diff --git a/cms/static/js/models/settings/advanced.js b/cms/static/js/models/settings/advanced.js
index c074b12067..fee89296a6 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/models/settings/advanced.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/models/settings/advanced.js
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ CMS.Models.Settings.Advanced = Backbone.Model.extend({
                 // data
                 data : JSON.stringify({ deleteKeys : self.deleteKeys})
             })
-            .fail(function(hdr, status, error) { CMS.ServerError(self, "Deleting keys:" + status); })
             .done(function(data, status, error) {
                 // clear deleteKeys on success
                 self.deleteKeys = [];
diff --git a/cms/static/js/views/checklists_view.js b/cms/static/js/views/checklists_view.js
index b2727e58f7..086d7e0b5b 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/views/checklists_view.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/views/checklists_view.js
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@ CMS.Views.Checklists = Backbone.View.extend({
                         }
                     );
                 },
-                reset: true,
-                error: CMS.ServerError
+                reset: true
             }
         );
     },
@@ -90,8 +89,7 @@ CMS.Views.Checklists = Backbone.View.extend({
                         'task': model.attributes.items[task_index].short_description,
                         'state': model.attributes.items[task_index].is_checked
                     });
-                },
-                error : CMS.ServerError
+                }
             });
     }
 });
diff --git a/cms/static/js/views/course_info_edit.js b/cms/static/js/views/course_info_edit.js
index 9554b0d7c3..ecd9ebe78d 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/views/course_info_edit.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/views/course_info_edit.js
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ CMS.Views.ClassInfoUpdateView = Backbone.View.extend({
         var targetModel = this.eventModel(event);
         targetModel.set({ date : this.dateEntry(event).val(), content : this.$codeMirror.getValue() });
         // push change to display, hide the editor, submit the change
-        targetModel.save({}, {error : CMS.ServerError});
+        targetModel.save({});
         this.closeEditor(this);
 
         analytics.track('Saved Course Update', {
@@ -166,11 +166,9 @@ CMS.Views.ClassInfoUpdateView = Backbone.View.extend({
                     success: function() {
                         cacheThis.render();
                     },
-                    reset: true,
-                    error: CMS.ServerError
+                    reset: true
                 });
-            },
-            error : CMS.ServerError
+            }
         });
     },
 
@@ -254,8 +252,7 @@ CMS.Views.ClassInfoHandoutsView = Backbone.View.extend({
                     }
                 );
             },
-            reset: true,
-            error: CMS.ServerError
+            reset: true
         });
     },
 
@@ -296,7 +293,7 @@ CMS.Views.ClassInfoHandoutsView = Backbone.View.extend({
     onSave: function(event) {
         this.model.set('data', this.$codeMirror.getValue());
         this.render();
-        this.model.save({}, {error: CMS.ServerError});
+        this.model.save({});
         this.$form.hide();
         this.closeEditor(this);
 
diff --git a/cms/static/js/views/server_error.js b/cms/static/js/views/server_error.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 71b2a2ca6f..0000000000
--- a/cms/static/js/views/server_error.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-CMS.ServerError = function(model, error) {
-    var m = new CMS.Models.SystemFeedback({
-        "type": "error",
-        "title": "Server Error",
-        "message": error.responseText,
-        "actions": {
-            "primary": {
-                "text": "Dismiss",
-                "click": function(model) {
-                    model.hide();
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    });
-    new CMS.Views.Notification({model: m});
-    return m;
-};
diff --git a/cms/static/js/views/settings/advanced_view.js b/cms/static/js/views/settings/advanced_view.js
index bef908601b..863393d341 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/views/settings/advanced_view.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/views/settings/advanced_view.js
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Advanced = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
         // because these are outside of this.$el, they can't be in the event hash
         $('.save-button').on('click', this, this.saveView);
         $('.cancel-button').on('click', this, this.revertView);
-        this.listenTo(this.model, 'error', CMS.ServerError);
         this.listenTo(this.model, 'invalid', this.handleValidationError);
     },
     render: function() {
@@ -144,8 +143,7 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Advanced = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
                     'course': course_location_analytics
                 });
 
-            },
-            error : CMS.ServerError
+            }
         });
     },
     revertView : function(event) {
@@ -155,8 +153,7 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Advanced = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
         self.model.clear({silent : true});
         self.model.fetch({
             success : function() { self.render(); },
-            reset: true,
-            error : CMS.ServerError
+            reset: true
         });
     },
     renderTemplate: function (key, value) {
diff --git a/cms/static/js/views/settings/main_settings_view.js b/cms/static/js/views/settings/main_settings_view.js
index 5c7e605545..982f232495 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/views/settings/main_settings_view.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/views/settings/main_settings_view.js
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Details = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
         var dateIntrospect = new Date();
         this.$el.find('#timezone').html("(" + dateIntrospect.getTimezone() + ")");
 
-        this.listenTo(this.model, 'error', CMS.ServerError);
         this.listenTo(this.model, 'invalid', this.handleValidationError);
         this.selectorToField = _.invert(this.fieldToSelectorMap);
     },
diff --git a/cms/static/js/views/settings/settings_grading_view.js b/cms/static/js/views/settings/settings_grading_view.js
index 78972f97a7..b41c667121 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/views/settings/settings_grading_view.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/views/settings/settings_grading_view.js
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Grading = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
             self.render();
         }
         );
-        this.listenTo(this.model, 'error', CMS.ServerError);
         this.listenTo(this.model, 'invalid', this.handleValidationError);
         this.model.get('graders').on('remove', this.render, this);
         this.model.get('graders').on('reset', this.render, this);
@@ -65,7 +64,7 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Grading = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
         gradeCollection.each(function(gradeModel) {
             $(gradelist).append(self.template({model : gradeModel }));
             var newEle = gradelist.children().last();
-            var newView = new CMS.Views.Settings.GraderView({el: newEle, 
+            var newView = new CMS.Views.Settings.GraderView({el: newEle,
                 model : gradeModel, collection : gradeCollection });
         });
 
@@ -119,7 +118,7 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Grading = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
     gradeBarWidth : null, // cache of value since it won't change (more certain)
 
     renderCutoffBar: function() {
-        var gradeBar =this.$el.find('.grade-bar'); 
+        var gradeBar =this.$el.find('.grade-bar');
         this.gradeBarWidth = gradeBar.width();
         var gradelist = gradeBar.children('.grades');
         // HACK fixing a duplicate call issue by undoing previous call effect. Need to figure out why called 2x
@@ -128,11 +127,11 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Grading = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
         // Can probably be simplified to one variable now.
         var removable = false;
         var draggable = false; // first and last are not removable, first is not draggable
-        _.each(this.descendingCutoffs, 
+        _.each(this.descendingCutoffs,
                 function(cutoff, index) {
-            var newBar = this.gradeCutoffTemplate({ 
-                descriptor : cutoff['designation'] , 
-                width : nextWidth, 
+            var newBar = this.gradeCutoffTemplate({
+                descriptor : cutoff['designation'] ,
+                width : nextWidth,
                 removable : removable });
             gradelist.append(newBar);
             if (draggable) {
@@ -152,7 +151,7 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Grading = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
         },
         this);
         // add fail which is not in data
-        var failBar = this.gradeCutoffTemplate({ descriptor : this.failLabel(), 
+        var failBar = this.gradeCutoffTemplate({ descriptor : this.failLabel(),
             width : nextWidth, removable : false});
         $(failBar).find("span[contenteditable=true]").attr("contenteditable", false);
         gradelist.append(failBar);
@@ -221,12 +220,12 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Grading = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
     },
 
     saveCutoffs: function() {
-        this.model.save('grade_cutoffs', 
-                _.reduce(this.descendingCutoffs, 
-                        function(object, cutoff) { 
+        this.model.save('grade_cutoffs',
+                _.reduce(this.descendingCutoffs,
+                        function(object, cutoff) {
                     object[cutoff['designation']] = cutoff['cutoff'] / 100.0;
                     return object;
-                }, 
+                },
                 {}));
     },
 
@@ -244,7 +243,7 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.Grading = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
         this.descendingCutoffs.push({designation: this.GRADES[gradeLength], cutoff: failBarWidth});
         this.descendingCutoffs[gradeLength - 1]['cutoff'] = Math.round(targetWidth);
 
-        var $newGradeBar = this.gradeCutoffTemplate({ descriptor : this.GRADES[gradeLength], 
+        var $newGradeBar = this.gradeCutoffTemplate({ descriptor : this.GRADES[gradeLength],
             width : targetWidth, removable : true });
         var gradeDom = this.$el.find('.grades');
         gradeDom.children().last().before($newGradeBar);
@@ -317,7 +316,6 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.GraderView = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
         'blur :input' : "inputUnfocus"
     },
     initialize : function() {
-        this.listenTo(this.model, 'error', CMS.ServerError);
         this.listenTo(this.model, 'invalid', this.handleValidationError);
         this.selectorToField = _.invert(this.fieldToSelectorMap);
         this.render();
@@ -362,9 +360,8 @@ CMS.Views.Settings.GraderView = CMS.Views.ValidatingView.extend({
         }
     },
     deleteModel : function(e) {
-        this.model.destroy(
-                { error : CMS.ServerError});
+        this.model.destroy();
         e.preventDefault();
     }
 
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});
diff --git a/cms/static/js/views/validating_view.js b/cms/static/js/views/validating_view.js
index 5635d1e357..afb355ad4a 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/views/validating_view.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/views/validating_view.js
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ CMS.Views.ValidatingView = Backbone.View.extend({
     // decorates the fields. Needs wiring per class, but this initialization shows how
     // either have your init call this one or copy the contents
     initialize : function() {
-        this.listenTo(this.model, 'error', CMS.ServerError);
         this.listenTo(this.model, 'invalid', this.handleValidationError);
         this.selectorToField = _.invert(this.fieldToSelectorMap);
     },
diff --git a/cms/templates/base.html b/cms/templates/base.html
index cc6b32a4d2..6a6238d15b 100644
--- a/cms/templates/base.html
+++ b/cms/templates/base.html
@@ -109,6 +109,25 @@
     </%text>
     <script src="${static.url('js/models/feedback.js')}"></script>
     <script src="${static.url('js/views/feedback.js')}"></script>
+    <script type="text/javascript">
+$(document).ajaxError(function(event, jqXHR, ajaxSettings, thrownError) {
+    var m = new CMS.Models.SystemFeedback({
+        "type": "error",
+        "title": "Server Error",
+        "message": jqXHR.responseText,
+        "actions": {
+            "primary": {
+                "text": "Dismiss",
+                "click": function(model) {
+                    model.hide();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    });
+    new CMS.Views.Notification({model: m});
+    return m;
+})
+    </script>
 
     <!-- view -->
     <div class="wrapper wrapper-view">