diff --git a/account.inc.php b/account.inc.php
index 82e239ec..55db443e 100644
--- a/account.inc.php
+++ b/account.inc.php
@@ -180,6 +180,17 @@ function account_set_email($accounts_id,$email) {
 	}
 }
 
+// add the necessary role to the account's user record for the specified conference
+function account_add_role($accounts_id, $roles_id, $conferences_id, $password = null){
+	// create the user if they don't exist
+	// active = yes
+	// complete = no
+}
+
+function account_remove_role($accounts_id, $roles_id, $conferences_id){
+}
+
+
 /*
 */
 ?>
diff --git a/user.inc.php b/user.inc.php
index b95d68ce..193a0d1e 100644
--- a/user.inc.php
+++ b/user.inc.php
@@ -234,6 +234,15 @@ function user_load_by_accounts_id_year($uid, $year)
 	return user_load($i['id']);
 }
 
+// activate the specified role for the specified user if they have that role
+function user_activate_role($users_id, $roles_id){
+}
+
+// deactivate the specified role for the specified user if they have that role
+function user_deactivate_role($users_id, $roles_id){
+}
+
+
 function user_save(&$u)
 {
 	global $conference;
@@ -492,13 +501,15 @@ function user_add_role_allowed(&$u, $role)
 	return true;
 }
 
+
+// Add a role for a user.  Return true on success, false on error
 function user_add_role(&$u, $role, $password = null)
 {
 	global $config, $roles;
 	if(!user_add_role_allowed($u, $role)) {
 		/* If we get in here, someone is hand crafting URLs */
 		echo "HALT: invalid role add specified for operation.";
-		exit;
+		return false;
 	}
 
 	// ensure that this role can indeed be added
@@ -529,24 +540,27 @@ function user_add_role(&$u, $role, $password = null)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if($valid){
-		// 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($check['tally'] == 0){
+	if(!$valid){
+		return false;
+	}
 
-			$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{
-				$error = mysql_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 false;
 		}
 	}
+
+	return true;
 }
 
 function user_create($accounts_id, $conferences_id=0)
@@ -874,10 +888,10 @@ function user_conference_load($accounts_id,$conferences_id) {
 	$q = mysql_query("SELECT id FROM users WHERE accounts_id=$accounts_id AND conferences_id=$conferences_id");
 	if(mysql_num_rows($q) == 0) {
 		/* FIXME: this should probably just return false, but for now, see if there's an error */
-		return false;
+//		return false;
 //		header("location: user_edit.php");
 //		echo "No user {$accounts_id} for conference {$_SESSION['conferences_id']}";
-		exit;
+		return $config['SFIABDIRECTORY']."/user_main.php";
 	} 
 	if(mysql_num_rows($q) > 1) {
 		echo "DATABASE ERROR: More than one user for account $accounts_id  conference {$conferences_id}";