diff --git a/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb b/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
index 361636c9d..939a7d9fc 100644
--- a/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class StatusMessagesController < ApplicationController
       end
     else
       respond_to do |format|
-        format.json { render :nothing, :status => 403 }
+        format.json { render :nothing => true , :status => 403 }
         format.html { redirect_to :back }
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/controllers/status_messages_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/status_messages_controller_spec.rb
index 12b79da03..eda758c26 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/status_messages_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/status_messages_controller_spec.rb
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ describe StatusMessagesController do
       :aspect_ids => [@aspect1.id.to_s] }
     }
 
+    it 'creates with valid json' do
+      post :create, status_message_hash.merge(:format => 'json')
+      response.status.should == 201
+    end
+    
     it 'removes getting started from new users' do
       @controller.should_receive(:remove_getting_started)
       post :create, status_message_hash