diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
index 71982a191..2b454c8bb 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
@@ -2889,6 +2889,12 @@
         }
 
         function closeBackingTrack() {
+          
+          if (sessionModel.recordingModel.isRecording()) {
+            logger.debug("can't close backing track while recording")
+            return false;
+          }
+
           rest.closeBackingTrack({id: sessionModel.id()})
             .done(function() {
               //sessionModel.refreshCurrentSession(true);
@@ -2909,9 +2915,13 @@
         }        
 
         function closeJamTrack() {
-
           logger.debug("closing recording");
 
+          if (sessionModel.recordingModel.isRecording()) {
+            logger.debug("can't close jamtrack while recording")
+            return false;
+          }
+
           if(downloadJamTrack) {
             logger.debug("closing DownloadJamTrack widget")
             downloadJamTrack.root.remove();