diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/utils.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/utils.js
index 470f60e5e..7e482aeb9 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/utils.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/utils.js
@@ -795,9 +795,14 @@
     }
 
   }
+
+  // pass in 'arguments' in a fail callback of a $.ajax
   context.JK.isNetworkError = function(failArgs) {
-    return false;
-  }
+    if(failArgs.length != 3) throw "expected 3 arguments from .fail of $ajax in isNetworkError"
+    var xhr = failArgs[0];
+
+    return xhr.status == 0;
+    }
 
   context.JK.clientType = function () {
       if (context.jamClient) {