diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/scheduled_session.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/scheduled_session.js
index 8d4227e6d..4075157cb 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/scheduled_session.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/scheduled_session.js
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@
 
     function startSessionClicked() {
       var $btn = $(this);
-      if($btn.is('.disabled')) { return; }
+      if($btn.is('.disabled')) { return false; }
       $btn.addClass('disabled')
 
       if(willOptionStartSession()) {
@@ -590,6 +590,8 @@
       else {
         startSession($btn);
       }
+
+      return false;
     }
 
     // did the user have to pick the RSVP slots explicitely?
@@ -687,39 +689,12 @@
       }
 
       var joinSession = function(sessionId) {
-        var tracks = context.JK.TrackHelpers.getUserTracks(context.jamClient);
-
-        var options = {};
-        options.client_id = app.clientId;
-        options.session_id = sessionId;
-        options.as_musician = true;
-        options.tracks = tracks;
-        rest.joinSession(options)
-          .done(function(response) {
-            var invitationCount = data.invitations.length;
-
-            context.location = '/client#/session/' + sessionId;
-
-            context.JK.GA.trackSessionCount(data.musician_access, data.fan_access, invitationCount);
-            context.JK.GA.trackSessionMusicians(context.JK.GA.SessionCreationTypes.create);
-          })
-          .fail(function(jqXHR) {
-            $startBtn.removeClass('disabled');
-            var handled = false;
-            if(jqXHR.status = 422) {
-              var response = JSON.parse(jqXHR.responseText);
-              if(response["errors"] && response["errors"]["tracks"] && response["errors"]["tracks"][0] == "Please select at least one track") {
-                app.notifyAlert("No Inputs Configured", $('<span>You will need to reconfigure your audio device.</span>'));
-                handled = true;
-              }
-            }
-            if(!handled) {
-              app.notifyServerError(jqXHR, "Unable to Create Session");
-            }
-          })
-          .always(function() {
-          })
+        var invitationCount = data.invitations.length;
+        context.JK.GA.trackSessionCount(data.musician_access, data.fan_access, invitationCount);
 
+        // we redirect to the session screen, which handles the REST call to POST /participants.
+        logger.debug("joining session screen: " + sessionId)
+        context.location = '/client#/session/' + sessionId;
       };
 
       if (createSessionSettings.createType == 'start-scheduled') {
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
index 4a6d11ace..51f28cf5c 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/session.js
@@ -315,6 +315,12 @@
                             null,
                             true);
                     }
+                    else if(xhr.status == 422) {
+                      var response = JSON.parse(jqXHR.responseText);
+                      if(response["errors"] && response["errors"]["tracks"] && response["errors"]["tracks"][0] == "Please select at least one track") {
+                        app.notifyAlert("No Inputs Configured", $('<span>You will need to reconfigure your audio device.</span>'));
+                      }
+                    }
                     else {
                         app.notifyServerError(xhr, 'Unable to Join Session');
                     }
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/sessionModel.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/sessionModel.js
index 0adb1fdc9..d7fb0a424 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/sessionModel.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/sessionModel.js
@@ -87,17 +87,22 @@
             var deferred = joinSessionRest(sessionId);
 
             deferred
-                .done(function(){
+                .done(function(response){
                     logger.debug("calling jamClient.JoinSession");
+                    // on temporary disconnect scenarios, a user may already be in a session when they enter this path
+                    // so we avoid double counting
                     if(!alreadyInSession()) {
-                        // on temporary disconnect scenarios, a user may already be in a session when they enter this path
-                        // so we avoid double counting
+                      if(response.music_session.participant_count == 1) {
+                        context.JK.GA.trackSessionMusicians(context.JK.GA.SessionCreationTypes.create);
+                      }
+                      else {
                         context.JK.GA.trackSessionMusicians(context.JK.GA.SessionCreationTypes.join);
+                      }
                     }
 
                     recordingModel.reset();
                     client.JoinSession({ sessionID: sessionId });
-                    refreshCurrentSession();
+                    refreshCurrentSession(true);
                     server.registerMessageCallback(context.JK.MessageType.SESSION_JOIN, trackChanges);
                     server.registerMessageCallback(context.JK.MessageType.SESSION_DEPART, trackChanges);
                     server.registerMessageCallback(context.JK.MessageType.TRACKS_CHANGED, trackChanges);
diff --git a/web/app/views/api_music_sessions/participant_create.rabl b/web/app/views/api_music_sessions/participant_create.rabl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6d8c26c70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/app/views/api_music_sessions/participant_create.rabl
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+object @connection
+
+extends "api_music_sessions/participant_show"
+
+child(:music_session => :music_session) {
+  attributes :id
+
+  node :participant_count do |music_session|
+    music_session.connections.length
+  end
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/web/app/views/api_music_sessions/participant_show.rabl b/web/app/views/api_music_sessions/participant_show.rabl
index cbbf29c87..1805cf45d 100644
--- a/web/app/views/api_music_sessions/participant_show.rabl
+++ b/web/app/views/api_music_sessions/participant_show.rabl
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
 object @connection
 
-attributes :ip_address, :client_id
+attributes :ip_address, :client_id, :user_id
 attribute :aasm_state => :connection_state
 
-node(:user_id, :if => lambda { |connection| connection.user.friends?(current_user) }) do |connection|
-    connection.user_id
-end
 child(:tracks => :tracks) {
     attributes :id, :instrument_id, :sound
 }
\ No newline at end of file