diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 4382ac050e..2004d1467f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
     "derby-ui-boot": "git://github.com/codeparty/derby-ui-boot#master",
     "derby-auth": "git://github.com/lefnire/derby-auth#master",
 
-    "connect-mongo": ">=0.1.9",
+    "connect-mongo": "git://github.com/kcbanner/connect-mongo#master",
     "passport-facebook": "*",
     "express": "*",
     "gzippo": "*",
diff --git a/src/server/index.coffee b/src/server/index.coffee
index bfdb2f5c90..20c928253e 100644
--- a/src/server/index.coffee
+++ b/src/server/index.coffee
@@ -51,41 +51,45 @@ options =
   allowPurl: true
   schema: require('../app/schema').newUserObject()
 
-expressApp
-  .use(express.favicon())
-  # Gzip static files and serve from memory
-  .use(gzippo.staticGzip publicPath, maxAge: ONE_YEAR)
-  # Gzip dynamically rendered content
-  .use(express.compress())
+# use async callback for initializing app, to make sure we're connected to the database before initting app
+# this avoids 'arbiterOnly' error (see http://goo.gl/Vs6lW)
+mongo_store = new MongoStore {url: process.env.NODE_DB_URI}, ->
 
-  # Uncomment to add form data parsing support
-  .use(express.bodyParser())
-  .use(express.methodOverride())
+  expressApp
+    .use(express.favicon())
+    # Gzip static files and serve from memory
+    .use(gzippo.staticGzip publicPath, maxAge: ONE_YEAR)
+    # Gzip dynamically rendered content
+    .use(express.compress())
 
-  # Uncomment and supply secret to add Derby session handling
-  # Derby session middleware creates req.session and socket.io sessions
-  .use(express.cookieParser())
-  .use(store.sessionMiddleware
-    secret: process.env.SESSION_SECRET || 'YOUR SECRET HERE'
-    cookie: {maxAge: ONE_YEAR}
-    store: new MongoStore(url: process.env.NODE_DB_URI)
-  )
-  
-  # Adds req.getModel method
-  .use(store.modelMiddleware())
-  # Middelware can be inserted after the modelMiddleware and before
-  # the app router to pass server accessible data to a model
-  .use(priv.middleware)
-  .use(habitrpgMiddleware)
-  .use(auth(store, strategies, options))
-  # Creates an express middleware from the app's routes
-  .use(app.router())
-  .use(expressApp.router)
-  .use(serverError root)
+    # Uncomment to add form data parsing support
+    .use(express.bodyParser())
+    .use(express.methodOverride())
 
-priv.routes(expressApp)
-require('./serverRoutes')(expressApp, root, derby)
+    # Uncomment and supply secret to add Derby session handling
+    # Derby session middleware creates req.session and socket.io sessions
+    .use(express.cookieParser())
+    .use(store.sessionMiddleware
+      secret: process.env.SESSION_SECRET || 'YOUR SECRET HERE'
+      cookie: {maxAge: ONE_YEAR}
+      store: mongo_store
+    )
 
-# Errors
-expressApp.all '*', (req) ->
-  throw "404: #{req.url}"
\ No newline at end of file
+    # Adds req.getModel method
+    .use(store.modelMiddleware())
+    # Middelware can be inserted after the modelMiddleware and before
+    # the app router to pass server accessible data to a model
+    .use(priv.middleware)
+    .use(habitrpgMiddleware)
+    .use(auth(store, strategies, options))
+    # Creates an express middleware from the app's routes
+    .use(app.router())
+    .use(expressApp.router)
+    .use(serverError root)
+
+  priv.routes(expressApp)
+  require('./serverRoutes')(expressApp, root, derby)
+
+  # Errors
+  expressApp.all '*', (req) ->
+    throw "404: #{req.url}"
\ No newline at end of file