diff --git a/js/components/ascribe_detail/edition.js b/js/components/ascribe_detail/edition.js
index d12d2a41..fbc13a50 100644
--- a/js/components/ascribe_detail/edition.js
+++ b/js/components/ascribe_detail/edition.js
@@ -269,6 +269,8 @@ let CoaDetails = React.createClass({
         return (
             <div className="text-center">
                 <AscribeSpinner color='dark-blue' size='lg'/>
+                <p>{getLangText("Just a sec, we\'re generating your COA")}</p>
+                <p>{getLangText('(you may leave the page)')}</p>
             </div>
         );
     }
diff --git a/js/components/ascribe_detail/edition_container.js b/js/components/ascribe_detail/edition_container.js
index add06ccd..24010d47 100644
--- a/js/components/ascribe_detail/edition_container.js
+++ b/js/components/ascribe_detail/edition_container.js
@@ -64,8 +64,7 @@ let EditionContainer = React.createClass({
 
     componentDidUpdate() {
         const { editionMeta } = this.state;
-
-        if(editionMeta.err && editionMeta.err.status === 404) {
+        if(editionMeta.err && editionMeta.err.json && editionMeta.err.json.status === 404) {
             this.throws(new ResourceNotFoundError(getLangText("Oops, the edition you're looking for doesn't exist.")));
         }
     },
diff --git a/js/stores/edition_store.js b/js/stores/edition_store.js
index fbe070e1..6a129ac1 100644
--- a/js/stores/edition_store.js
+++ b/js/stores/edition_store.js
@@ -29,21 +29,30 @@ class EditionStore {
         }
     }
 
-    onSuccessFetchEdition({ edition }) {
-        this.editionMeta.err = null;
-        this.editionMeta.idToFetch = null;
-        this.edition = edition;
+    onSuccessFetchEdition(res) {
+        if(res && res.edition) {
+            this.edition = res.edition;
+            this.editionMeta.err = null;
+            this.editionMeta.idToFetch = null;
 
-        if(this.edition && this.edition.coa && typeof this.edition.coa.constructor !== Object) {
-            this.getInstance().lookupCoa();
-        } else if(this.edition && !this.edition.coa && this.edition.acl.acl_coa) {
-            this.getInstance().performCreateCoa();
+            if (this.edition.coa && this.edition.acl.acl_coa &&
+                typeof this.edition.coa.constructor !== Object) {
+                this.getInstance().lookupCoa();
+            } else if(!this.edition.coa && this.edition.acl.acl_coa) {
+                this.getInstance().performCreateCoa();
+            }
+        } else {
+            this.editionMeta.err = new Error('Problem fetching the edition');
         }
     }
 
-    onSuccessFetchCoa({ coa }) {
-        this.coaMeta.err = null;
-        this.edition.coa = coa;
+    onSuccessFetchCoa(res) {
+        if (res && res.coa && this.edition) {
+            this.edition.coa = res.coa;
+            this.coaMeta.err = null;
+        } else {
+            this.coaMeta.err = new Error('Problem generating/fetching the COA');
+        }
     }
 
     onFlushEdition() {