diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index dfc9595c7..3cbd82156 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ gem 'sendgrid'
 gem 'rb-readline'
 gem 'aasm', '3.0.16'
 gem 'carrierwave'
+gem 'devise'
 
 group :development do
 	gem 'pry'
diff --git a/bin/websocket_gateway b/bin/websocket_gateway
index ead97d4ac..6b186d8d7 100755
--- a/bin/websocket_gateway
+++ b/bin/websocket_gateway
@@ -1,5 +1,19 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env ruby
 
+# establish database connection before including JamRuby
+require 'active_record'
+bin_dir = File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__))
+
+app_config_file = File.join(bin_dir, '..', 'config', 'application.yml')
+db_config_file = File.join(bin_dir,  '..', 'config', 'database.yml')
+
+config = YAML::load(File.open(app_config_file))[jamenv]
+db_config = YAML::load(File.open(db_config_file))[jamenv]
+
+ActiveRecord::Base.establish_connection(db_config)
+
+
+# now bring in the Jam code
 require 'jam_websockets'
 
 include JamWebsockets
@@ -9,13 +23,6 @@ include JamWebsockets
 jamenv = ENV['JAMENV']
 jamenv ||= 'development'
 
-bin_dir = File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__))
-
-app_config_file = File.join(bin_dir, '..', 'config', 'application.yml')
-db_config_file = File.join(bin_dir,  '..', 'config', 'database.yml')
-
-config = YAML::load(File.open(app_config_file))[jamenv]
-db_config = YAML::load(File.open(db_config_file))[jamenv]
 
 if config["verbose"]
     Logging.logger.root.level = :debug
@@ -30,7 +37,6 @@ else
 	Logging.logger.root.appenders = Logging.appenders.stdout
 end
 
-ActiveRecord::Base.establish_connection(db_config)
 Server.new.run(:port => config["port"], 
                :emwebsocket_debug => config["emwebsocket_debug"], 
                :connect_time_stale => config["connect_time_stale"], 
diff --git a/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb b/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb
index f24794d7d..4911df028 100644
--- a/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb
+++ b/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb
@@ -554,7 +554,7 @@ module JamWebsockets
         # attempt login with username and password
         user = User.find_by_email(username)
 
-        if !user.nil? && user.authenticate(password)
+        if !user.nil? && user.valid_password?(password)
           @log.debug "#{user} login via password"
           return user
         else
diff --git a/spec/factories.rb b/spec/factories.rb
index edb12f257..3522a5e5f 100644
--- a/spec/factories.rb
+++ b/spec/factories.rb
@@ -10,10 +10,16 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
     city "Apex"
     state "NC"
     country "USA"
+    terms_of_service true
+
 
     factory :admin do
       admin true
     end
+
+    before(:create) do |user|
+      user.musician_instruments << FactoryGirl.build(:musician_instrument, user: user)
+    end
   end
 
   factory :music_session, :class => JamRuby::MusicSession do
@@ -29,4 +35,14 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
     ip_address "1.1.1.1"
     as_musician true
   end
+
+  factory :instrument, :class => JamRuby::Instrument do
+    description { |n| "Instrument #{n}" }
+  end
+
+  factory :musician_instrument, :class=> JamRuby::MusicianInstrument do
+    instrument { Instrument.find('electric guitar') }
+    proficiency_level 1
+    priority 0
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index e4c25691f..cf25b462a 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 require 'active_record'
 require 'jam_db'
 require 'spec_db'
+
+# recreate test database and migrate it
+db_config = YAML::load(File.open('config/database.yml'))["test"]
+
+SpecDb::recreate_database()
+# initialize ActiveRecord's db connection
+ActiveRecord::Base.establish_connection(db_config)
+
+
 require 'jam_websockets'
 require 'timeout'
 require 'evented-spec'
@@ -23,12 +32,6 @@ end
 
 Logging.logger.root.appenders = Logging.appenders.stdout
 
-# recreate test database and migrate it
-db_config = YAML::load(File.open('config/database.yml'))["test"]
-
-SpecDb::recreate_database()
-# initialize ActiveRecord's db connection
-ActiveRecord::Base.establish_connection(db_config)
 
 require 'jam_ruby'
 require 'jampb'
@@ -67,20 +70,24 @@ include Jampb
     config.run_all_when_everything_filtered = true
     config.filter_run :focus
 
-    config.before(:suite) do
-     # DatabaseCleaner.strategy = :transaction
-     # DatabaseCleaner.clean_with(:truncation)
-    end
-
     config.before(:each) do
-     # DatabaseCleaner.start
+      DatabaseCleaner.start
     end
 
     config.after(:each) do
-			ActiveRecord::Base.connection.execute('select truncate_tables()')
-     # DatabaseCleaner.clean
+      DatabaseCleaner.clean
     end
 
+    config.before(:suite) do
+      DatabaseCleaner.strategy = :truncation, {:except => %w[instruments genres] }
+      DatabaseCleaner.clean_with(:truncation, {:except => %w[instruments genres] })
+    end
+
+    #config.after(:each) do
+	#		ActiveRecord::Base.connection.execute('select truncate_tables()')
+  #   # DatabaseCleaner.clean
+  #  end
+
     # If you're not using ActiveRecord, or you'd prefer not to run each of your
     # examples within a transaction, remove the following line or assign false
     # instead of true.