diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/connection.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/connection.rb
index 47abee3cc..7a8b05c9f 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/connection.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/connection.rb
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ module JamRuby
         end
       end
 
+      #removing this check to allow users to join recording sessions
       # if music_session.is_recording?
       #   errors.add(:music_session, ValidationMessages::CANT_JOIN_RECORDING_SESSION)
       # end
diff --git a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/recording.rb b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/recording.rb
index d9eba2a4a..25bd1628c 100644
--- a/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/recording.rb
+++ b/ruby/lib/jam_ruby/models/recording.rb
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ module JamRuby
             foreign_key: :foreign_key1_id,
             dependent: :destroy
 
-    #validate :not_already_recording, :on => :create
+    validate :not_already_recording, :on => :create
     #validate :not_still_finalizing_previous, :on => :create
     validate :not_playback_recording, :on => :create
     validate :already_stopped_recording
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/react-components/stores/SessionStore.js.coffee b/web/app/assets/javascripts/react-components/stores/SessionStore.js.coffee
index a96d5c9a6..1c243c4bc 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/react-components/stores/SessionStore.js.coffee
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/react-components/stores/SessionStore.js.coffee
@@ -1391,7 +1391,6 @@ ConfigureTracksActions = @ConfigureTracksActions
               return this.app.notifyAlert("No Inputs Configured", $('<span>You will need to reconfigure your audio device.</span>'));
 
             } else if (response["errors"] && response["errors"]["music_session"] && (response["errors"]["music_session"][0] === ["is currently recording"])) {
-              alert("Unable to Join Session", "The session is currently recording.");
               leaveBehavior = {
                 location: "/client#/findSession",
                 notify: {
@@ -2008,7 +2007,6 @@ ConfigureTracksActions = @ConfigureTracksActions
     #   @issueChange()
 
     performLeaveSession: `async function(deferred) {
-        alert('SessionStore#performLeaveSession')
         logger.debug("SessionModel.leaveCurrentSession()");
         
         logger.debug("performLeaveSession: calling jamClient.LeaveSession for clientId=" + this.app.clientId);
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/recordingModel.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/recordingModel.js
index 553ffea91..3b8099733 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/recordingModel.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/recordingModel.js
@@ -115,7 +115,8 @@
         }
 
         /** Nulls can be passed for all 3 currently; that's a user request.   */
-        function stopRecording(recordingId, reason, detail, serverStop = false) {
+        function stopRecording(recordingId, reason, detail) {
+            
             if(stoppingRecording) {
               logger.debug("ignoring stopRecording because we are already stopping");
               return;
@@ -139,10 +140,11 @@
                 //  logger.debug("preemptive stop media")
                   //context.jamClient.SessionStopPlay();
                 //}
-
-                if(serverStop){
-                    await jamClient.PeerStopRecording(recording.id, groupedTracks);
-                }else{
+                
+                console.log("_DEBUG_ stopRecording", recording.owner, context.JK.currentUserId)
+               
+                if(recording.owner.id === context.JK.currentUserId){
+                    alert("stopping recording for owner")
                     await jamClient.StopRecording(recording.id, groupedTracks);
                 }
                 
@@ -209,7 +211,7 @@
         }
 
         function onServerStopRecording(recordingId) {
-            stopRecording(recordingId, null, null, true);
+            stopRecording(recordingId, null, null);
         }
 
         function handleRecordingStartResult(recordingId, result) {