diff --git a/lib/views/admin/explorer.js b/lib/views/admin/explorer.js
index 0afeff03..8c2462cc 100644
--- a/lib/views/admin/explorer.js
+++ b/lib/views/admin/explorer.js
@@ -51,10 +51,14 @@ function form (req, res) {
     adminSection: 'explorer',
     user: req.user
   }
-
+  var explorerConfig
   getExplorerConfig().then((body) => {
     locals.explorerConfig = body
     if (!req.accepts('text/html')) {
+      body = { SBOLExplorerEndpoint: config.get('SBOLExplorerEndpoint'),
+        useSBOLExplorer: config.get('useSBOLExplorer'),
+        SBOLExplorerConfig: body
+      }
       return res.status(200).header('content-type', 'application/json').send(JSON.stringify(body))
     } else {
       res.send(pug.renderFile('templates/views/admin/explorer.jade', locals))
@@ -62,13 +66,21 @@ function form (req, res) {
   }).catch(() => {
     if (config.get('useSBOLExplorer')) {
       if (!req.accepts('text/html')) {
-        return res.status(503).header('content-type', 'text/plain').send('SBOLExplorer is down')
+        // return res.status(503).header('content-type', 'text/plain').send('SBOLExplorer is down')
+        explorerConfig = { SBOLExplorerEndpoint: config.get('SBOLExplorerEndpoint'),
+          useSBOLExplorer: config.get('useSBOLExplorer')
+        }
+        return res.status(200).header('content-type', 'application/json').send(JSON.stringify(explorerConfig))
       } else {
         res.send(pug.renderFile('templates/views/admin/explorerDown.jade', locals))
       }
     } else {
       if (!req.accepts('text/html')) {
-        return res.status(404).header('content-type', 'text/plain').send('SBOLExplorer is not in use')
+        // return res.status(404).header('content-type', 'text/plain').send('SBOLExplorer is not in use')
+        explorerConfig = { SBOLExplorerEndpoint: config.get('SBOLExplorerEndpoint'),
+          useSBOLExplorer: config.get('useSBOLExplorer')
+        }
+        return res.status(200).header('content-type', 'application/json').send(JSON.stringify(explorerConfig))
       } else {
         res.send(pug.renderFile('templates/views/admin/explorerOff.jade', locals))
       }