diff --git a/api.php b/api.php
index ac87277..9501dea 100644
--- a/api.php
+++ b/api.php
@@ -582,7 +582,13 @@ switch($request[0]) {
 					$addstatus=account_add_role($_SESSION['accounts_id'],$role_id,$conference['id']);
 
 				switch($addstatus) {
-					case "ok": $ret['status']="ok"; break;
+					case "ok":
+						$ret['status']="ok";
+						$roleName = mysql_result(mysql_query("SELECT type FROM roles WHERE id = $role_id"), 0);
+						if(!in_array($roleName, $_SESSION['roles'])){ // because account_add_role will return "ok" if they already have this role
+							$_SESSION['roles'][] = $roleName;
+						}
+						break;
 					case "invalidrole": $ret['status']="error"; $ret['error']="Invalid role"; break;
 					case "invalidaccount": $ret['status']="error"; $ret['error']="Invalid account"; break;
 					case "invalidconference": $ret['status']="error"; $ret['error']="Invalid conference"; break;
@@ -608,7 +614,14 @@ switch($request[0]) {
 				$removestatus=account_remove_role($_SESSION['accounts_id'],$role_id,$conference['id']);
 
 				switch($removestatus) {
-					case "ok": $ret['status']="ok"; break;
+					case "ok":
+						$ret['status']="ok";
+						$roleName = mysql_result(mysql_query("SELECT type FROM roles WHERE id = $role_id"), 0);
+						$key = array_search($roleName, $_SESSION['roles']);
+						if($key !== false){
+							unset($_SESSION['roles'][$key]);
+						}
+						break;
 					case "invalidrole": $ret['status']="error"; $ret['error']="Invalid role"; break;
 					case "invalidaccount": $ret['status']="error"; $ret['error']="Invalid account"; break;
 					case "invalidconference": $ret['status']="error"; $ret['error']="Invalid conference"; break;
diff --git a/user.inc.php b/user.inc.php
index d58fe7f..c67336b 100644
--- a/user.inc.php
+++ b/user.inc.php
@@ -581,70 +581,13 @@ function user_add_role(&$u, $role, $password = null){
 	$conference_id = $q['conferences_id'];
 	$result = account_add_role($u['accounts_id'], $roles[$role]['id'], $password);
 	if($result == 'ok'){
-		$u['roles'][$role] = array('active' =>'yes', 'complete' => 'no');
+		// we need this "if" because account_add_role will return "ok" if they already have this role
+		if(!in_array($role, $_SESSION['roles'])){
+		       $_SESSION['roles'][] = $role;
+		}
+
 	}
 	return $result;
-
-/*
-	global $config, $roles;
-	if(!user_add_role_allowed($u, $role)) {
-		// If we get in here, someone is hand crafting URLs 
-		return "invalid role for specified user";
-	}
-
-	// ensure that this role can indeed be added
-	$error = null;
-	if(array_key_exists($role . '_registration_type', $config)){
-		switch($config[$role . '_registration_type']){
-			case 'open':
-			case 'openorinvite':
-				// nothing to do for these
-				break;
-			case 'singlepassword':
-				if($password != $config[$role . '_registration_singlepassword']){
-					$error = "invalid password";
-				}
-				break;
-			case 'schoolpassword':
-				if($password != null){
-					$schoolId = $u['schools_id'];
-					$schoolDat = mysql_fetch_assoc(mysql_query("SELECT registration_password FROM schools WHERE id=$schoolId"));
-					if(is_array($schoolDat)){
-						if($password == $schoolDat['registration_password']) $valid = true;
-						$error = "invalid password";
-					}
-				}
-				break;
-			case 'invite':
-				$error = 'invite only';
-				break;
-		}
-	}else{
-		$error = 'invalid role';
-	}
-
-	if($error != null){
-		return $error;
-	}
-
-	// ok, the conditions are met, make sure they don't already have this role
-	$check = mysql_fetch_assoc(mysql_query("SELECT COUNT(*) AS tally FROM user_roles WHERE users_id = {$u['id']} AND roles_id={$roles[$role]['id']}"));
-	if($check['tally'] == 0){
-
-		$q = "INSERT INTO user_roles (accounts_id, users_id, roles_id, active, complete) VALUES(";
-		$q .= $u['accounts_id'];
-		$q .= ", " . $u['id'];
-		$q .= ", " . $roles[$role]['id'];
-		$q .= ", 'yes', 'no');";
-		if(mysql_query($q)){
-			$u['roles'][$role] = array('active' =>'yes', 'complete' => 'no');
-		}else{
-			return "error creating record";
-		}
-	}
-
-	return 'ok';
-*/
 }
 
 function user_create($accounts_id, $conferences_id=0)
diff --git a/user_main.php b/user_main.php
index 8c50d67..ef2a355 100644
--- a/user_main.php
+++ b/user_main.php
@@ -42,8 +42,10 @@ if(array_key_exists('action', $_GET)){
 		case 'register':
 			$role = $_POST['role'];
 			$result = account_add_role($u['accounts_id'], $roles[$role]['id'], $_SESSION['conferences_id'], $_POST['password']);
-			if($result != 'ok'){
-				error_($result);
+			if($result == 'ok'){
+//				$u['roles'][$role] = array('active' =>'yes', 'complete' => 'no');
+				$_SESSION['roles'][] = $role;
+//				error_($result);
 			}
 			break;
 		case 'draw_roles':
@@ -100,14 +102,12 @@ send_header("Main Page", array());
 ?>
 <script type="text/javascript">
 	function register(role){
-		//alert($('#' + role + '_password').val());
 		$.post('user_main.php?action=register',
 			{
 				'role' : role,
 				'password' : $('#' + role + '_password').val()
 			},
 			function(result){
-				alert(result);
 				$('#roles').load('user_main.php?action=draw_roles');
 			}
 		);