diff --git a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/api/v1/user/AddNewItemController.java b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/api/v1/user/AddNewItemController.java
index 4804dc24d..f82101891 100644
--- a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/api/v1/user/AddNewItemController.java
+++ b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/api/v1/user/AddNewItemController.java
@@ -145,39 +145,33 @@ public ResponseEntity<Object> createNewItem(Principal principal,
 
         try {
             citation = citationManager.createCitation(user, zoteroGroupId, collectionIds, citation);
-        } catch (ZoteroItemCreationFailedException | ZoteroConnectionException | ZoteroHttpStatusException e) {
-            logger.error("Zotero Item creation failed. ", e);
-            return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Zetero Item creation failed. " + e.getMessage(), HttpStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
-        } catch (GroupDoesNotExistException e) {
-            logger.error("Group " + zoteroGroupId +" does not exists. ", e);
-            return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Group " + zoteroGroupId +" does not exists. ", HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST);
-        }
-
-        if (itemWithGiles.getFiles() != null && itemWithGiles.getFiles().length > 0) {
-            ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();
-            ObjectNode root = mapper.createObjectNode(); 
-            for (MultipartFile file: itemWithGiles.getFiles()) {
-                try {
+            
+            if (itemWithGiles.getFiles() != null && itemWithGiles.getFiles().length > 0) {
+                ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();
+                ObjectNode root = mapper.createObjectNode(); 
+                for (MultipartFile file: itemWithGiles.getFiles()) {
                     IGilesUpload job = jobManager.createGilesJob(user, file, file.getBytes(), zoteroGroupId,
                             citation.getKey());
                     gilesUtil.createJobObjectNode(root, job);
-                } catch (GroupDoesNotExistException e) {
-                    logger.error("Could not create job because group does not exist.", e);
-                    return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Could not create job because group does not exist.", HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST);
-                } catch (CannotFindCitationException | CitationIsOutdatedException e) {
-                    logger.error("Error with newly created citation.", e);
-                    return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Error with newly created citation." + e.getMessage(), HttpStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
-                } catch (IOException e) {
-                    logger.error("Could not read file from the request. ", e);
-                    return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Could not read file from the request.", HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST);
-                } catch (ZoteroHttpStatusException | ZoteroConnectionException | ZoteroItemCreationFailedException e) {
-                    logger.error("Zotero exception occured ", e);
-                    return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Zotero Exception occured: "+ e.getMessage(), HttpStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
-                } catch (HttpClientErrorException.Unauthorized e) {
-                    logger.error("Unauthorized to upload files to Giles ", e);
-                    return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Unauthorized to upload files to Giles.", HttpStatus.UNAUTHORIZED);
                 }
             }
+        } catch (GroupDoesNotExistException e) {
+            logger.error("Could not create job because group does not exist.", e);
+            return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Could not create job because group does not exist.", HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST);
+        } catch (CannotFindCitationException | CitationIsOutdatedException e) {
+            logger.error("Error with newly created citation.", e);
+            return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Error with newly created citation." + e.getMessage(), HttpStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            logger.error("Could not read file from the request. ", e);
+            return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Could not read file from the request.", HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST);
+        } catch (ZoteroHttpStatusException | ZoteroItemCreationFailedException e) {
+            logger.error("Zotero exception occured ", e);
+            return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Zotero Exception occured: "+ e.getMessage(), HttpStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
+        } catch (ZoteroConnectionException e) {
+            return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Zetero Item creation failed. Please check Zoetro Key Permissions. " + e.getMessage(), HttpStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
+        } catch (HttpClientErrorException.Unauthorized e) {
+            logger.error("Unauthorized to upload files to Giles ", e);
+            return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Unauthorized to upload files to Giles.", HttpStatus.UNAUTHORIZED);
         }
         return new ResponseEntity<>(citation, HttpStatus.OK); 
     }
diff --git a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/api/v1/user/ItemTextController.java b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/api/v1/user/ItemTextController.java
index 6cebd355d..6b2e42c58 100644
--- a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/api/v1/user/ItemTextController.java
+++ b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/api/v1/user/ItemTextController.java
@@ -85,9 +85,11 @@ public ResponseEntity<Object> addItemFile(@PathVariable("groupId") String groupI
             try {
                 job = jobManager.createGilesJob(user, files[i], files[i].getBytes(), groupId,
                         citation.getKey());
-            } catch (ZoteroHttpStatusException | ZoteroConnectionException | ZoteroItemCreationFailedException e) {
+            } catch (ZoteroHttpStatusException | ZoteroItemCreationFailedException e) {
                 logger.error("Zotero could not process the file. ", e);
                 return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Zotero could not process the file: " + e.getMessage(), HttpStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
+            } catch (ZoteroConnectionException e) {
+                return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Could not add file to citation. Please check Zoetro Key Permissions. " + e.getMessage(), HttpStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
             } catch (GroupDoesNotExistException e) {
                 logger.error("Could not create job because group does not exist.", e);
                 return new ResponseEntity<>("Error: Could not create job because group does not exist.", HttpStatus.NOT_FOUND);
diff --git a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/config/core/ZoteroConfig.java b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/config/core/ZoteroConfig.java
index 220bd496b..513d0f2db 100644
--- a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/config/core/ZoteroConfig.java
+++ b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/config/core/ZoteroConfig.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.PropertySource;
 import org.springframework.social.zotero.connect.ZoteroConnectionFactory;
+import edu.asu.diging.citesphere.core.zotero.custom.CustomZoteroConnectionFactory;
 
 @Configuration
 @PropertySource("classpath:/config.properties")
@@ -18,7 +19,9 @@ public class ZoteroConfig {
 
     
     @Bean
-    public ZoteroConnectionFactory zoteroConnectionFactory() {
-        return new ZoteroConnectionFactory(zoteroKey, zoteroSecret);
+    public CustomZoteroConnectionFactory zoteroConnectionFactory(
+            @Value("${_zotero_client_key}") String zoteroKey,
+            @Value("${_zotero_client_secret}") String zoteroSecret) {
+        return new CustomZoteroConnectionFactory(zoteroKey, zoteroSecret);
     }    
 }
diff --git a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/core/zotero/custom/CustomOAuth1Operations.java b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/core/zotero/custom/CustomOAuth1Operations.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c17258627
--- /dev/null
+++ b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/core/zotero/custom/CustomOAuth1Operations.java
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package edu.asu.diging.citesphere.core.zotero.custom;
+
+import org.springframework.social.oauth1.OAuth1Operations;
+import org.springframework.social.oauth1.OAuth1Parameters;
+import org.springframework.social.oauth1.OAuthToken;
+import org.springframework.social.oauth1.AuthorizedRequestToken;
+import org.springframework.util.MultiValueMap;
+
+public class CustomOAuth1Operations implements OAuth1Operations {
+    private final OAuth1Operations delegate;
+
+    public CustomOAuth1Operations(OAuth1Operations delegate) {
+        this.delegate = delegate;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String buildAuthorizeUrl(String requestToken, OAuth1Parameters parameters) {
+        if (parameters == null) {
+            parameters = new OAuth1Parameters();
+        }
+        parameters.set("write_access", "1");
+        parameters.set("all_groups", "write");
+        return delegate.buildAuthorizeUrl(requestToken, parameters);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String buildAuthenticateUrl(String requestToken, OAuth1Parameters parameters) {
+        if (parameters == null) {
+            parameters = new OAuth1Parameters();
+        }
+        parameters.set("write_access", "1");
+        parameters.set("all_groups", "write");
+        return delegate.buildAuthenticateUrl(requestToken, parameters);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public OAuthToken fetchRequestToken(String callbackUrl, MultiValueMap<String, String> additionalParameters) {
+        return delegate.fetchRequestToken(callbackUrl, additionalParameters);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public OAuthToken exchangeForAccessToken(AuthorizedRequestToken requestToken, MultiValueMap<String, String> additionalParameters) {
+        return delegate.exchangeForAccessToken(requestToken, additionalParameters);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public org.springframework.social.oauth1.OAuth1Version getVersion() {
+        return delegate.getVersion();
+    }
+} 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/core/zotero/custom/CustomZoteroConnectionFactory.java b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/core/zotero/custom/CustomZoteroConnectionFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fde86777c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/core/zotero/custom/CustomZoteroConnectionFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+package edu.asu.diging.citesphere.core.zotero.custom;
+
+import org.springframework.social.zotero.connect.ZoteroConnectionFactory;
+import org.springframework.social.oauth1.OAuth1Operations;
+
+public class CustomZoteroConnectionFactory extends ZoteroConnectionFactory {
+
+    public CustomZoteroConnectionFactory(String consumerKey, String consumerSecret) {
+        super(consumerKey, consumerSecret);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public OAuth1Operations getOAuthOperations() {
+        OAuth1Operations ops = super.getOAuthOperations();
+        return new CustomOAuth1Operations(ops);
+    }
+} 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/AddItemController.java b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/AddItemController.java
index 3140e9987..4242572a1 100644
--- a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/AddItemController.java
+++ b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/AddItemController.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.PathVariable;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestMapping;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestMethod;
+import org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.support.RedirectAttributes;
 
 import edu.asu.diging.citesphere.core.exceptions.GroupDoesNotExistException;
 import edu.asu.diging.citesphere.core.exceptions.ZoteroHttpStatusException;
@@ -88,8 +89,8 @@ public String show(Model model, Authentication authentication,
 
     @RequestMapping(value = "/auth/group/{zoteroGroupId}/items/create", method = RequestMethod.POST)
     public String create(@ModelAttribute CitationForm form, Authentication authentication, Model model,
-            @PathVariable("zoteroGroupId") String zoteroGroupId)
-            throws ZoteroConnectionException, GroupDoesNotExistException, ZoteroHttpStatusException {
+            @PathVariable("zoteroGroupId") String zoteroGroupId, RedirectAttributes redirectAttributes)
+            throws GroupDoesNotExistException, ZoteroHttpStatusException {
         ICitation citation = new Citation();
         List<String> collectionIds = new ArrayList<>();
         if (form.getCollectionId() != null && !form.getCollectionId().trim().isEmpty()) {
@@ -110,6 +111,14 @@ public String create(@ModelAttribute CitationForm form, Authentication authentic
                     : "Sorry, item creation failed.";
             model.addAttribute("alert_msg", msg);
             return "auth/group/editItem";
+        } catch (ZoteroConnectionException e) {
+            redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("form", form);
+            redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("zoteroGroupId", zoteroGroupId);
+            redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("show_alert", true);
+            redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("alert_type", "danger");
+            String msg = "Sorry, item creation failed. Please check the Zotero Key permissions.";
+            redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("alert_msg", msg);
+            return "redirect:/auth/group/{zoteroGroupId}/items/create";
         }
 
         return "redirect:/auth/group/{zoteroGroupId}/items/" + citation.getKey();
diff --git a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/AddReferenceController.java b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/AddReferenceController.java
index f2e4e115a..e5995a44c 100644
--- a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/AddReferenceController.java
+++ b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/AddReferenceController.java
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ public ResponseEntity<?> addReference(Authentication authentication,
             logger.error("Zotero threw exception.", e);
             return new ResponseEntity<>("{\"error\": \"" + e.getMessage() + "\"}", HttpStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
         } catch (ZoteroConnectionException e) {
-            logger.error("Zotero connection failed.", e);
+            logger.error("Zotero connection failed. Please check Zotero Key permissions. ", e);
             return new ResponseEntity<>("{\"error\": \"" + e.getMessage() + "\"}", HttpStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
         } catch (CitationIsOutdatedException e) {
             logger.error("Citation is outdated.", e);
diff --git a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/EditItemController.java b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/EditItemController.java
index bd526ef6d..3a32edd3c 100644
--- a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/EditItemController.java
+++ b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/EditItemController.java
@@ -125,8 +125,9 @@ public String storeItem(@ModelAttribute CitationForm form, Authentication authen
             @RequestParam(required = false, value = "index") String index,
             @RequestParam(defaultValue = "1", required = false, value = "page") int page,
             @RequestParam(value = "collectionId", required = false) String collectionId,
-            @RequestParam(defaultValue = "title", required = false, value = "sortBy") String sortBy)
-            throws ZoteroConnectionException, GroupDoesNotExistException, CannotFindCitationException,
+            @RequestParam(defaultValue = "title", required = false, value = "sortBy") String sortBy,
+            RedirectAttributes redirectAttributes)
+            throws GroupDoesNotExistException, CannotFindCitationException,
             ZoteroHttpStatusException, ZoteroItemCreationFailedException {
         ICitation citation = citationManager.getCitation((IUser) authentication.getPrincipal(), zoteroGroupId, itemId);
         // load authors and editors before detaching
@@ -161,6 +162,13 @@ public String storeItem(@ModelAttribute CitationForm form, Authentication authen
             model.addAttribute("collectionId", collectionId);
             model.addAttribute("sortBy", sortBy);
             return "auth/group/editConflict";
+        } catch (ZoteroConnectionException e) {
+            redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("form", form);
+            redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("zoteroGroupId", zoteroGroupId);
+            redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("show_alert", true);
+            redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("alert_type", "danger");
+            redirectAttributes.addFlashAttribute("alert_msg", "Sorry, item updation failed. Please check the Zotero Key permissions.");
+            return "redirect:/auth/group/{zoteroGroupId}/items/{itemId}/edit?index=" + index +"&page="+page +"&sortBy="+sortBy +"&collectionId="+collectionId;
         }
         return "redirect:/auth/group/{zoteroGroupId}/items/{itemId}?index=" + index +"&page="+page +"&sortBy="+sortBy +"&collectionId="+collectionId;
     }
diff --git a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/RevertCitationController.java b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/RevertCitationController.java
index 9b0af9546..56cb4670e 100644
--- a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/RevertCitationController.java
+++ b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/RevertCitationController.java
@@ -36,10 +36,13 @@ public String revertCitationVersion(Authentication authentication, Model model,
             citationVersionManager.revertCitationVersion((IUser) authentication.getPrincipal(), zoteroGroupId, itemId,
                     version);
             return "redirect:/auth/group/" + zoteroGroupId + "/items/" + itemId;
-        } catch (GroupDoesNotExistException | ZoteroConnectionException | CitationIsOutdatedException
+        } catch (GroupDoesNotExistException | CitationIsOutdatedException
                 | ZoteroHttpStatusException | CannotFindCitationVersionException | CannotFindCitationException | ZoteroItemCreationFailedException e) {
             logger.error("Error while restoring citation version", e);
             return "error/404";
+        } catch (ZoteroConnectionException e) {
+            logger.error("Error while restoring citation version. Please check the Zotero Key permissions", e);
+            return "error/500";
         }
 
     }
diff --git a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/UploadItemFileController.java b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/UploadItemFileController.java
index e9b045bd0..5ea57439c 100644
--- a/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/UploadItemFileController.java
+++ b/citesphere/src/main/java/edu/asu/diging/citesphere/web/user/UploadItemFileController.java
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public class UploadItemFileController {
     public ResponseEntity<String> uploadFile(Principal principal, @PathVariable String zoteroGroupId,
             @PathVariable String itemId, @RequestParam("files") MultipartFile[] files)
             throws AccessForbiddenException, CannotFindCitationException, ZoteroHttpStatusException,
-            ZoteroConnectionException, CitationIsOutdatedException, ZoteroItemCreationFailedException {
+            CitationIsOutdatedException, ZoteroItemCreationFailedException {
         User user = null;
         if (principal instanceof UsernamePasswordAuthenticationToken) {
             user = (User) ((UsernamePasswordAuthenticationToken) principal).getPrincipal();
@@ -68,12 +68,15 @@ public ResponseEntity<String> uploadFile(Principal principal, @PathVariable Stri
             }
         }
         
-        IGilesUpload job;
+        IGilesUpload job = null;
         try {
             job = jobManager.createGilesJob(user, files[0], fileBytes.get(0), zoteroGroupId, itemId);
         } catch (GroupDoesNotExistException e) {
             logger.error("Could not create job because group does not exist.", e);
             return new ResponseEntity<String>(HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST);
+        } catch (ZoteroConnectionException e) {
+            logger.error("Could not create job. Please check Zotero Key permissions. ", e);
+            return new ResponseEntity<String>(HttpStatus.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
         }
 
         ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();
diff --git a/citesphere/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/views/error/500.html b/citesphere/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/views/error/500.html
index cb2f11f53..86b3d73b0 100644
--- a/citesphere/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/views/error/500.html
+++ b/citesphere/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/views/error/500.html
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <html layout:decorate="~{layouts/main}">
-
-<div>
+<body>
+<div layout:fragment="content">
 <img class="img-responsive" style="height: calc(100vh - 200px);-webkit-user-select: none;margin: auto;" src="https://http.cat/500">
 </div>
-
+</body>
 </html>
\ No newline at end of file