diff --git a/app/CreateGroup.js b/app/CreateGroup.js
index 029e4fc..66c361c 100644
--- a/app/CreateGroup.js
+++ b/app/CreateGroup.js
@@ -36,23 +36,25 @@ export default class CreateGroup extends Component {
   }
 
   submitGroup() {
-    let groupSettings = {
-      groupName: this.state.groupName,
-      users: this.state.users,
-      privacy: this.state.privacy,
-    };
-    AuthAxios({
-      url: `/api/groups`,
-      method: `post`,
-      data:{groupSettings: groupSettings}
-    })
-    .then(({data}) => {
-    })
-    .catch((error) => {
-      alert('There was a problem creating your group')
-    })
-    const { navigate } = this.props.navigation;
-    navigate('GroupsList');
+    if (this.state.groupName) {
+      let groupSettings = {
+        groupName: this.state.groupName,
+        users: this.state.users,
+        privacy: this.state.privacy,
+      };
+      AuthAxios({
+        url: `/api/groups`,
+        method: `post`,
+        data:{groupSettings: groupSettings}
+      })
+      .then(({data}) => {
+      })
+      .catch((error) => {
+        alert('There was a problem creating your group')
+      })
+      const { navigate } = this.props.navigation;
+      navigate('GroupsList');      
+    }
   }
 
   handleUserChange(userObj) {
diff --git a/app/SignUp.js b/app/SignUp.js
index 8ba5f7a..95e5514 100644
--- a/app/SignUp.js
+++ b/app/SignUp.js
@@ -25,11 +25,17 @@ export default class SignUp extends Component {
       long: position.coords.longitude
     };
 
-    return AuthAxios({
+    AuthAxios({
       url: `/api/user/location`,
       method: 'put',
       data: location
     })
+    .then(() => {
+      console.log('location updated');
+    })
+    .catch((err) => {
+      console.log('location failed to update: ', err);
+    });
   }
 
   _signIn() {
@@ -37,13 +43,17 @@ export default class SignUp extends Component {
     GoogleSignin.signIn()
     .then((user) => {
       this.setState({user: user});
-      return this.saveLocation();
+      return AuthAxios({
+        url: '/api/user'
+      })
     })
     .then(({data}) => {
       this.setState({dbUser: data});
-      if (!data.created) {
+      console.log('new user? ', data.created, data);
+      if (data.created === false) {
         navigate('HomePageTabs');
       }
+      this.saveLocation();
     })
     .catch((err) => {
       console.log('Error: ', err);
diff --git a/app/SplashScreen.js b/app/SplashScreen.js
index 1e344d0..2f0f616 100644
--- a/app/SplashScreen.js
+++ b/app/SplashScreen.js
@@ -37,7 +37,11 @@ export default class SplashScreen extends Component {
       {enableHighAccuracy: false, timeout: 20000, maximumAge: 90000000000000}
     );
     this.watchID = navigator.geolocation.watchPosition((position) => {
-      this.setState({lastPosition: position}, () => {this.saveLocation()});
+      this.setState({lastPosition: position}, () => {
+        if (this.state.user) {
+          this.saveLocation()
+        }
+      });
     });
   }