diff --git a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
index 42f566de4..7b9467a97 100644
--- a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
@@ -1,9 +1,15 @@
 class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
   protect_from_forgery
+  load_and_authorize_resource
 
   # tweak CanCan defaults because we don't have a "current_user" method
   def current_ability
-    @current_ability ||= AccountAbility.new(current_member)
+    @current_ability ||= Ability.new(current_member)
   end
 
+  # CanCan error handling
+   rescue_from CanCan::AccessDenied do |exception|
+    redirect_to root_url, :alert => exception.message
+  end 
+
 end
diff --git a/app/controllers/crops_controller.rb b/app/controllers/crops_controller.rb
index f8074c2d5..648fde43a 100644
--- a/app/controllers/crops_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/crops_controller.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 class CropsController < ApplicationController
+
   # GET /crops
   # GET /crops.json
   def index
diff --git a/app/models/ability.rb b/app/models/ability.rb
index 7f5a533ca..d80864758 100644
--- a/app/models/ability.rb
+++ b/app/models/ability.rb
@@ -3,13 +3,11 @@ class Ability
 
   def initialize(member)
     # See the wiki for details: https://github.com/ryanb/cancan/wiki/Defining-Abilities
-    member ||= Member.new # guest member (not logged in)
 
     # everyone can do these things, even non-logged in
     can :read, :all
 
-    if member.logged_in?
-
+    if member
       # managing your own user settings
       can :update, Member, :id => member.id
 
@@ -36,8 +34,6 @@ class Ability
       can :create, Planting
       can :update, Planting, :garden => { :owner_id => member.id }
       can :destroy, Planting, :garden => { :owner_id => member.id }
-
     end
-
   end
 end