diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/base_manager.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/base_manager.rb
index 3a4ed6433..bf5dab694 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/base_manager.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/base_manager.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@ module JamRuby
     attr_accessor :pg_conn
 
     @@log = Logging.logger[BaseManager]
-    @@in_websocket_gateway = Rails.env != 'test' && !Object.const_defined?(:UserManager)
+
+    # this is not working as expected
+    #@@in_websocket_gateway = Rails.env != 'test' && !Object.const_defined?(:UserManager)
+
+    @@in_websocket_gateway = false
 
     def initialize(options={})
       @log = Logging.logger[self]
@@ -19,12 +23,10 @@ module JamRuby
     def self.active_record_transaction
 
       manager = self.new
-      @@log.error "DEBUG_TRAN S"
       ActiveRecord::Base.connection_pool.with_connection do |connection|
         # create a transaction, and pass the current connection to ConnectionManager.
         # this lets the entire operation work with the same transaction,
         # across Rails ActiveRecord and the pg-gem based code in ConnectionManager.
-        @@log.error "DEBUG_TRAN -1"
         manager.pg_conn = connection.instance_variable_get("@connection")
 
         if @@in_websocket_gateway
@@ -37,9 +39,7 @@ module JamRuby
             ActiveRecord::Base.connection.execute('ROLLBACK')
           end
         else
-          @@log.error "DEBUG_TRAN -2"
           connection.transaction do
-            @@log.error "DEBUG_TRAN -3"
             yield manager
           end
         end
diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/connection_manager.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/connection_manager.rb
index 65cc9970a..e0324a77a 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/connection_manager.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/connection_manager.rb
@@ -405,17 +405,12 @@ SQL
     def join_music_session(user, client_id, music_session, as_musician, tracks, audio_latency, video_sources=nil)
       connection = nil
 
-      @log.error "DEBUG_TRAN 1"
       ConnectionManager.active_record_transaction do |connection_manager|
-        @log.error "DEBUG_TRAN 2"
         db_conn = connection_manager.pg_conn
-        @log.error "DEBUG_TRAN 3"
 
         connection = Connection.find_by_client_id_and_user_id!(client_id, user.id)
-        @log.error "DEBUG_TRAN 4"
 
         connection.join_the_session(music_session, as_musician, tracks, user, audio_latency, video_sources)
-        @log.error "DEBUG_TRAN 5"
         JamRuby::MusicSessionUserHistory.join_music_session(user.id, music_session.id)
         # connection.music_session_id = music_session.id
         # connection.as_musician = as_musician
@@ -423,19 +418,15 @@ SQL
         # connection.joined_session_at = Time.now
         # associate_tracks(connection, tracks)
         # connection.save
-        @log.error "DEBUG_TRAN 6"
 
         if connection.errors.any?
-          @log.error "DEBUG_TRAN 7"
           raise ActiveRecord::Rollback
         else
-          @log.error "DEBUG_TRAN 8"
           update_session_controller(music_session.id)
         end
 
       end
 
-      @log.error "DEBUG_TRAN 9"
       connection
     end