diff --git a/lib/pangea/login/pages/create_pangea_account_page.dart b/lib/pangea/login/pages/create_pangea_account_page.dart
index cc9e418ce..c5a7b01ff 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/login/pages/create_pangea_account_page.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/login/pages/create_pangea_account_page.dart
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ class CreatePangeaAccountPageState extends State<CreatePangeaAccountPage> {
   }
 
   Future<void> _updateTargetLanguage() async {
+    if (_langCode == null) return;
     await MatrixState.pangeaController.userController.updateProfile(
       (profile) {
         profile.userSettings.targetLanguage = _langCode;
@@ -150,7 +151,12 @@ class CreatePangeaAccountPageState extends State<CreatePangeaAccountPage> {
 
     try {
       if (_langCode == null) {
-        throw Exception('No language selected');
+        // at this point, there's no cached selected language, and couldn't get
+        // language from cached course code, so go back to the language selection page
+        if (mounted) {
+          context.go('/registration');
+        }
+        return;
       }
 
       final updateFuture = [
diff --git a/lib/pangea/login/utils/sso_login_action.dart b/lib/pangea/login/utils/sso_login_action.dart
index c552d9008..fa2aac089 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/login/utils/sso_login_action.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/login/utils/sso_login_action.dart
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ Future<void> pangeaSSOLoginAction(
       final route = FluffyChatApp.router.state.fullPath;
       if (route == null ||
           (!route.contains("/rooms") && !route.contains('registration'))) {
-        context.go('/registration/create');
+        context.go('/rooms');
       }
     },
   ).timeout(const Duration(seconds: 30));
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ Future<void> pangeaSSOLoginAction(
     final route = FluffyChatApp.router.state.fullPath;
     if (route == null ||
         (!route.contains("/rooms") && !route.contains('registration'))) {
-      context.go('/registration/create');
+      context.go('/rooms');
     }
   } else {
     await redirect;
diff --git a/lib/pangea/user/controllers/user_controller.dart b/lib/pangea/user/controllers/user_controller.dart
index c2d147366..b548be8d4 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/user/controllers/user_controller.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/user/controllers/user_controller.dart
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ class UserController {
     Profile Function(Profile) update, {
     waitForDataInSync = false,
   }) async {
+    await initialize();
     final prevTargetLang = _pangeaController.languageController.userL2;
     final prevBaseLang = _pangeaController.languageController.userL1;
     final prevHash = profile.hashCode;