diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/accounts_profile.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/accounts_profile.js
index d5880f1f1..002f27b9b 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/accounts_profile.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/accounts_profile.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
         var loadingCitiesData = false;
         var loadingRegionsData = false;
         var loadingCountriesData = false;
+        var nilOptionStr = '<option value=""></option>';
         var nilOptionText = 'n/a';
 
         function beforeShow(data) {
@@ -109,18 +110,20 @@
 
         function populateCountries(countries, userCountry) {
 
+            // countries has the format ["US", ...]
+
             var foundCountry = false;
             var countrySelect = getCountryElement();
             countrySelect.children().remove();
 
-            var nilOption = $('<option value=""></option>');
+            var nilOption = $(nilOptionStr);
             nilOption.text(nilOptionText);
             countrySelect.append(nilOption);
 
             $.each(countries, function(index, country) {
                 if(!country) return;
 
-                var option = $('<option></option>');
+                var option = $(nilOptionStr);
                 option.text(country);
                 option.attr("value", country);
 
@@ -132,10 +135,53 @@
             });
 
             if(!foundCountry) {
-               // in this case, the user has a country that is not in the database
-               // this can happen in a development/test scenario, but let's assume it can
-               // happen in production too.
-                var option = $('<option></option>');
+                // in this case, the user has a country that is not in the database
+                // this can happen in a development/test scenario, but let's assume it can
+                // happen in production too.
+                var option = $(nilOptionStr);
+                option.text(userCountry);
+                option.attr("value", userCountry);
+                countrySelect.append(option);
+            }
+
+            countrySelect.val(userCountry);
+            countrySelect.attr("disabled", null)
+
+            context.JK.dropdown(countrySelect);
+        }
+
+
+        function populateCountriesx(countriesx, userCountry) {
+
+            // countriesx has the format [{countrycode: "US", countryname: "United States"}, ...]
+
+            var foundCountry = false;
+            var countrySelect = getCountryElement();
+            countrySelect.children().remove();
+
+            var nilOption = $(nilOptionStr);
+            nilOption.text(nilOptionText);
+            countrySelect.append(nilOption);
+
+            $.each(countriesx, function(index, countryx) {
+                if(!countryx.countrycode) return;
+
+                var option = $(nilOptionStr);
+                option.text(countryx.countryname);
+                option.attr("value", countryx.countrycode);
+
+                if(countryx.countrycode == userCountry) {
+                    foundCountry = true;
+                }
+
+                countrySelect.append(option);
+            });
+
+            if(!foundCountry) {
+                // in this case, the user has a country that is not in the database
+                // this can happen in a development/test scenario, but let's assume it can
+                // happen in production too.
+                var option = $(nilOptionStr);
                 option.text(userCountry);
                 option.attr("value", userCountry);
                 countrySelect.append(option);
@@ -152,14 +198,14 @@
             var regionSelect = getRegionElement()
             regionSelect.children().remove()
 
-            var nilOption = $('<option value=""></option>');
+            var nilOption = $(nilOptionStr);
             nilOption.text(nilOptionText);
             regionSelect.append(nilOption);
 
             $.each(regions, function(index, region) {
                 if(!region) return;
 
-                var option = $('<option></option>')
+                var option = $(nilOptionStr)
                 option.text(region)
                 option.attr("value", region)
 
@@ -176,14 +222,14 @@
             var citySelect = getCityElement();
             citySelect.children().remove();
 
-            var nilOption = $('<option value=""></option>');
+            var nilOption = $(nilOptionStr);
             nilOption.text(nilOptionText);
             citySelect.append(nilOption);
 
             $.each(cities, function(index, city) {
                 if(!city) return;
 
-                var option = $('<option></option>')
+                var option = $(nilOptionStr)
                 option.text(city)
                 option.attr("value", city)
 
@@ -248,8 +294,8 @@
 
                     // make the 3 slower requests, which only matter if the user wants to affect their ISP or location
 
-                    api.getCountries()
-                        .done(function(countries) { populateCountries(countries["countries"], userDetail.country); } )
+                    api.getCountriesx()
+                        .done(function(countriesx) { populateCountriesx(countriesx["countriesx"], userDetail.country); } )
                         .fail(app.ajaxError)
                         .always(function() { loadingCountriesData = false; })
 
@@ -394,7 +440,7 @@
                 loadingRegionsData = true;
 
                 regionElement.children().remove()
-                regionElement.append($('<option value=""></option>').text('loading...'))
+                regionElement.append($(nilOptionStr).text('loading...'))
 
                 api.getRegions({ country: selectedCountry })
                     .done(getRegionsDone)
@@ -405,7 +451,7 @@
             }
             else {
                 regionElement.children().remove()
-                regionElement.append($('<option value=""></option>').text(nilOptionText))
+                regionElement.append($(nilOptionStr).text(nilOptionText))
             }
         }
 
@@ -419,7 +465,7 @@
                 loadingCitiesData = true;
 
                 cityElement.children().remove()
-                cityElement.append($('<option value=""></option>').text('loading...'))
+                cityElement.append($(nilOptionStr).text('loading...'))
 
                 api.getCities({ country: selectedCountry, region: selectedRegion })
                     .done(getCitiesDone)
@@ -430,7 +476,7 @@
             }
             else {
                 cityElement.children().remove()
-                cityElement.append($('<option value=""></option>').text(nilOptionText))
+                cityElement.append($(nilOptionStr).text(nilOptionText))
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/band_setup.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/band_setup.js
index 875f31f41..f1a0249d5 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/band_setup.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/band_setup.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
     var userIds = [];
     var userPhotoUrls = [];
     var selectedFriendIds = {};
+    var nilOptionStr = '<option value=""></option>';
     var nilOptionText = 'n/a';
     var bandId = '';
 
@@ -300,27 +301,27 @@
     }
 
     function loadCountries(initialCountry, onCountriesLoaded) {
-      var $country = $("#band-country");
+      var countrySelect = $("#band-country");
 
-      var nilOption = $('<option value=""></option>');
+      var nilOption = $(nilOptionStr);
       nilOption.text(nilOptionText);
-      $country.append(nilOption);
+        countrySelect.append(nilOption);
 
-      rest.getCountries().done(function (response) {
-        $.each(response["countries"], function (index, country) {
-          if (!country) return;
-          var option = $('<option></option>');
-          option.text(country);
-          option.attr("value", country);
+      rest.getCountriesx().done(function (response) {
+        $.each(response["countriesx"], function (index, countryx) {
+          if (!countryx.countrycode) return;
+          var option = $(nilOptionStr);
+          option.text(countryx.countryname);
+          option.attr("value", countryx.countrycode);
 
-          if (initialCountry === country) {
+          if (initialCountry === countryx.countrycode) {
             option.attr("selected", "selected");
           }
 
-          $country.append(option);
+            countrySelect.append(option);
         });
 
-        context.JK.dropdown($country);
+        context.JK.dropdown(countrySelect);
 
         if (onCountriesLoaded) {
           onCountriesLoaded();
@@ -333,7 +334,7 @@
       $region.empty();
       var selectedCountry = $("#band-country").val();
 
-      var nilOption = $('<option value=""></option>');
+      var nilOption = $(nilOptionStr);
       nilOption.text(nilOptionText);
       $region.append(nilOption);
 
@@ -341,7 +342,7 @@
         rest.getRegions({'country': selectedCountry}).done(function (response) {
           $.each(response["regions"], function (index, region) {
             if (!region) return;
-            var option = $('<option></option>');
+            var option = $(nilOptionStr);
             option.text(region);
             option.attr("value", region);
 
@@ -368,7 +369,7 @@
       var selectedCountry = $("#band-country").val();
       var selectedRegion = $("#band-region").val();
 
-      var nilOption = $('<option value=""></option>');
+      var nilOption = $(nilOptionStr);
       nilOption.text(nilOptionText);
       $city.append(nilOption);
 
@@ -376,7 +377,7 @@
         rest.getCities({'country': selectedCountry, 'region': selectedRegion}).done(function (response) {
           $.each(response["cities"], function (index, city) {
             if (!city) return;
-            var option = $('<option></option>');
+            var option = $(nilOptionStr);
             option.text(city);
             option.attr("value", city);
 
diff --git a/web/app/assets/javascripts/jam_rest.js b/web/app/assets/javascripts/jam_rest.js
index c0e028ead..7b0baf066 100644
--- a/web/app/assets/javascripts/jam_rest.js
+++ b/web/app/assets/javascripts/jam_rest.js
@@ -301,6 +301,12 @@
             });
         }
 
+        function getCountriesx() {
+            return $.ajax('/api/countriesx', {
+                dataType : 'json'
+            });
+        }
+
         function getIsps(options) {
             var country = options["country"]
 
@@ -911,6 +917,7 @@
         this.getCities = getCities;
         this.getRegions = getRegions;
         this.getCountries = getCountries;
+        this.getCountriesx = getCountriesx;
         this.getIsps = getIsps;
         this.getResolvedLocation = getResolvedLocation;
         this.getInstruments = getInstruments;
diff --git a/web/app/controllers/api_maxmind_requests_controller.rb b/web/app/controllers/api_maxmind_requests_controller.rb
index 98c0cf8b3..36c5493d3 100644
--- a/web/app/controllers/api_maxmind_requests_controller.rb
+++ b/web/app/controllers/api_maxmind_requests_controller.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ class ApiMaxmindRequestsController < ApiController
     render :json => { :countries => countries }, :status => 200
   end
 
+  def countriesx
+    countriesx = MaxMindManager.countriesx()
+    render :json => { :countriesx => countriesx }, :status => 200
+  end
+
   def regions
     regions = MaxMindManager.regions(params[:country])
     if regions && regions.length > 0
diff --git a/web/app/controllers/users_controller.rb b/web/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
index 1420b2012..19a574a8f 100644
--- a/web/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
+++ b/web/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ class UsersController < ApplicationController
     @location[:country] = "US" if @location[:country].nil?
 
     # right now we only accept US signups for beta
-    @countries = MaxMindManager.countries()
+    @countriesx = MaxMindManager.countriesx()
     # populate regions based on current country
     @regions = MaxMindManager.regions(@location[:country])
     @cities = @location[:state].nil? ? [] : MaxMindManager.cities(@location[:country], @location[:state])
diff --git a/web/app/views/users/new.html.erb b/web/app/views/users/new.html.erb
index 064d7a335..13d101d5f 100644
--- a/web/app/views/users/new.html.erb
+++ b/web/app/views/users/new.html.erb
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@
             <%= f.label :country, "Country:" %>
             <select id="country_select" name="jam_ruby_user[country]" autocomplete="off" class="easydropdown">
               <option class="label" value="" <%= @location[:country].blank? ? "selected" : "" %>>Select Country</option>
-              <% @countries.each do |country| %>
-                  <% unless country.blank? %>
-                      <option value="<%= country %>" <%= @location[:country] == country ? "selected" : "" %>><%= country %></option>
+              <% @countriesx.each do |country| %>
+                  <% unless country[:countrycode].blank? %>
+                      <option value="<%= country %>" <%= @location[:country] == country[:countrycode] ? "selected" : "" %>><%= country[:countryname] %></option>
                   <% end %>
               <% end %>
             </select>
diff --git a/web/config/routes.rb b/web/config/routes.rb
index 64d0dc9f7..cdf6443c5 100644
--- a/web/config/routes.rb
+++ b/web/config/routes.rb
@@ -316,6 +316,7 @@ SampleApp::Application.routes.draw do
     
     # Location lookups
     match '/countries' => 'api_maxmind_requests#countries', :via => :get
+    match '/countriesx' => 'api_maxmind_requests#countriesx', :via => :get
     match '/regions' => 'api_maxmind_requests#regions', :via => :get
     match '/cities' => 'api_maxmind_requests#cities', :via => :get
     match '/isps' => 'api_maxmind_requests#isps', :via => :get
diff --git a/web/lib/max_mind_manager.rb b/web/lib/max_mind_manager.rb
index 4ed9c8c08..05dfc1033 100644
--- a/web/lib/max_mind_manager.rb
+++ b/web/lib/max_mind_manager.rb
@@ -67,6 +67,18 @@ class MaxMindManager < BaseManager
     Country.get_all.map { |c| c.countrycode }
   end
 
+  def self.countriesx()
+    #ActiveRecord::Base.connection_pool.with_connection do |connection|
+    #  pg_conn = connection.instance_variable_get("@connection")
+    #  pg_conn.exec("SELECT DISTINCT country FROM max_mind_geo ORDER BY country ASC").map do |tuple|
+    #    tuple["country"]
+    #  end
+    #end
+
+    # returns ordered array of Country objects (countrycode, countryname)
+    Country.get_all.map { |c| {countrycode: c.countrycode, countryname: c.countryname} }
+  end
+
 
   def self.regions(country)
     #ActiveRecord::Base.connection_pool.with_connection do |connection|