diff --git a/red/api/editor/settings.js b/red/api/editor/settings.js
index f76d4b659..8b45d7271 100644
--- a/red/api/editor/settings.js
+++ b/red/api/editor/settings.js
@@ -88,13 +88,19 @@ module.exports = {
         }
         var currentSettings = settings.getUserSettings(username)||{};
         currentSettings = extend(currentSettings, req.body);
-        settings.setUserSettings(username, currentSettings).then(function() {
-            log.audit({event: "settings.update",username:username},req);
-            res.status(204).end();
-        }).catch(function(err) {
+        try {
+            settings.setUserSettings(username, currentSettings).then(function() {
+                log.audit({event: "settings.update",username:username},req);
+                res.status(204).end();
+            }).catch(function(err) {
+                log.audit({event: "settings.update",username:username,error:err.code||"unexpected_error",message:err.toString()},req);
+                res.status(400).json({error:err.code||"unexpected_error", message:err.toString()});
+            });
+        } catch(err) {
+            log.warn(log._("settings.user-not-available",{message:log._("settings.not-available")}));
             log.audit({event: "settings.update",username:username,error:err.code||"unexpected_error",message:err.toString()},req);
             res.status(400).json({error:err.code||"unexpected_error", message:err.toString()});
-        });
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/red/runtime/locales/en-US/runtime.json b/red/runtime/locales/en-US/runtime.json
index eefc913b9..2b04a26b7 100644
--- a/red/runtime/locales/en-US/runtime.json
+++ b/red/runtime/locales/en-US/runtime.json
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@
     },
 
     "settings": {
+        "user-not-available": "Cannot save user settings: __message__",
         "not-available": "Settings not available",
         "property-read-only": "Property '__prop__' is read-only"
     },
diff --git a/red/runtime/settings.js b/red/runtime/settings.js
index bc51f98b8..1addf7c47 100644
--- a/red/runtime/settings.js
+++ b/red/runtime/settings.js
@@ -173,6 +173,9 @@ var persistentSettings = {
         return clone(userSettings[username]);
     },
     setUserSettings: function(username,settings) {
+        if (globalSettings === null) {
+            throw new Error(log._("settings.not-available"));
+        }
         var current = userSettings[username];
         userSettings[username] = settings;
         try {