diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/lib/stats.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/lib/stats.rb
index c51a14ae1..613a99342 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/lib/stats.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/lib/stats.rb
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ module JamRuby
   class Stats
 
     class << self
-      attr_accessor :client, :host
+      attr_accessor :client, :host, :ignore
       @@log = Logging.logger[JamRuby::Stats]
     end
 
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ module JamRuby
     end
 
     def self.init(options)
+
       influxdb_database = options[:influxdb_database]
       influxdb_username = options[:influxdb_username]
       influxdb_password = options[:influxdb_password]
@@ -71,12 +72,15 @@ module JamRuby
                                        retry: -1
         @host = `hostname`.strip
       else
+        self.ignore = true
         @@log.debug("stats client not initiated")
       end
 
     end
 
     def self.write(name, data)
+      return if self.ignore
+
       if @client && data && data.length > 0
         data['host'] = @host
         data['time'] = Time.now.to_i
diff --git a/web/spec/features/recordings_spec.rb b/web/spec/features/recordings_spec.rb
index fa5ab9c06..b17924c83 100644
--- a/web/spec/features/recordings_spec.rb
+++ b/web/spec/features/recordings_spec.rb
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ describe "Session Recordings", :js => true, :type => :feature, :capybara_feature
   end
 
   # confirms that a formal leave (by hitting the 'Leave' button) will result in a good recording
-  it "creator starts and then leaves" do
+  it "creator starts and then leaves", intermittent: true do
     start_recording_with(creator, [joiner1])
     in_client(creator) do
       find('.session-leave.leave').trigger(:click)