diff --git a/lms/static/js/dashboard/track_events.js b/lms/static/js/dashboard/track_events.js
index 4667b6b4bb..4218eb20ff 100644
--- a/lms/static/js/dashboard/track_events.js
+++ b/lms/static/js/dashboard/track_events.js
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ var edx = edx || {};
     // Emit an event when the 'course title link' is clicked.
     edx.dashboard.trackCourseTitleClicked = function($courseTitleLink, properties){
         var trackProperty = properties || edx.dashboard.generateTrackProperties;
+        if (!window.analytics) {
+            return;
+        }
         window.analytics.trackLink(
             $courseTitleLink,
             'edx.bi.dashboard.course_title.clicked',
@@ -102,6 +105,10 @@ var edx = edx || {};
     };
 
     edx.dashboard.xseriesTrackMessages = function() {
+        if (!window.analytics) {
+            return;
+        }
+
         $('.xseries-action .btn').each(function(i, element) {
             var data = edx.dashboard.generateProgramProperties($(element));
 
diff --git a/lms/static/js/edxnotes/plugins/store_error_handler.js b/lms/static/js/edxnotes/plugins/store_error_handler.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9c1d01ff7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lms/static/js/edxnotes/plugins/store_error_handler.js
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+(function (define, undefined) {
+  'use strict';
+
+  define(['annotator_1.2.9'], function (Annotator) {
+    /**
+     * Modifies Annotator.Plugin.Store.prototype._onError to show custom error message
+     * if sent by server
+     */
+    var originalErrorHandler = Annotator.Plugin.Store.prototype._onError;
+    Annotator.Plugin.Store.prototype._onError = function (xhr) {
+        var serverResponse;
+
+        // Try to parse json
+        if (xhr.responseText) {
+            try {
+                serverResponse = JSON.parse(xhr.responseText);
+            } catch (exception) {
+                serverResponse = null;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // if response includes an error message it will take precedence
+        if (serverResponse && serverResponse.error_msg) {
+            Annotator.showNotification(serverResponse.error_msg, Annotator.Notification.ERROR);
+            return console.error(Annotator._t("API request failed:") + (" '" + xhr.status + "'"));
+        }
+
+        // Delegate to original error handler
+        originalErrorHandler(xhr);
+    };
+  });
+}).call(this, define || RequireJS.define);
+
diff --git a/lms/static/js/edxnotes/views/notes_factory.js b/lms/static/js/edxnotes/views/notes_factory.js
index 4b1d64811d..f1e091b3a9 100644
--- a/lms/static/js/edxnotes/views/notes_factory.js
+++ b/lms/static/js/edxnotes/views/notes_factory.js
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ define([
      'jquery', 'underscore', 'annotator_1.2.9', 'js/edxnotes/utils/logger',
      'js/edxnotes/views/shim', 'js/edxnotes/plugins/scroller',
      'js/edxnotes/plugins/events', 'js/edxnotes/plugins/accessibility',
-     'js/edxnotes/plugins/caret_navigation'
+     'js/edxnotes/plugins/caret_navigation',
+     'js/edxnotes/plugins/store_error_handler'
 ], function ($, _, Annotator, NotesLogger) {
     var plugins = ['Auth', 'Store', 'Scroller', 'Events', 'Accessibility', 'CaretNavigation', 'Tags'],
         getOptions, setupPlugins, getAnnotator;
diff --git a/lms/static/js/spec/edxnotes/plugins/store_error_handler_spec.js b/lms/static/js/spec/edxnotes/plugins/store_error_handler_spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..53bcce802d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lms/static/js/spec/edxnotes/plugins/store_error_handler_spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+define([
+  'jquery', 'underscore', 'annotator_1.2.9',
+  'common/js/spec_helpers/ajax_helpers',
+  'js/spec/edxnotes/helpers',
+  'js/edxnotes/views/notes_factory'
+], function ($, _, Annotator, AjaxHelpers, Helpers, NotesFactory) {
+  'use strict';
+  describe('Store Error Handler Custom Message', function () {
+    beforeEach(function () {
+      spyOn(Annotator, 'showNotification');
+      loadFixtures('js/fixtures/edxnotes/edxnotes_wrapper.html');
+      this.wrapper = document.getElementById('edx-notes-wrapper-123');
+    });
+
+    afterEach(function () {
+      _.invoke(Annotator._instances, 'destroy');
+    });
+
+    it('can handle custom error if sent from server', function () {
+      var requests = AjaxHelpers.requests(this);
+      var token = Helpers.makeToken();
+      NotesFactory.factory(this.wrapper, {
+        endpoint: '/test_endpoint',
+        user: 'a user',
+        usageId: 'an usage',
+        courseId: 'a course',
+        token: token,
+        tokenUrl: '/test_token_url'
+      });
+
+      var errorMsg = 'can\'t create more notes';
+      AjaxHelpers.respondWithError(requests, 400, {error_msg: errorMsg});
+      expect(Annotator.showNotification).toHaveBeenCalledWith(errorMsg, Annotator.Notification.ERROR);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/lms/static/js/spec/main.js b/lms/static/js/spec/main.js
index ba58c0a9e8..577f6c86e6 100644
--- a/lms/static/js/spec/main.js
+++ b/lms/static/js/spec/main.js
@@ -705,6 +705,7 @@
         'lms/include/js/spec/edxnotes/plugins/events_spec.js',
         'lms/include/js/spec/edxnotes/plugins/scroller_spec.js',
         'lms/include/js/spec/edxnotes/plugins/caret_navigation_spec.js',
+        'lms/include/js/spec/edxnotes/plugins/store_error_handler_spec.js',
         'lms/include/js/spec/edxnotes/collections/notes_spec.js',
         'lms/include/js/spec/search/search_spec.js',
         'lms/include/js/spec/navigation_spec.js',