diff --git a/cms/static/js/models/settings/course_details.js b/cms/static/js/models/settings/course_details.js
index 5090b5006d..3b5d377ff9 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/models/settings/course_details.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/models/settings/course_details.js
@@ -68,12 +68,10 @@ CMS.Models.Settings.CourseDetails = Backbone.Model.extend({
     save_videosource: function(newsource) {
         // newsource either is <video youtube="speed:key, *"/> or just the "speed:key, *" string
         // returns the videosource for the preview which iss the key whose speed is closest to 1
-        if (_.isEmpty(newsource) && !_.isEmpty(this.get('intro_video'))) this.save({'intro_video': null},
-                { error : CMS.ServerError}); 
+        if (_.isEmpty(newsource) && !_.isEmpty(this.get('intro_video'))) this.set({'intro_video': null}); 
         // TODO remove all whitespace w/in string
         else {
-            if (this.get('intro_video') !== newsource) this.save('intro_video', newsource,
-                    { error : CMS.ServerError});
+            if (this.get('intro_video') !== newsource) this.set('intro_video', newsource);
         }
 
         return this.videosourceSample();
diff --git a/cms/static/js/views/settings/main_settings_view.js b/cms/static/js/views/settings/main_settings_view.js
index 4523bb6ade..7e0b394203 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/views/settings/main_settings_view.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/views/settings/main_settings_view.js
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Details = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
     setupDatePicker: function (fieldName) {
         var cacheModel = this.model;
         var div = this.$el.find('#' + this.fieldToSelectorMap[fieldName]);
-        var datefield = $(div).find(".date");
-        var timefield = $(div).find(".time");
+        var datefield = $(div).find("input:.date");
+        var timefield = $(div).find("input:.time");
         var cachethis = this;
         var savefield = function () {
             cachethis.clearValidationErrors();
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Details = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
                 }
                 var newVal = new Date(date.getTime() + time * 1000);
                 if (cacheModel.get(fieldName).getTime() !== newVal.getTime()) {
-                    cacheModel.save(fieldName, newVal, { error: CMS.ServerError});
+                    cacheModel.save(fieldName, newVal);
                 }
             }
         };
@@ -149,8 +149,7 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Details = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
     },
 
     removeSyllabus: function() {
-        if (this.model.has('syllabus'))	this.model.save({'syllabus': null}, 
-                { error : CMS.ServerError});
+        if (this.model.has('syllabus'))	this.model.save({'syllabus': null});
     },
 
     assetSyllabus : function() {
@@ -184,8 +183,7 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Details = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
                     mirror.save();
                     cachethis.clearValidationErrors();
                     var newVal = mirror.getValue();
-                    if (cachethis.model.get(field) != newVal) cachethis.model.save(field, newVal,
-                            { error: CMS.ServerError});
+                    if (cachethis.model.get(field) != newVal) cachethis.model.save(field, newVal);
                 }
             });
         }
diff --git a/cms/static/js/views/validating_view.js b/cms/static/js/views/validating_view.js
index 7332b92c61..99a34f16a2 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/views/validating_view.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/views/validating_view.js
@@ -19,9 +19,19 @@ CMS.Views.ValidatingView = Backbone.View.extend({
     },
     _cacheValidationErrors : [],
     handleValidationError : function(model, error) {
+        // error triggered either by validation or server error
         // error is object w/ fields and error strings
         for (var field in error) {
-            var ele = this.$el.find('#' + this.fieldToSelectorMap[field]); 
+            var ele = this.$el.find('#' + this.fieldToSelectorMap[field]);
+            if (ele.length === 0) {
+                // check if it might a server error: note a typo in the field name 
+                // or failure to put in a map may cause this to muffle validation errors
+                if (_.has(error, 'error') && _.has(error, 'responseText')) {
+                    CMS.ServerError(model, error);
+                    return;
+                }
+                else continue;
+            }
             this._cacheValidationErrors.push(ele);
             if ($(ele).is('div')) {
                 // put error on the contained inputs
@@ -50,9 +60,9 @@ CMS.Views.ValidatingView = Backbone.View.extend({
         var field = this.selectorToField[event.currentTarget.id];
         var currentVal = this.model.get(field);
         var newVal = $(event.currentTarget).val();
+        this.clearValidationErrors(); // curr = new if user reverts manually
         if (currentVal != newVal) {
-            this.clearValidationErrors();
-            this.model.save(field, newVal, { error : CMS.ServerError});
+            this.model.save(field, newVal);
             return true;
         }
         else return false;