diff --git a/account/src/lib/user-utils.ts b/account/src/lib/user-utils.ts
index b43f723..e7e5386 100644
--- a/account/src/lib/user-utils.ts
+++ b/account/src/lib/user-utils.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ export async function upgradeUser(userId: T.UUID, subscription?: T.StripeSubscri
 
 export async function downgradeUser(userId: T.UUID, subscriptionId?: string): Promise<T.DowngradeUserResponse> {
     await deleteCouchDbAuthUser(userId);
-    console.log("in function downgrading user with subscriptionId", subscriptionId);
     if (subscriptionId) {
         stripe.subscriptions.del(subscriptionId);
     }
diff --git a/account/src/routers/auth-router.ts b/account/src/routers/auth-router.ts
index 15e5edb..8ad2790 100644
--- a/account/src/routers/auth-router.ts
+++ b/account/src/routers/auth-router.ts
@@ -194,14 +194,16 @@ const authRouter = (passport: PassportStatic) => {
   router.post("/downgradeToBasic", async (req, res, next) => {
     try {
       if (!req.user) {
-        return res.redirect("/");
+        return res.send({ ok: false, error: "user not logged in" });
       }
-      // @ts-ignore;
-      console.log("will downgrade user with subscription id", req.user?.subscription?.id)
-      await downgradeUser(req.user.userId, "subscription" in req.user
-        ? req.user.subscription?.id
+      const subscription = "subscription" in req.user ? req.user.subscription : undefined;
+      await downgradeUser(req.user.userId, subscription
+        ? subscription.id
         : undefined);
-      res.redirect("/");
+      res.send({
+        ok: true,
+        message: `account downgraded to basic${subscription ? " and subscription cancelled" : ""}`,
+      });
     } catch (e) {
       next(e);
     }
diff --git a/account/views/user.ejs b/account/views/user.ejs
index e2412c1..b8a9861 100644
--- a/account/views/user.ejs
+++ b/account/views/user.ejs
@@ -231,7 +231,11 @@
       const answer = confirm("Are you sure you want to downgrade your account? Your wordlist will be deleted forever. (Export it to CSV from the dictionary first if you want to keep it.)");
       if (answer) {
         fetch("/downgradeToBasic", { method: "POST" }).then((res) => res.json()).then((res) => {
-          window.location = "/";
+          if (res.ok) {
+            window.location = "/";
+          } else {
+            alert("Error downgrading account");
+          }
         }).catch((err) => {
           alert("Error downgrading account - check your connection");
           console.error(err);