diff --git a/airtime_mvc/application/controllers/PlaylistController.php b/airtime_mvc/application/controllers/PlaylistController.php
index e7f4c8e8f..ad7ea1fcd 100644
--- a/airtime_mvc/application/controllers/PlaylistController.php
+++ b/airtime_mvc/application/controllers/PlaylistController.php
@@ -97,7 +97,11 @@ class PlaylistController extends Zend_Controller_Action
                 unset($this->view->obj);
             }
         } else {
-            $this->view->html = $this->view->render($viewPath);
+            if ($isJson) {
+                return $this->view->render($viewPath);
+            } else {
+                $this->view->html = $this->view->render($viewPath);
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -112,13 +116,19 @@ class PlaylistController extends Zend_Controller_Action
         $this->createFullResponse($obj);
     }
 
-    private function playlistNotFound($p_type)
+    private function playlistNotFound($p_type, $p_isJson = false)
     {
+        $p_type = ucfirst($p_type);
         $this->view->error = "{$p_type} not found";
 
         Logging::info("{$p_type} not found");
         Application_Model_Library::changePlaylist(null, $p_type);
-        $this->createFullResponse(null);
+        
+        if ($p_type == 'Playlist') {
+            $this->createFullResponse(null);
+        } else {
+            die(json_encode(array("error"=>$this->view->error, "result"=>1, "html"=>$this->createFullResponse(null, true))));
+        }
     }
 
     private function playlistNoPermission($p_type)
@@ -478,26 +488,31 @@ class PlaylistController extends Zend_Controller_Action
     {
         $request = $this->getRequest();
         $params = $request->getPost();
-        $form = new Application_Form_SmartBlockCriteria();
-        $form->startForm($params['obj_id']);
-        $bl = new Application_Model_Block($params['obj_id']);
-        if ($form->isValid($params)) {
-            $result = $bl->generateSmartBlock($params['data']);
-            try {
+        
+        //make sure block exists
+        try {
+            $bl = new Application_Model_Block($params['obj_id']);
+            
+            $form = new Application_Form_SmartBlockCriteria();
+            $form->startForm($params['obj_id']);
+            if ($form->isValid($params)) {
+                $result = $bl->generateSmartBlock($params['data']);
                 die(json_encode(array("result"=>0, "html"=>$this->createFullResponse($bl, true, true))));
-            } catch (PlaylistNotFoundException $e) {
-                $this->playlistNotFound('block');
-            } catch (Exception $e) {
-                $this->playlistUnknownError($e);
+            } else {
+                $this->view->obj = $bl;
+                $this->view->id = $bl->getId();
+                $this->view->form = $form;
+                $viewPath = 'playlist/smart-block.phtml';
+                $result['html'] = $this->view->render($viewPath);
+                $result['result'] = 1;
+                die(json_encode($result));
             }
-        } else {
-            $this->view->obj = $bl;
-            $this->view->id = $bl->getId();
-            $this->view->form = $form;
-            $viewPath = 'playlist/smart-block.phtml';
-            $result['html'] = $this->view->render($viewPath);
-            $result['result'] = 1;
-            die(json_encode($result));
+        } catch (BlockNotFoundException $e) {
+            $this->playlistNotFound('block', true);
+        } catch (PlaylistNotFoundException $e) {
+            $this->playlistNotFound('block');
+        } catch (Exception $e) {
+            $this->playlistUnknownError($e);
         }
     }
 
@@ -505,17 +520,21 @@ class PlaylistController extends Zend_Controller_Action
     {
         $request = $this->getRequest();
         $params = $request->getPost();
-        $bl = new Application_Model_Block($params['obj_id']);
-        $result = $bl->shuffleSmartBlock();
-
-        if ($result['result'] == 0) {
-            try {
+        try {
+            $bl = new Application_Model_Block($params['obj_id']);
+            $result = $bl->shuffleSmartBlock();
+    
+            if ($result['result'] == 0) {
                 die(json_encode(array("result"=>0, "html"=>$this->createFullResponse($bl, true))));
-            } catch (PlaylistNotFoundException $e) {
-                $this->playlistNotFound('block');
+            } else {
+                die(json_encode($result));
             }
-        } else {
-            die(json_encode($result));
+        } catch (BlockNotFoundException $e) {
+            $this->playlistNotFound('block', true);
+        } catch (PlaylistNotFoundException $e) {
+            $this->playlistNotFound('block');
+        } catch (Exception $e) {
+            $this->playlistUnknownError($e);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/airtime_mvc/public/js/airtime/playlist/smart_blockbuilder.js b/airtime_mvc/public/js/airtime/playlist/smart_blockbuilder.js
index 65035d5ef..e53c33f81 100644
--- a/airtime_mvc/public/js/airtime/playlist/smart_blockbuilder.js
+++ b/airtime_mvc/public/js/airtime/playlist/smart_blockbuilder.js
@@ -437,6 +437,9 @@ function callback(data, type) {
         dt = $('table[id="library_display"]').dataTable();
 
     if (type == 'shuffle' || type == 'generate') {
+        if (json.error !== undefined) {
+            alert(json.error);
+        }
         AIRTIME.playlist.fnOpenPlaylist(json);
         var form = $('#smart-block-form');
         if (json.result == "0") {