diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/landing/signup.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/landing/signup.js
index 6e5a56651..a91329222 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/landing/signup.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/landing/signup.js
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@
                 $.ajax('/api/regions', {
                     data : { country: selected_country },
                     dataType : 'json'
-                }).done(regions_done).fail(regions_fail).always(function() { region_select.attr('disabled', false).easyDropDown('enable') })
+                }).done(regions_done)
+                    .fail(function(err) { regions_done([]) })
+                    .always(function() { region_select.attr('disabled', false).easyDropDown('enable') })
             }
         })
 
@@ -56,16 +58,13 @@
 
             $(data.regions).each(function(index, item) {
                 var option = $('<option></option>');
-                option.text(item);
-                option.val(item);
+                option.text(item['name']);
+                option.val(item['region']);
                 region_select.append(option)
             })
 
             context.JK.dropdown(region_select);
-        }
-
-        function regions_fail() {
-            alert("something went wrong in looking up regions")
+            cities_done([]);
         }
 
         region_select.change(function() {
@@ -80,7 +79,12 @@
                 $.ajax('/api/cities', {
                     data : { country: selected_country, region: selected_region },
                     dataType : 'json'
-                }).done(cities_done).fail(cities_fail).always(function() { city_select.attr('disabled', false).easyDropDown('enable') })
+                })
+                    .done(cities_done)
+                    .error(function(err) {
+                        cities_done([]);
+                    })
+                    .always(function() { city_select.attr('disabled', false).easyDropDown('enable') })
             }
         })
 
@@ -97,10 +101,6 @@
 
             context.JK.dropdown(city_select);
         }
-
-        function cities_fail() {
-            alert("something went wrong in looking up cities")
-        }
     }
 
     signup.handle_completion_submit = function handle_completion_submit() {
diff --git a/web/app/views/users/new.html.erb b/web/app/views/users/new.html.erb
index 18218f7ee..cd57eebc4 100644
--- a/web/app/views/users/new.html.erb
+++ b/web/app/views/users/new.html.erb
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
               <option value="" <%= @location[:state].blank? ? "selected" : "" %>>State/Province</option>
               <% @regions.each do |region| %>
                   <% unless region.blank? %>
-                      <option value="<%= region %>" <%= @location[:state] == region ? "selected" : "" %>><%= region %></option>
+                      <option value="<%= region[:region] %>" <%= @location[:state] == region ? "selected" : "" %>><%= region[:name] %></option>
                   <% end %>
               <% end %>