diff --git a/assets/src/containers/Course.js b/assets/src/containers/Course.js
index ee7e2a42..392f72e7 100644
--- a/assets/src/containers/Course.js
+++ b/assets/src/containers/Course.js
@@ -55,9 +55,24 @@ function Course (props) {
     setSideDrawerState(open)
   }
 
-  if (error.message === 'Not Found') return (<WarningBanner>Course {courseId} has not been set up in MyLA. Contact your instructor, who can enable the visualizations by clicking on MyLA in the course navigation.</WarningBanner>)
-  else if (error.message === 'Forbidden') return (<WarningBanner>You do not have access to course {courseId}.</WarningBanner>)
-  else if (error) return (<WarningBanner />)
+  if (error.message === '404' || error.message === 'Not Found') {
+    return (
+      <WarningBanner>
+        Course {courseId} has not been set up in MyLA. Contact your instructor, who can enable the visualizations by clicking on MyLA in the course navigation.
+      </WarningBanner>
+    )
+  }
+  else if (error.message === '403' || error.message === 'Forbidden') {
+    return (
+      <WarningBanner>
+        You do not have access to course {courseId}.
+      </WarningBanner>
+    )
+  }
+  else if (error) {
+    return (<WarningBanner />)
+  }
+  
   if (loaded && isObjectEmpty(courseInfo)) return (<WarningBanner>My Learning Analytics is not enabled for this course.</WarningBanner>)
 
   const notLoadedAltMessage = 'Mouse running on wheel with text "Course Data Being Processed, Try Back in 24 Hours"'
diff --git a/assets/src/util/data.js b/assets/src/util/data.js
index f2a8b849..442bf43e 100644
--- a/assets/src/util/data.js
+++ b/assets/src/util/data.js
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 import Cookie from 'js-cookie'
 
 const handleError = res => {
-  if (!res.ok) throw Error(res.statusText)
+  if (!res.ok) {
+      // Return the statusText or if it's empty just return the status
+      // This is to preserve existing behavior where statusText was returned but isn't always available
+      throw Error(res.statusText || res.status.toString())
+  }
   return res
 }