diff --git a/src/server/index.coffee b/src/server/index.coffee
index dcffa26815..fb7d9ac9c5 100644
--- a/src/server/index.coffee
+++ b/src/server/index.coffee
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ mongo_store = new MongoStore {url: process.env.NODE_DB_URI}, ->
 
     #show splash page for newcomers
     .use (req, res, next) ->
+      # This was an API call, not a page load
+      return next() if req.is('json')
+
       if !req.session.userId? and !req.query?.play?
         res.redirect('/splash.html')
       else
diff --git a/src/server/serverRoutes.coffee b/src/server/serverRoutes.coffee
index d7256d9d47..5b5235eba4 100644
--- a/src/server/serverRoutes.coffee
+++ b/src/server/serverRoutes.coffee
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ module.exports = (expressApp, root, derby) ->
     res.send(200, deprecatedMessage)
 
   # New API
+  # test with `curl -X POST -H "Content-Type:application/json" localhost:3000/users/{uid}/tasks/productivity/up`
   expressApp.post '/users/:uid/tasks/:taskId/:direction', (req, res) ->
     {uid, taskId, direction} = req.params
     {title, service, icon} = req.body