diff --git a/src/js/angular/core/services/jwt-auth.service.js b/src/js/angular/core/services/jwt-auth.service.js
index 0e841a71a..26f2f96e7 100644
--- a/src/js/angular/core/services/jwt-auth.service.js
+++ b/src/js/angular/core/services/jwt-auth.service.js
@@ -236,21 +236,22 @@ angular.module('graphdb.framework.core.services.jwtauth', [
 
             this.toggleSecurity = function (enabled) {
                 if (enabled !== this.securityEnabled) {
-                    return SecurityRestService.toggleSecurity(enabled).then(function () {
-                        toastr.success($translate.instant('jwt.auth.security.status', {status: ($translate.instant(enabled ? 'enabled.status' : 'disabled.status'))}));
-                        AuthTokenService.clearAuthToken();
-                        that.initSecurity();
-                        that.securityEnabled = enabled;
-                    }, function (err) {
-                        toastr.error(err.data, $translate.instant('common.error'));
-                    });
+                    return SecurityRestService.toggleSecurity(enabled)
+                        .then(function () {
+                            toastr.success($translate.instant('jwt.auth.security.status', {status: ($translate.instant(enabled ? 'enabled.status' : 'disabled.status'))}));
+                            AuthTokenService.clearAuthToken();
+                            that.initSecurity();
+                            that.securityEnabled = enabled;
+                        })
+                        .catch(function (err) {
+                            toastr.error(err.data, $translate.instant('common.error'));
+                        });
                 }
                 return Promise.resolve();
             };
 
             this.toggleFreeAccess = function (enabled, authorities, appSettings, updateFreeAccess) {
                 if (enabled !== this.freeAccess || updateFreeAccess) {
-                    this.freeAccess = enabled;
                     if (enabled) {
                         this.freeAccessPrincipal = {authorities: authorities, appSettings: appSettings};
                     } else {
@@ -261,13 +262,14 @@ angular.module('graphdb.framework.core.services.jwtauth', [
                         authorities: authorities,
                         appSettings: appSettings
                     }).then(function () {
+                        this.freeAccess = enabled;
                         if (updateFreeAccess) {
                             toastr.success($translate.instant('jwt.auth.free.access.updated.msg'));
                         } else {
                             toastr.success($translate.instant('jwt.auth.free.access.status', {status: ($translate.instant(enabled ? 'enabled.status' : 'disabled.status'))}));
                         }
-                    }, function (err) {
-                        toastr.error(err.data.error.message, $translate.instant('common.error'));
+                    }).catch((err) => {
+                        toastr.error(err.data, $translate.instant('common.error'));
                     });
                     $rootScope.$broadcast('securityInit', this.securityEnabled, this.hasExplicitAuthentication(), this.freeAccess);
                 }
diff --git a/src/js/angular/security/controllers.js b/src/js/angular/security/controllers.js
index e34db06ce..c063616ad 100644
--- a/src/js/angular/security/controllers.js
+++ b/src/js/angular/security/controllers.js
@@ -216,9 +216,12 @@ securityCtrl.controller('UsersCtrl', ['$scope', '$uibModal', 'toastr', '$window'
         });
 
         $scope.toggleSecurity = function () {
-            $jwtAuth.toggleSecurity(!$jwtAuth.isSecurityEnabled())
+            const isSecurityEnabled = $jwtAuth.isSecurityEnabled();
+            $jwtAuth.toggleSecurity(!isSecurityEnabled)
                 .then(() => {
-                    if ($jwtAuth.isSecurityEnabled()) {
+                    // reload UI only if security status has changed
+                    // TODO: Not sure if we really need to reload the page here. The UI state is updated just fine. But maybe the reload is needed for something else?
+                    if (isSecurityEnabled !== $jwtAuth.isSecurityEnabled()) {
                         $window.location.reload();
                     }
                 });
@@ -227,60 +230,64 @@ securityCtrl.controller('UsersCtrl', ['$scope', '$uibModal', 'toastr', '$window'
         $scope.toggleFreeAccess = function (updateFreeAccess) {
             if (!$jwtAuth.isFreeAccessEnabled() || ($jwtAuth.isFreeAccessEnabled() && updateFreeAccess)) {
                 SecurityRestService.getFreeAccess().then(function (res) {
-                    let authorities = res.data.authorities;
-                    let appSettings = res.data.appSettings || {
+                    const authorities = res.data.authorities;
+                    const appSettings = res.data.appSettings || {
                         'DEFAULT_SAMEAS': true,
                         'DEFAULT_INFERENCE': true,
                         'EXECUTE_COUNT': true,
                         'IGNORE_SHARED_QUERIES': false,
                         'DEFAULT_VIS_GRAPH_SCHEMA': true
                     };
-                    const modalInstance = $uibModal.open({
-                        templateUrl: 'js/angular/security/templates/modal/default-authorities.html',
-                        controller: 'DefaultAuthoritiesCtrl',
-                        resolve: {
-                            data: function () {
-                                return {
-                                    // converts the array rights to hash ones. why, oh, why do we have both formats?
-                                    defaultAuthorities: function () {
-                                        const defaultAuthorities = {
-                                            [READ_REPO]: {},
-                                            [WRITE_REPO]: {}
-                                        };
-                                        // We might have old (no longer existing) repositories so we have to check that
-                                        const repoIds = _.mapKeys($scope.getRepositories(), function (r) {
-                                            return createUniqueKey(r);
-                                        });
-                                        _.each(authorities, function (a) {
-                                            // indexOf works in IE 11, startsWith doesn't
-                                            if (a.indexOf(WRITE_REPO_PREFIX) === 0) {
-                                                if (repoIds.hasOwnProperty(a.substr(11))) {
-                                                    defaultAuthorities[WRITE_REPO][a.substr(11)] = true;
-                                                }
-                                            } else if (a.indexOf(READ_REPO_PREFIX) === 0) {
-                                                if (repoIds.hasOwnProperty(a.substr(10))) {
-                                                    defaultAuthorities[READ_REPO][a.substr(10)] = true;
-                                                }
-                                            }
-                                        });
-                                        return defaultAuthorities;
-                                    },
-                                    appSettings: appSettings
-                                };
-                            }
-                        }
-                    });
-                    modalInstance.result.then(function (data) {
-                        authorities = data.authorities;
-                        appSettings = data.appSettings;
-                        $jwtAuth.toggleFreeAccess(updateFreeAccess || !$jwtAuth.isFreeAccessEnabled(), authorities, appSettings, updateFreeAccess);
-                    });
+                    configureFreeAccess(appSettings, authorities, updateFreeAccess);
                 });
             } else {
                 $jwtAuth.toggleFreeAccess(!$jwtAuth.isFreeAccessEnabled(), []);
             }
         };
 
+        const configureFreeAccess = (appSettings, authorities, updateFreeAccess) => {
+            const modalInstance = $uibModal.open({
+                templateUrl: 'js/angular/security/templates/modal/default-authorities.html',
+                controller: 'DefaultAuthoritiesCtrl',
+                resolve: {
+                    data: function () {
+                        return {
+                            // converts the array rights to hash ones. why, oh, why do we have both formats?
+                            defaultAuthorities: function () {
+                                const defaultAuthorities = {
+                                    [READ_REPO]: {},
+                                    [WRITE_REPO]: {}
+                                };
+                                // We might have old (no longer existing) repositories so we have to check that
+                                const repoIds = _.mapKeys($scope.getRepositories(), function (r) {
+                                    return createUniqueKey(r);
+                                });
+                                _.each(authorities, function (a) {
+                                    // indexOf works in IE 11, startsWith doesn't
+                                    if (a.indexOf(WRITE_REPO_PREFIX) === 0) {
+                                        if (repoIds.hasOwnProperty(a.substr(11))) {
+                                            defaultAuthorities[WRITE_REPO][a.substr(11)] = true;
+                                        }
+                                    } else if (a.indexOf(READ_REPO_PREFIX) === 0) {
+                                        if (repoIds.hasOwnProperty(a.substr(10))) {
+                                            defaultAuthorities[READ_REPO][a.substr(10)] = true;
+                                        }
+                                    }
+                                });
+                                return defaultAuthorities;
+                            },
+                            appSettings: appSettings
+                        };
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+            modalInstance.result.then(function (data) {
+                authorities = data.authorities;
+                appSettings = data.appSettings;
+                $jwtAuth.toggleFreeAccess(updateFreeAccess || !$jwtAuth.isFreeAccessEnabled(), authorities, appSettings, updateFreeAccess);
+            });
+        };
+
         $scope.editFreeAccess = function () {
             $scope.toggleFreeAccess(true);
         };