diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/scheduled_session.js.erb b/web/app/assets/javascripts/scheduled_session.js.erb
index 2fc583df6..8e53fcb24 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/scheduled_session.js.erb
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/scheduled_session.js.erb
@@ -315,7 +315,8 @@
       $fetchingSpinnerLabel.show();
 
       Promise.all([fetchScheduledSessions(), fetchUserDetail()]).then(function() {
-        createSessionByCustomUrlScheme();
+        // console.log('** calling createSessionByCustomUrlScheme() from scheduled_session');
+        //createSessionByCustomUrlScheme();
       });
 
     }
@@ -1557,15 +1558,8 @@
     //handle jamkazam:// custom URL scheme params
     //when a user submits create new session form (in the new react website) 
     //this custom url scheme is loaded and as a result the JamKazam app loads create session window.
-    function createSessionByCustomUrlScheme(){
-      //an example URL would be: https://www.jamkazam.com/client#/createSession/custom~yes|privacy~2|description~hello|inviteeIds~1,2,3,4
+    function createSessionByCustomUrlScheme(hash){
 
-       var hash = decodeURIComponent(context.location.hash);
-
-      if(hash === '' || hash.match(/custom~yes/) === null){
-        return;
-      }
-    
       var qStr = hash.substring(hash.lastIndexOf('/') + 1);
 
       //decode the query params according to the custom format
@@ -1697,9 +1691,12 @@
 
       initializeControls();
       events();
+
+      
     }
 
     this.initialize = initialize;
+    this.createSessionByCustomUrlScheme = createSessionByCustomUrlScheme;
 
     return this;
   }
diff --git a/web/app/views/clients/index.html.erb b/web/app/views/clients/index.html.erb
index 1b3be0843..5dd71b747 100644
--- a/web/app/views/clients/index.html.erb
+++ b/web/app/views/clients/index.html.erb
@@ -286,13 +286,16 @@
             var instrumentSelectorRSVPInstance = new JK.InstrumentSelector(JK.app);
             instrumentSelectorRSVPInstance.initialize(true);
             var createScheduledSessionScreen = new JK.CreateScheduledSession(JK.app);
-            JK.createScheduledSessionScreen = createScheduledSessionScreen;
+            
             createScheduledSessionScreen.initialize(
               JK.InvitationDialogInstance,
               JK.FriendSelectorDialogInstance,
               instrumentSelectorInstance,
               instrumentSelectorRSVPInstance
             );
+            JK.createScheduledSessionScreen = createScheduledSessionScreen;
+            console.log("** createScheduledSessionScreen initialized **"); 
+            
 
             var bandSetupScreen = new JK.BandSetupScreen(JK.app);
             bandSetupScreen.initialize(JK.InvitationDialogInstance, JK.FriendSelectorDialogInstance);
@@ -446,10 +449,45 @@
         }
         
         JK.bindHoverEvents();
-
-
        
-    })
+    });
+
+    window.addEventListener('load', (event) => {
+      
+      function handleCustomUrlScheme(){
+        console.log("** handleCustomUrlScheme **");
+        // this is a hack to create a session from a custom URL scheme
+        // an example custom URL would be: https://www.jamkazam.com/client#/createSession/custom~yes|privacy~2|description~hello|inviteeIds~1,2,3,4
+
+        var hash = decodeURIComponent(window.location.hash)
+
+        console.log("** handleCustomUrlScheme hash **", hash);
+        
+        if(hash === '' || !hash.includes("custom~yes")){ // if there is no hash or the hash does not contain custom~yes,
+          return;
+        }
+
+        var maxAttempts = 10;
+
+        var screenLoadInterval = setInterval(() => {
+          if(hash.includes("#/createSession")){
+            if (JK.createScheduledSessionScreen) {
+              JK.createScheduledSessionScreen.createSessionByCustomUrlScheme(hash); // this will create a session
+              clearInterval(screenLoadInterval);
+            }else{
+              console.log("** attempting to create session by custom URL scheme", maxAttempts);
+              maxAttempts--;
+              if(maxAttempts <= 0){
+                clearInterval(screenLoadInterval);
+              } 
+            }
+          }
+        }, 1000); // check every second
+       
+      }
+      handleCustomUrlScheme();
+      
+    });
 </script>
 
 <!-- version info: <%= version %> -->