-flash": {},
     "./middlewares/express-extensions": {},
-    "./middlewares/add-return-to": {},
     "./middlewares/cookie-parser": {},
     "./middlewares/request-authorization": {}
   },
diff --git a/api-server/server/middlewares/add-return-to.js b/api-server/server/middlewares/add-return-to.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 47d7bbfc03..0000000000
--- a/api-server/server/middlewares/add-return-to.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-const pathsOfNoReturn = [
-  'link',
-  'auth',
-  'login',
-  'logout',
-  'signin',
-  'signup',
-  'fonts',
-  'favicon',
-  'js',
-  'css'
-];
-
-const pathsAllowedList = ['challenges', 'map', 'commit'];
-
-const pathsOfNoReturnRegex = new RegExp(pathsOfNoReturn.join('|'), 'i');
-const pathsAllowedRegex = new RegExp(pathsAllowedList.join('|'), 'i');
-
-export default function addReturnToUrl() {
-  return function(req, res, next) {
-    // Remember original destination before login.
-    var path = req.path.split('/')[1];
-
-    if (
-      req.method !== 'GET' ||
-      pathsOfNoReturnRegex.test(path) ||
-      !pathsAllowedRegex.test(path) ||
-      /hot/i.test(req.path)
-    ) {
-      return next();
-    }
-    req.session.returnTo = req.originalUrl.includes('/map')
-      ? '/'
-      : req.originalUrl;
-    return next();
-  };
-}