diff --git a/src/app/character.coffee b/src/app/character.coffee
index d7e87a8abb..e62e577757 100644
--- a/src/app/character.coffee
+++ b/src/app/character.coffee
@@ -72,20 +72,6 @@ module.exports.app = (appExports, model) ->
     model.del "users.#{user.get('id')}", ->
       window.location.href = "/logout"
 
-  user.on 'set', 'flags.customizationsNotification', (captures, args) ->
-    return unless captures == true
-    $('.main-herobox').popover('destroy') #remove previous popovers
-    html = """
-           Click your avatar to customize your appearance. <a href='#' onClick="$('.main-herobox').popover('hide');return false;">[Close]</a>
-           """
-    $('.main-herobox').popover
-      title: "Customize Your Avatar"
-      placement: 'bottom'
-      trigger: 'manual'
-      html: true
-      content: html
-    $('.main-herobox').popover 'show'
-
 userSchema =
 # _id
   stats: { gp: 0, exp: 0, lvl: 1, hp: 50 }
diff --git a/src/app/index.coffee b/src/app/index.coffee
index c05ca0daec..9033213301 100644
--- a/src/app/index.coffee
+++ b/src/app/index.coffee
@@ -97,4 +97,5 @@ ready (model) ->
   require('../server/private').app(exports, model)
   require('./debug').app(exports, model) if model.flags.nodeEnv != 'production'
   require('./browser').app(exports, model, app)
+  require('./unlock').app(exports, model)
 
diff --git a/src/app/items.coffee b/src/app/items.coffee
index 03e1eeb2a0..7b2efa23da 100644
--- a/src/app/items.coffee
+++ b/src/app/items.coffee
@@ -119,38 +119,6 @@ module.exports.app = (appExports, model) ->
     model.set '_activeTabPets', true
     model.set '_activeTabRewards', false
 
-  model.on 'set', '_user.flags.itemsEnabled', (captures, args) ->
-    return unless captures is true
-    html = """
-           <div class='item-store-popover'>
-           <img src='/vendor/BrowserQuest/client/img/1/chest.png' />
-           Congratulations, you have unlocked the Item Store! You can now buy weapons, armor, potions, etc. Read each item's comment for more information.
-           <a href='#' onClick="$('div.rewards').popover('hide');return false;">[Close]</a>
-           </div>
-           """
-    $('div.rewards').popover({
-      title: "Item Store Unlocked"
-      placement: 'left'
-      trigger: 'manual'
-      html: true
-      content: html
-    }).popover 'show'
-
-  user.on 'set', 'flags.petsEnabled', (captures, args) ->
-    return unless captures == true
-    html = """
-           <img src='/img/sprites/wolf_border.png' style='width:30px;height:30px;float:left;padding-right:5px' />
-           You have unlocked Pets! You can now buy pets with tokens (note, you replenish tokens with real-life money - so chose your pets wisely!)
-           <a href='#' onClick="$('#rewardsTabs').popover('hide');return false;">[Close]</a>
-           """
-    $('#rewardsTabs').popover
-      title: "Pets Unlocked"
-      placement: 'left'
-      trigger: 'manual'
-      html: true
-      content: html
-    $('#rewardsTabs').popover 'show'
-
 ###
   update store
 ###
diff --git a/src/app/party.coffee b/src/app/party.coffee
index b4f1ccb9c6..8baeacf869 100644
--- a/src/app/party.coffee
+++ b/src/app/party.coffee
@@ -72,24 +72,6 @@ module.exports.app = (appExports, model) ->
 
   user = model.at('_user')
 
-  user.on 'set', 'flags.partyEnabled', (captures, args) ->
-    return if (captures != true) or user.get('party.current')
-    $('.user-menu').popover('destroy') #remove previous popovers
-    html = """
-           <div class='party-system-popover'>
-           <img src='/img/party-unlocked.png' style='float:right;padding:5px;' />
-           Be social, join a party and play Habit with your friends! You'll be better at your habits with accountability partners. LFG anyone?
-           <a href='#' onClick="$('.user-menu').popover('hide');return false;">[Close]</a>
-           </div>
-           """
-    $('.user-menu').popover
-      title: "Party System"
-      placement: 'bottom'
-      trigger: 'manual'
-      html: true
-      content: html
-    $('.user-menu').popover 'show'
-
   model.on 'set', '_user.party.invitation', (after, before) ->
     if !before? and after? # they just got invited
       partyQ = model.query('parties').withId(after)
diff --git a/src/app/pets.coffee b/src/app/pets.coffee
index 93d11d703e..023cbaa84e 100644
--- a/src/app/pets.coffee
+++ b/src/app/pets.coffee
@@ -8,19 +8,6 @@ _ = require 'underscore'
 module.exports.app = (appExports, model) ->
   user = model.at '_user'
 
-  user.on 'set', 'flags.dropsEnabled', (captures, args) ->
-    return unless captures == true
-
-    egg = randomVal pets
-
-    dontPersist =  model._dontPersist
-
-    model._dontPersist = false
-    user.push 'items.eggs', egg
-    model._dontPersist = dontPersist
-
-    $('#drops-enabled-modal').modal 'show'
-
   appExports.chooseEgg = (e, el) ->
     model.ref '_hatchEgg', e.at()
 
diff --git a/src/app/scoring.coffee b/src/app/scoring.coffee
index 09bf01a9e2..07b181250f 100644
--- a/src/app/scoring.coffee
+++ b/src/app/scoring.coffee
@@ -235,16 +235,22 @@ updateStats = (model, newStats, batch) ->
       #user.pass(true).set('stats.exp', obj.stats.exp)
 
     # Set flags when they unlock features
+    # NOTE we have to first model.set() the flag to true, then AFTER that obj.flags.flag = true
+    # The reason is model.on() listeners still track object references, so if obj.flags.flags = true and then we
+    # model.set(), the second argument of .on() listeners will be true (in otherwords, before/after tests will fail)
     if !obj.flags.customizationsNotification and (obj.stats.exp > 10 or obj.stats.lvl > 1)
       batch.set 'flags.customizationsNotification', true
       obj.flags.customizationsNotification = true
     if !obj.flags.itemsEnabled and obj.stats.lvl >= 2
       # Set to object, then also send to browser right away to get model.on() subscription notification
-      batch.set 'flags.itemsEnabled', obj.flags.itemsEnabled = true
+      batch.set 'flags.itemsEnabled', true
+      obj.flags.itemsEnabled = true
     if !obj.flags.partyEnabled and obj.stats.lvl >= 3
-      batch.set 'flags.partyEnabled', obj.flags.partyEnabled = true
+      batch.set 'flags.partyEnabled', true
+      obj.flags.partyEnabled = true
     if !obj.flags.dropsEnabled and obj.stats.lvl >= 4
-      batch.set 'flags.dropsEnabled', obj.flags.dropsEnabled = true
+      batch.set 'flags.dropsEnabled', true
+      obj.flags.dropsEnabled = true
 
   if newStats.gp?
     #FIXME what was I doing here? I can't remember, gp isn't defined
diff --git a/src/app/unlock.coffee b/src/app/unlock.coffee
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fec56b163a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/unlock.coffee
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+###
+  Listeners to enabled flags, set notifications to the user when they've unlocked features
+###
+
+module.exports.app = (appExports, model) ->
+  user = model.at('_user')
+
+  alreadyShown = (before, after) ->
+    debugger
+    !(!before and after is true)
+
+  showPopover = (selector, title, html, placement='bottom') ->
+    $(selector).popover('destroy')
+    html += " <a href='#' onClick=\"$('#{selector}').popover('hide');return false;\">[Close]</a>"
+    $(selector).popover({
+      title: title
+      placement: placement
+      trigger: 'manual'
+      html: true
+      content: html
+    }).popover 'show'
+
+
+  user.on 'set', 'flags.customizationsNotification', (after, before) ->
+    return if alreadyShown(before,after)
+    $('.main-herobox').popover('destroy') #remove previous popovers
+    html = "Click your avatar to customize your appearance."
+    showPopover '.main-herobox', 'Customize Your Avatar', html, 'bottom'
+
+  user.on 'set', 'flags.itemsEnabled', (after, before) ->
+    return if alreadyShown(before,after)
+    html = """
+           <img src='/vendor/BrowserQuest/client/img/1/chest.png' />
+           Congratulations, you have unlocked the Item Store! You can now buy weapons, armor, potions, etc. Read each item's comment for more information.
+           """
+    showPopover 'div.rewards', 'Item Store Unlocked', html, 'left'
+
+  user.on 'set', 'flags.petsEnabled', (after, before) ->
+    return if alreadyShown(before,after)
+    html = """
+           <img src='/img/sprites/wolf_border.png' style='width:30px;height:30px;float:left;padding-right:5px' />
+           You have unlocked Pets! You can now buy pets with tokens (note, you replenish tokens with real-life money - so chose your pets wisely!)
+           """
+    showPopover '#rewardsTabs', 'Pets Unlocked', html, 'left'
+
+  user.on 'set', 'flags.partyEnabled', (after, before) ->
+    return if user.get('party.current') or alreadyShown(before,after)
+    $('.user-menu').popover('destroy') #remove previous popovers
+    html = """
+           <img src='/img/party-unlocked.png' style='float:right;padding:5px;' />
+           Be social, join a party and play Habit with your friends! You'll be better at your habits with accountability partners. LFG anyone?
+           """
+    showPopover '.user-menu', 'Party System', html, 'bottom'
+
+  user.on 'set', 'flags.dropsEnabled', (after, before) ->
+    return if alreadyShown(before,after)
+
+    egg = randomVal pets
+
+    dontPersist =  model._dontPersist
+
+    model._dontPersist = false
+    user.push 'items.eggs', egg
+    model._dontPersist = dontPersist
+
+    $('#drops-enabled-modal').modal 'show'