diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index 47b8fb372..32b4420f6 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ function build_marble_options(username, company){
 	var sizes = ['35', '16'];
 	var color_index = simple_hash(more_entropy + company) % colors.length;		//build a psudeo random index to pick a color
 	var size_index = getRandomInt(0, sizes.length);								//build a random size for this marble
-	return [randStr(24), colors[color_index], sizes[size_index], username, company];
+	return [randStr(24), colors[color_index], sizes[size_index], username, company, process.env.marble_company];
 }
 
 //this only runs after we deploy
diff --git a/chaincode/lib_marbles.go b/chaincode/lib_marbles.go
index 0fe3bfddc..49d564d76 100644
--- a/chaincode/lib_marbles.go
+++ b/chaincode/lib_marbles.go
@@ -146,10 +146,10 @@ func init_marble(stub shim.ChaincodeStubInterface, args []string) ([]byte, error
 	var err error
 	fmt.Println("starting init_marble")
 
-	//   0       1       2     3      4
-	// "asdf", "blue", "35", "bob", "united marbles"
-	if len(args) != 5 {
-		return nil, errors.New("Incorrect number of arguments. Expecting 5")
+	//   0       1       2     3      4                  5
+	// "asdf", "blue", "35", "bob", "united marbles", "united marbles"
+	if len(args) != 6 {
+		return nil, errors.New("Incorrect number of arguments. Expecting 6")
 	}
 
 	//input sanitation
@@ -172,11 +172,17 @@ func init_marble(stub shim.ChaincodeStubInterface, args []string) ([]byte, error
 	color := strings.ToLower(args[1])
 	username := strings.ToLower(args[3])
 	company := args[4]
+	authed_by_company := args[5]
 	size, err := strconv.Atoi(args[2])
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.New("3rd argument must be a numeric string")
 	}
 
+	//check authorizing company
+	if company != authed_by_company{
+		return nil, errors.New("The company '" + authed_by_company + "' cannot authorize deletion for '" + company + "'.")
+	}
+
 	//check if marble already exists
 	marble, err := get_marble(stub, name)
 	if err == nil {
diff --git a/utils/marbles_cc_lib/marbles.js b/utils/marbles_cc_lib/marbles.js
index 5500a64de..d967b28d4 100644
--- a/utils/marbles_cc_lib/marbles.js
+++ b/utils/marbles_cc_lib/marbles.js
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ module.exports = function (chain, chaincode_id, logger) {
 				}
 				else {
 					console.log('Failed to obtain transaction endorsement');
+					if(ws) ws.send(JSON.stringify({msg: 'tx_step', state: 'endorsing_failed'}));
 					throw common.format_error_msg(proposalResponses[0]);
 				}
 			}
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ module.exports = function (chain, chaincode_id, logger) {
 				}
 				else {
 					console.log('Failed to order the endorsement of the transaction.');
+					if(ws) ws.send(JSON.stringify({msg: 'tx_step', state: 'ordering_failed'}));
 					throw response;
 				}
 			}
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ module.exports = function (chain, chaincode_id, logger) {
 					e = err;
 				}
 				if(typeof err === 'string'){								//only pass these errors until we fix it
+					if(err.indexOf('cannot authorize')) e = err;
 					if(err.indexOf('marble already exists')) e = err;
 					if(err.indexOf('Incorrect number of arguments')) e = err;
 					if(err.indexOf('argument must be')) e = err;
diff --git a/utils/websocket_server_side.js b/utils/websocket_server_side.js
index bd82514e0..5999dc890 100644
--- a/utils/websocket_server_side.js
+++ b/utils/websocket_server_side.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ module.exports = function (checkPerodically, marbles_lib, logger) {
 		// create a new marble
 		if(data.type == 'create'){
 			console.log('[ws] create marbles req');
-			options = [data.name, data.color, data.size, data.username, data.company];
+			options = [data.name, data.color, data.size, data.username, data.company, process.env.marble_company];
 			marbles_lib.create_a_marble(webUser, [hfc.getPeer(helper.getPeersUrl(0))], ws, options, function(err, resp){
 				if(err != null) send_err(err, data);
 			});
@@ -203,8 +203,10 @@ module.exports = function (checkPerodically, marbles_lib, logger) {
 			}
 			else{
 				var data = resp.payload[0];
-				console.log('\n\n[checking] number of owners:', data.owners_index.length);
-				console.log('[checking] number of marbles:', data.marbles.length, '\n\n');
+				if(data && data.owners && data.marbles && data.owners_index){
+					console.log('\n\n[checking] number of owners:', data.owners_index.length);
+					console.log('[checking] number of marbles:', data.marbles.length, '\n\n');
+				}
 
 				data.owners_index = organize_usernames(data.owners_index);
 				data.marbles = organize_marbles(data.marbles);