diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/darkswarm/services/checkout.js.coffee b/app/assets/javascripts/darkswarm/services/checkout.js.coffee
index 85e5e8ae94..d8d193b310 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/darkswarm/services/checkout.js.coffee
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/darkswarm/services/checkout.js.coffee
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ Darkswarm.factory 'Checkout', ($injector, CurrentOrder, ShippingMethods, StripeJ
 
     submit: =>
       Loading.message = t 'submitting_order'
-      $http.put('/checkout', {order: @preprocess()}).success (data, status)=>
+      $http.put('/checkout.json', {order: @preprocess()}).success (data, status)=>
         Navigation.go data.path
       .error (response, status)=>
         if response.path
diff --git a/app/controllers/checkout_controller.rb b/app/controllers/checkout_controller.rb
index 39fccfb075..0233e2c383 100644
--- a/app/controllers/checkout_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/checkout_controller.rb
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ class CheckoutController < Spree::CheckoutController
           format.html do
             respond_with(@order, :location => order_path(@order))
           end
-          format.js do
+          format.json do
             render json: {path: order_path(@order)}, status: 200
           end
         end
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ class CheckoutController < Spree::CheckoutController
       format.html do
         render :edit
       end
-      format.js do
+      format.json do
         render json: {errors: @order.errors, flash: flash.to_hash}.to_json, status: 400
       end
     end
@@ -222,4 +222,12 @@ class CheckoutController < Spree::CheckoutController
       params[:order][:payments_attributes].first.delete :source_attributes
     end
   end
+
+  def rescue_from_spree_gateway_error(error)
+    flash[:error] = t(:spree_gateway_error_flash_for_checkout, error: error.message)
+    respond_to do |format|
+      format.html { render :edit }
+      format.json { render json: { flash: flash.to_hash }, status: 400 }
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/config/locales/en.yml b/config/locales/en.yml
index 196c130e78..03be617bfc 100644
--- a/config/locales/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/en.yml
@@ -766,6 +766,10 @@ en:
       require_login_html: "Please %{login} if you have an account already. Otherwise, %{register} to become a customer."
       require_customer_html: "Please %{contact} %{enterprise} to become a customer."
 
+
+  # Front-end controller translations
+  spree_gateway_error_flash_for_checkout: "There was a problem with your payment information: %{error}"
+
   # Printable Invoice Columns
   invoice_billing_address: "Billing address:"
   invoice_column_tax: "GST"
diff --git a/spec/controllers/checkout_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/checkout_controller_spec.rb
index 8833a1bd9f..38d72d6442 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/checkout_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/checkout_controller_spec.rb
@@ -69,14 +69,14 @@ describe CheckoutController do
     it "clears the ship address when re-rendering edit" do
       controller.should_receive(:clear_ship_address).and_return true
       order.stub(:update_attributes).and_return false
-      spree_post :update, order: {}
+      spree_post :update, format: :json, order: {}
     end
 
     it "clears the ship address when the order state cannot be advanced" do
       controller.should_receive(:clear_ship_address).and_return true
       order.stub(:update_attributes).and_return true
       order.stub(:next).and_return false
-      spree_post :update, order: {}
+      spree_post :update, format: :json, order: {}
     end
 
     it "only clears the ship address with a pickup shipping method" do
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ describe CheckoutController do
     end
 
     it "returns errors" do
-      xhr :post, :update, order: {}, use_route: :spree
+      spree_post :update, format: :json, order: {}
       response.status.should == 400
       response.body.should == {errors: assigns[:order].errors, flash: {}}.to_json
     end
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ describe CheckoutController do
     it "returns flash" do
       order.stub(:update_attributes).and_return true
       order.stub(:next).and_return false
-      xhr :post, :update, order: {}, use_route: :spree
+      spree_post :update, format: :json, order: {}
       response.body.should == {errors: assigns[:order].errors, flash: {error: "Payment could not be processed, please check the details you entered"}}.to_json
     end
 
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ describe CheckoutController do
       order.stub(:update_attributes).and_return true
       order.stub(:state).and_return "complete"
 
-      xhr :post, :update, order: {}, use_route: :spree
+      spree_post :update, format: :json, order: {}
       response.status.should == 200
       response.body.should == {path: spree.order_path(order)}.to_json
     end
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ describe CheckoutController do
           true
         end
 
-        xhr :post, :update, order: {}, use_route: :spree
+        spree_post :update, format: :json, order: {}
         response.status.should == 200
       end
 
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ describe CheckoutController do
         order.stub(:update_attributes).and_return true
         order.stub(:next) { raise ActiveRecord::StaleObjectError.new(Spree::Variant.new, 'update') }
 
-        xhr :post, :update, order: {}, use_route: :spree
+        spree_post :update, format: :json, order: {}
         response.status.should == 400
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/unit/darkswarm/services/checkout_spec.js.coffee b/spec/javascripts/unit/darkswarm/services/checkout_spec.js.coffee
index d21f10fb15..a137b2f4ac 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/unit/darkswarm/services/checkout_spec.js.coffee
+++ b/spec/javascripts/unit/darkswarm/services/checkout_spec.js.coffee
@@ -91,27 +91,27 @@ describe 'Checkout service', ->
 
   describe "submitting", ->
     it "Posts the Checkout to the server", ->
-      $httpBackend.expectPUT("/checkout", {order: Checkout.preprocess()}).respond 200, {path: "test"}
+      $httpBackend.expectPUT("/checkout.json", {order: Checkout.preprocess()}).respond 200, {path: "test"}
       Checkout.submit()
       $httpBackend.flush()
 
     describe "when there is an error", ->
       it "redirects when a redirect is given", ->
-        $httpBackend.expectPUT("/checkout").respond 400, {path: 'path'}
+        $httpBackend.expectPUT("/checkout.json").respond 400, {path: 'path'}
         Checkout.submit()
         $httpBackend.flush()
         expect(Navigation.go).toHaveBeenCalledWith 'path'
 
       it "sends flash messages to the flash service", ->
         spyOn(FlashLoaderMock, "loadFlash") # Stubbing out writes to window.location
-        $httpBackend.expectPUT("/checkout").respond 400, {flash: {error: "frogs"}}
+        $httpBackend.expectPUT("/checkout.json").respond 400, {flash: {error: "frogs"}}
         Checkout.submit()
 
         $httpBackend.flush()
         expect(FlashLoaderMock.loadFlash).toHaveBeenCalledWith {error: "frogs"}
 
       it "puts errors into the scope", ->
-        $httpBackend.expectPUT("/checkout").respond 400, {errors: {error: "frogs"}}
+        $httpBackend.expectPUT("/checkout.json").respond 400, {errors: {error: "frogs"}}
         Checkout.submit()
         $httpBackend.flush()
         expect(Checkout.errors).toEqual {error: "frogs"}
diff --git a/spec/requests/stripe_connect_checkout_spec.rb b/spec/requests/stripe_connect_checkout_spec.rb
index 1be74260ce..61eed6c319 100644
--- a/spec/requests/stripe_connect_checkout_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/stripe_connect_checkout_spec.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ describe "Submitting Stripe Connect charge requests", type: :request do
   let!(:order) { line_item.order }
   let(:address) { create(:address) }
   let(:token) { "token123" }
-  let(:params) { { order: {
+  let(:params) { { format: :json, order: {
       shipping_method_id: shipping_method.id,
       payments_attributes: [{payment_method_id: payment_method.id, source_attributes: { gateway_payment_profile_id: token, cc_type: "visa", last_digits: "4242", month: 10, year: 2025 }}],
       bill_address_attributes: address.attributes.slice("firstname","lastname","address1","address2","phone","city","zipcode","state_id","country_id"),
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@ describe "Submitting Stripe Connect charge requests", type: :request do
       # Saves the card against the user
       stub_request(:post, "https://sk_test_123456:@api.stripe.com/v1/customers")
         .with(:body => { card: token, email: order.email})
-        .to_return(status: 200, body: JSON.generate({ id: "cus_A123", default_card: "card_XyZ456", sources: { data: [{id: "1"}] } }), headers: {})
+        .to_return(status: 200, body: JSON.generate(store_response_mock))
 
       # Requests a token from the newly saved card
       stub_request(:post, "https://api.stripe.com/v1/tokens")
         .with(:body => { card: "card_XyZ456", customer: "cus_A123"})
-        .to_return(status: 200, body: JSON.generate({id: "newtoken_123"}), headers: {})
+        .to_return(status: 200, body: JSON.generate({id: "newtoken_123"}))
 
       # Charges the card
       stub_request(:post, "https://sk_test_123456:@api.stripe.com/v1/charges")
@@ -46,12 +46,14 @@ describe "Submitting Stripe Connect charge requests", type: :request do
         .to_return(body: JSON.generate(charge_response_mock))
     end
 
-    context "and the charge request is accepted" do
+    context "and the store and charge requests are accepted" do
+      let(:store_response_mock) { { id: "cus_A123", default_card: "card_XyZ456", sources: { data: [{id: "1"}] } } }
       let(:charge_response_mock) { { id: "ch_1234", object: "charge", amount: 2000} }
 
       it "should process the payment, and stores the card/customer details" do
         put update_checkout_path, params
-        expect(response).to redirect_to(spree.order_path(order))
+        json_response = JSON.parse(response.body)
+        expect(json_response["path"]).to eq spree.order_path(order)
         expect(order.payments.completed.count).to be 1
         card = order.payments.completed.first.source
         expect(card.gateway_customer_profile_id).to eq "cus_A123"
@@ -59,12 +61,28 @@ describe "Submitting Stripe Connect charge requests", type: :request do
       end
     end
 
+    context "when the store request returns an error message" do
+      let(:store_response_mock) { { error: { message: "Bup-bow..."} } }
+      let(:charge_response_mock) { { id: "ch_1234", object: "charge", amount: 2000} }
+
+      it "should not process the payment" do
+        put update_checkout_path, params
+        expect(response.status).to be 400
+        json_response = JSON.parse(response.body)
+        expect(json_response["flash"]["error"]).to eq I18n.t(:spree_gateway_error_flash_for_checkout, error: 'Bup-bow...')
+        expect(order.payments.completed.count).to be 0
+      end
+    end
+
     context "when the charge request returns an error message" do
+      let(:store_response_mock) { { id: "cus_A123", default_card: "card_XyZ456", sources: { data: [{id: "1"}] } } }
       let(:charge_response_mock) { { error: { message: "Bup-bow..."} } }
 
       it "should not process the payment" do
         put update_checkout_path, params
-        expect(response).to render_template(:edit)
+        expect(response.status).to be 400
+        json_response = JSON.parse(response.body)
+        expect(json_response["flash"]["error"]).to eq I18n.t(:payment_processing_failed)
         expect(order.payments.completed.count).to be 0
       end
     end
@@ -98,12 +116,25 @@ describe "Submitting Stripe Connect charge requests", type: :request do
 
       it "should process the payment, and keep the profile ids" do
         put update_checkout_path, params
-        expect(response).to redirect_to(spree.order_path(order))
+        json_response = JSON.parse(response.body)
+        expect(json_response["path"]).to eq spree.order_path(order)
         expect(order.payments.completed.count).to be 1
         card = order.payments.completed.first.source
         expect(card.gateway_customer_profile_id).to eq "cus_Z456"
         expect(card.gateway_payment_profile_id).to eq "card_AbC123"
       end
     end
+
+    context "when the charge request returns an error message" do
+      let(:charge_response_mock) { { error: { message: "Bup-bow..."} } }
+
+      it "should not process the payment" do
+        put update_checkout_path, params
+        expect(response.status).to be 400
+        json_response = JSON.parse(response.body)
+        expect(json_response["flash"]["error"]).to eq I18n.t(:payment_processing_failed)
+        expect(order.payments.completed.count).to be 0
+      end
+    end
   end
 end