diff --git a/server/config/passport.js b/server/config/passport.js
index a6cbc5a508..d206238f08 100644
--- a/server/config/passport.js
+++ b/server/config/passport.js
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ import User from '../models/user';
 const accountSuspensionMessage =
   'Account has been suspended. Please contact privacy@p5js.org if you believe this is an error.';
 
+const accountLinkingErrorMessage =
+  'Account is already linked to another account.';
+
 function generateUniqueUsername(username) {
   const adj =
     friendlyWords.predicates[
@@ -123,18 +126,15 @@ passport.use(
       User.findOne({ github: profile.id }, (findByGithubErr, existingUser) => {
         if (existingUser) {
           if (req.user && req.user.email !== existingUser.email) {
-            done(
-              new Error('GitHub account is already linked to another account.')
-            );
+            done(null, false, { msg: accountLinkingErrorMessage });
             return;
           } else if (existingUser.banned) {
-            done(new Error(accountSuspensionMessage));
+            done(null, false, { msg: accountSuspensionMessage });
             return;
           }
           done(null, existingUser);
           return;
         }
-
         const emails = getVerifiedEmails(profile.emails);
         const primaryEmail = getPrimaryEmail(profile.emails);
 
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ passport.use(
                 [existingEmailUser] = existingEmailUsers;
               }
               if (existingEmailUser.banned) {
-                done(new Error(accountSuspensionMessage));
+                done(null, false, { msg: accountSuspensionMessage });
                 return;
               }
               existingEmailUser.email = existingEmailUser.email || primaryEmail;
@@ -218,14 +218,10 @@ passport.use(
         (findByGoogleErr, existingUser) => {
           if (existingUser) {
             if (req.user && req.user.email !== existingUser.email) {
-              done(
-                new Error(
-                  'Google account is already linked to another account.'
-                )
-              );
+              done(null, false, { msg: accountLinkingErrorMessage });
               return;
             } else if (existingUser.banned) {
-              done(new Error(accountSuspensionMessage));
+              done(null, false, { msg: accountSuspensionMessage });
               return;
             }
             done(null, existingUser);
@@ -256,7 +252,7 @@ passport.use(
                     // then, append a random friendly word?
                     if (existingEmailUser) {
                       if (existingEmailUser.banned) {
-                        done(new Error(accountSuspensionMessage));
+                        done(null, false, { msg: accountSuspensionMessage });
                         return;
                       }
                       existingEmailUser.email =