diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 00c8845..1616fc5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -4,5 +4,6 @@ ssl/*crt
 ssl/*key
 
 data/minio
+data/minio.old
 node_modules
 dist
diff --git a/app/controllers/newsroom.js b/app/controllers/newsroom.js
index 1b90af0..c2bbfb9 100644
--- a/app/controllers/newsroom.js
+++ b/app/controllers/newsroom.js
@@ -60,7 +60,16 @@ class NewsroomController extends SiteController {
     try {
       res.locals.pagination = this.getPaginationParameters(req, 20);
       res.locals.newsroom = await feedService.getNewsfeed(res.locals.pagination);
-      res.render('newsroom/unified-feed');
+
+      switch (req.query.fmt) {
+        case 'json':
+          res.status(200).json(res.locals.newsroom);
+          break;
+
+        default:
+          res.render('newsroom/unified-feed');
+          break;
+      }
     } catch (error) {
       this.log.error('failed to present newsfeed JSON', { error });
       res.status(error.statusCode || 500).json({
diff --git a/app/models/user.js b/app/models/user.js
index 63d5d72..5edef6c 100644
--- a/app/models/user.js
+++ b/app/models/user.js
@@ -45,14 +45,17 @@ const UserSchema = new Schema({
 });
 
 UserSchema.virtual('hasAuthorPermissions').get( function ( ) {
-  return this.permissions.canAuthorPages || this.permissions.canAuthorPosts;
+  return !!this && !!this.permissions && (this.permissions.canAuthorPages || this.permissions.canAuthorPosts);
 });
 
 UserSchema.virtual('hasPublishPermissions').get( function ( ) {
-  return this.permissions.canPublishPages || this.permissions.canPublishPosts;
+  return !!this && !!this.permissions && (this.permissions.canPublishPages || this.permissions.canPublishPosts);
 });
 
 UserSchema.virtual('hasAuthorDashboard').get( function ( ) {
+  if (!this || !this.permissions) {
+    return false;
+  }
   return this.permissions.canAuthorPages ||
          this.permissions.cahAuthorPosts ||
          this.permissions.canPublishPages ||