diff --git a/client/client.js b/client/client.js
index be1f9c9f..f43fa7f5 100644
--- a/client/client.js
+++ b/client/client.js
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ class Socket {
 			this._receiveMultiple(obj);
 		}).catch((err) => {
 			this.serverError = err;
-			this.disconnect();
+			throw err;
 		});
 	}
 
diff --git a/frontend/app/map/map/map.js b/frontend/app/map/map/map.js
index c5dfbb91..6ae4f12b 100644
--- a/frontend/app/map/map/map.js
+++ b/frontend/app/map/map/map.js
@@ -372,15 +372,29 @@ fm.app.factory("fmMap", function(fmUtils, fmSocket, fmMapMessages, fmMapMarkers,
 					var loadedWatcher = map.socket.$watch("padData", function(padData) {
 						if(padData != null) {
 							loadedWatcher();
+							resolve(padData);
+						}
+					});
+
+					var serverErrorWatcher = map.socket.$watch("serverError", function(serverError) {
+						if(serverError != null) {
+							serverErrorWatcher();
+
+							if(serverError.indexOf('does not exist') != -1) {
+								map.socket.serverError = null;
+								map.padUi.createPad(map.socket.padId, true);
+							}
 
-							if(!map.hashUi.hasLocationHash())
-								map.displayView(padData.defaultView);
 							resolve();
 						}
 					});
 				});
-			} else {
-				if(!map.hashUi.hasLocationHash()) {
+			}
+		}).then((padData) => {
+			if(!map.hashUi.hasLocationHash()) {
+				if(padData)
+					map.displayView(padData.defaultView);
+				else {
 					return $q.resolve($.get({
 						url: "https://freegeoip.net/json/",
 						dataType: "json"
@@ -409,10 +423,13 @@ fm.app.factory("fmMap", function(fmUtils, fmSocket, fmMapMessages, fmMapMarkers,
 		});
 
 		map.socket.$watch("serverError", function(serverError) {
-			if(serverError) {
-				errorMessage && errorMessage.close();
-				map.messages.showMessage("danger", serverError);
+			if(errorMessage) {
+				errorMessage.close();
+				errorMessage = null;
 			}
+
+			if(serverError)
+				errorMessage = map.messages.showMessage("danger", serverError);
 		});
 
 		map.map.on("moveend", function() {
diff --git a/frontend/app/map/pad/pad-settings.html b/frontend/app/map/pad/pad-settings.html
index 1b19928d..874ef9f5 100644
--- a/frontend/app/map/pad/pad-settings.html
+++ b/frontend/app/map/pad/pad-settings.html
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <div class="modal-header">
-	<button type="button" class="close" ng-click="$dismiss()"><span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span></button>
+	<button ng-if="!noCancel" type="button" class="close" ng-click="$dismiss()"><span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span></button>
 	<h3 class="modal-title">{{create ? 'Start collaborative map' : 'Map settings'}}</h3>
 </div>
 <div class="modal-body">
@@ -67,6 +67,6 @@
 	</form>
 </div>
 <div class="modal-footer">
-	<button type="button" class="btn btn-default" ng-click="$dismiss()">Cancel</button>
+	<button ng-if="!noCancel" type="button" class="btn btn-default" ng-click="$dismiss()">Cancel</button>
 	<button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary" ng-click="save()" ng-disabled="writeError || readError">{{create ? 'Create' : 'Save'}}</button>
 </div>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/app/map/pad/pad.js b/frontend/app/map/pad/pad.js
index 41e1a95a..539989df 100644
--- a/frontend/app/map/pad/pad.js
+++ b/frontend/app/map/pad/pad.js
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ import $ from 'jquery';
 fm.app.factory("fmMapPad", function($uibModal, fmUtils) {
 	return function(map) {
 		var ret = {
-			createPad : function() {
-				ret.editPadSettings(true);
+			createPad : function(proposedWriteId, noCancel) {
+				ret.editPadSettings(true, proposedWriteId, noCancel);
 			},
-			editPadSettings : function(create) {
+			editPadSettings : function(create, proposedWriteId, noCancel) {
 				var scope = map.socket.$new();
 
 				var dialog = $uibModal.open({
@@ -17,8 +17,12 @@ fm.app.factory("fmMapPad", function($uibModal, fmUtils) {
 					size: "lg",
 					resolve: {
 						map: function() { return map; },
-						create: function() { return create; }
-					}
+						create: function() { return create; },
+						proposedWriteId: function() { return proposedWriteId; },
+						noCancel: function() { return noCancel; }
+					},
+					keyboard: !noCancel,
+					backdrop: noCancel ? "static" : true
 				});
 
 				if(!create) {
@@ -52,12 +56,13 @@ fm.app.factory("fmMapPad", function($uibModal, fmUtils) {
 	};
 });
 
-fm.app.controller("fmMapPadSettingsCtrl", function($scope, map, create, fmUtils) {
+fm.app.controller("fmMapPadSettingsCtrl", function($scope, map, create, proposedWriteId, noCancel, fmUtils) {
 	$scope.urlPrefix = fm.URL_PREFIX;
 	$scope.create = create;
+	$scope.noCancel = noCancel;
 
 	if(create) {
-		$scope.writeId = fmUtils.generateRandomPadId(14);
+		$scope.writeId = (proposedWriteId || fmUtils.generateRandomPadId(14));
 		$scope.readId = fmUtils.generateRandomPadId(12);
 		$scope.padData = {
 			padName: "New FacilMap",
diff --git a/server/socket.js b/server/socket.js
index 7c97b457..73ee225f 100644
--- a/server/socket.js
+++ b/server/socket.js
@@ -149,8 +149,10 @@ utils.extend(SocketConnection.prototype, {
 						return utils.extend(JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(write)), { writable: true });
 					else if(read)
 						return utils.extend(JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(read)), { writable: false, writeId: null });
-					else
+					else {
+						this.padId = null;
 						throw "This pad does not exist";
+					}
 				}
 			}).then(res => {
 				this.padId = res.pad.id;