diff --git a/sesman/session.c b/sesman/session.c
index 1f591884..24958d87 100644
--- a/sesman/session.c
+++ b/sesman/session.c
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ wait_for_remote_hostname(char* username)
   /* wait up to 5 secs for hostname to appear */
   i = 0;
   const char * hostname = raptor_sm_get_hostname_for_username(username, false);
-  while (strcmp(hostname, "") == 0)
+  while ((strcmp(hostname, "") == 0) || (strcmp(hostname, "ERROR") == 0))
   {
     g_free(hostname);
     hostname = raptor_sm_get_hostname_for_username(username, false);
@@ -655,15 +655,21 @@ session_start_fork(int width, int height, int bpp, char *username,
             else if (pampid == 0) /* child: X11/client */
             {
                 char* remote_server = wait_for_remote_hostname(username);
-                wait_for_remote_xserver(remote_server, display);
-                env_set_user(username, 0, display,
-                             g_cfg->session_variables1,
-                             g_cfg->session_variables2);
 
-                //if (x_server_running(display))
-                if (x_server_running_check_remote_ports(remote_server, display))
+                if ((strcmp(remote_server, "") == 0) || (strcmp(remote_server, "ERROR") == 0))
                 {
                     g_free(remote_server);
+                    remote_server = NULL;
+                    log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "Unable to find available node for specified user / group.  Check group mappings in database?\n");
+                }
+                else {
+                    wait_for_remote_xserver(remote_server, display);
+                    env_set_user(username, 0, display,
+                                 g_cfg->session_variables1,
+                                 g_cfg->session_variables2);
+                }
+                if (remote_server && x_server_running_check_remote_ports(remote_server, display))            {
+                    g_free(remote_server);
 
 //                    // RAPTOR session management
 //                    raptor_sm_run_remote_desktop(username, display, "/opt/trinity/bin/starttde");
@@ -762,6 +768,10 @@ session_start_fork(int width, int height, int bpp, char *username,
                 else
                 {
                     g_free(remote_server);
+                    if (remote_server)
+                    {
+                        g_free(remote_server);
+                    }
                     log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "another Xserver might "
                                 "already be active on display %d - see log", display);
                 }