diff --git a/lib/jam_ruby/models/music_session.rb b/lib/jam_ruby/models/music_session.rb
index e8fd7d2bf..d6813cbfa 100644
--- a/lib/jam_ruby/models/music_session.rb
+++ b/lib/jam_ruby/models/music_session.rb
@@ -29,13 +29,20 @@ module JamRuby
      end
 
     # Verifies that the specified user can join this music session
-    def can_join? user
-      if self.musician_access
-        return true
+    def can_join? user, as_musician
+
+      if as_musician
+        if self.musician_access
+          return true
+        else
+          # the creator can always join, and the invited users can join
+          return self.creator == user || self.invited_musicians.exists?(user)
+        end
       else
-        # the creator can always join, and the invited users can join
-        return self.creator == user || self.invited_musicians.exists?(user)
+        # it's a fan, and the only way a fan can join is if fan_access is true
+        return self.fan_access
       end
+
     end
 
     # Verifies that the specified user can see this music session
diff --git a/spec/jam_ruby/connection_manager_spec.rb b/spec/jam_ruby/connection_manager_spec.rb
index ba71b0b5f..ef9ee8ac4 100644
--- a/spec/jam_ruby/connection_manager_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/jam_ruby/connection_manager_spec.rb
@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@ describe ConnectionManager do
     end
   end
 
-  def create_music_session(user_id)
+  def create_music_session(user_id, options={})
+    default_options = {:musician_access => true, :fan_chat => true, :fan_access => true, :approval_required=> false}
+    options = default_options.merge(options)
     description = "some session"
-    @conn.exec("INSERT INTO music_sessions (user_id, description, musician_access, approval_required, fan_chat, fan_access) VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6) RETURNING id", [user_id, description, true, false, true, true]) do |result|
+    @conn.exec("INSERT INTO music_sessions (user_id, description, musician_access, approval_required, fan_chat, fan_access) VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6) RETURNING id", [user_id, description, options[:musician_access], options[:approval_required], options[:fan_chat], options[:fan_access]]) do |result|
       return result.getvalue(0, 0)
     end
   end
@@ -278,15 +280,15 @@ describe ConnectionManager do
 
   end
 
-  it "join_music_session fails if fan_access=true and the user is a fan" do
+  it "join_music_session fails if fan_access=false and the user is a fan" do
 
-    client_id = "client_id10.2"
-    user_id = create_user("test", "user10.2", "user10.2@jamkazam.com", :musician => false)
+    client_id = "client_id10.3"
+    user_id = create_user("test", "user10.3", "user10.3@jamkazam.com", :musician => false)
 
     music_session_id = create_music_session(user_id, :fan_access => false)
 
     @conn.transaction do
-      expect { @connman.join_music_session(user_id, client_id, music_session_id, 'blarg') }.to raise_error(JamRuby::PermissionError)
+      expect { @connman.join_music_session(user_id, client_id, music_session_id, false) }.to raise_error(JamRuby::PermissionError)
     end
 
   end
diff --git a/spec/jam_ruby/models/music_session_spec.rb b/spec/jam_ruby/models/music_session_spec.rb
index e0195e16e..ae1450f90 100644
--- a/spec/jam_ruby/models/music_session_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/jam_ruby/models/music_session_spec.rb
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ describe MusicSession do
 
     music_session = FactoryGirl.create(:music_session, :creator => user1, :musician_access => true)
 
-    music_session.can_join?(user1).should == true
-    music_session.can_join?(user2).should == true
-    music_session.can_join?(user3).should == true
+    music_session.can_join?(user1, true).should == true
+    music_session.can_join?(user2, true).should == true
+    music_session.can_join?(user3, true).should == true
   end
 
   it 'no one but invited people can join closed music session' do
@@ -42,18 +42,18 @@ describe MusicSession do
     music_session = FactoryGirl.create(:music_session, :creator => user1, :musician_access => false)
     FactoryGirl.create(:connection, :user => user1, :music_session => music_session)
 
-    music_session.can_join?(user1).should == true
-    music_session.can_join?(user2).should == false
-    music_session.can_join?(user3).should == false
+    music_session.can_join?(user1, true).should == true
+    music_session.can_join?(user2, true).should == false
+    music_session.can_join?(user3, true).should == false
 
     # invite user 2
     FactoryGirl.create(:friendship, :user => user1, :friend => user2)
     FactoryGirl.create(:friendship, :user => user2, :friend => user1)
     FactoryGirl.create(:invitation, :sender => user1, :receiver => user2, :music_session => music_session)
 
-    music_session.can_join?(user1).should == true
-    music_session.can_join?(user2).should == true
-    music_session.can_join?(user3).should == false
+    music_session.can_join?(user1, true).should == true
+    music_session.can_join?(user2, true).should == true
+    music_session.can_join?(user3, true).should == false
   end
 
   it 'no one but invited people can see closed music session' do