diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index 56eb793..741673f 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ app.get('/forgotPassword', (req, res) => {
     return res.status(status.Ok);
 });
 
-
 // Reset with token given to user via email
 app.get('/reset/:token', async (req, res) => {
     const token = req.params.token;
@@ -106,7 +105,6 @@ app.get('/reset/:token', async (req, res) => {
     });
 });
 
-
 // 404 handler - keep the actual notFound route please
 // REALLY DONT DELETE THIS
 app.get('/notFound', (req, res) => {
diff --git a/src/auth/authentication.js b/src/auth/authentication.js
index d65e9c6..d32f0a8 100644
--- a/src/auth/authentication.js
+++ b/src/auth/authentication.js
@@ -12,10 +12,18 @@ module.exports = (users) => {
     const router = require("express").Router();
 
     router.get("/logout", (req, res) => {
-        req.session.destroy();
-        return res.redirect('/login');
+        req.session.destroy((err) => {
+            if (err) {
+                console.error("Failed to destroy session: ", err);
+                res.status(status.InternalServerError);
+                return res.redirect("back");
+            }
+
+            res.status(status.Ok);
+            return res.redirect('/login');
+        });
     });
-    
+
     router.post("/login", async (req, res) => {
       
         const credentialSchema = joi.object({
@@ -46,10 +54,19 @@ module.exports = (users) => {
 
             req.session.authenticated = true;
             req.session.userId = user._id;
-            req.session.email = req.body.email;
             req.session.errMessage = "";
-            res.redirect("/home");
-            return res.status(status.Ok);
+            
+            req.session.save((err) => {
+                if (err) {
+                    console.error("Failed to save session: ", err);
+                    req.session.errMessage = "Failed to save session. Please try again.";
+                    res.status(status.InternalServerError);
+                    return res.redirect("/login");
+                }
+
+                res.status(status.Ok);
+                return res.redirect("/home");
+            });
         });
     });
 
@@ -97,11 +114,20 @@ module.exports = (users) => {
             }
 
             req.session.authenticated = true;
-            req.session.email = req.body.email;
             req.session.userId = results.insertedId;
-
             req.session.errMessage = "";
-            return res.status(status.Ok).redirect("/home");
+
+            req.session.save((err) => {
+                if (err) {
+                    console.error("Failed to save session: ", err);
+                    req.session.errMessage = "Please login";
+                    res.status(status.Ok);
+                    return res.redirect("/login");
+                }
+
+                res.status(status.Ok);
+                return res.redirect("/home");
+            });
         });
     });
 
diff --git a/src/auth/forgotPass.js b/src/auth/forgotPass.js
index 698a500..e0022c3 100644
--- a/src/auth/forgotPass.js
+++ b/src/auth/forgotPass.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const joi = require('joi');
 const nodeMail = require('nodemailer');
 const bcrypt = require('bcrypt');
 require('dotenv').config();
+
 const PORT = process.env.PORT;
 
 const transporter = nodeMail.createTransport({
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ const transporter = nodeMail.createTransport({
         pass: process.env.EMAIL_PASS,
     }
 });
-// users info
+
 module.exports = (users) => {
     const router = express.Router();
 
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ module.exports = (users) => {
         });
         const valid = passwordSchema.validate({ password, confirmPassword });
         if (valid.error) {
-            console.log("houston we have a problem");
+            console.log("houston we have a problem"); // nice
             req.session.error = 'Invalid input';
             res.status(status.BadRequest);
             return res.redirect(`/reset/${token}`);
diff --git a/src/auth/middleware.js b/src/auth/middleware.js
index 5c24807..b641877 100644
--- a/src/auth/middleware.js
+++ b/src/auth/middleware.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 const status = require("../util/statuses");
 const session = require("express-session");
+const ObjectId = require("mongodb").ObjectId;
 
 // Get all names of user routes
 let userRouter = require("../router/user")((req, res, next) => next(), null, null, null);
@@ -18,26 +19,53 @@ const createMiddleware = (users) => {
             return res.status(status.NotFound).redirect("/notFound");
         }
 
-        if (!req.session.authenticated || !req.session.email) {
+        if (!req.session.authenticated || !req.session.userId) {
             req.session.errMessage = "Please login to view that resource";
             res.redirect("/login");
             return res.status(status.Unauthorized);
         }
     
         if (!req.session.user) {
-            let user = await users.findOne({ "email": req.session.email }).then((user) => user);
+            let user = await users.findOne({ _id: new ObjectId(req.session.userId) }).then((user) => user);
         
             if (!user) {
-                req.session.errMessage = "User not found";
-                res.redirect("/login");
-                return res.status(status.Unauthorized);
+                return req.session.destroy((err) => {
+                    if (err) {
+                        console.error("Failed to destroy session: ", err);
+                        req.session.errMessage = "Failed to logout. Please try again";
+                        res.status(status.InternalServerError);
+                        return res.redirect("/home");
+                    }
+
+                    req.session.errMessage = "User not found";
+                    res.status(status.NotFound);
+                    res.redirect("/login");
+                });
             }
-        
+
             req.session.user = user;
+            return req.session.save((err) => {
+                if (err) {
+                    console.error("Failed to save session: ", err);
+
+                    return req.session.destroy((err) => {
+                        req.session.errMessage = "An error occured, please login again.";
+
+                        if (err) {
+                            console.error("Failed to destroy session: ", err);
+                        }
+
+                        res.status(status.InternalServerError);
+                        res.redirect("/login");
+                    });
+                }
+
+                next();
+            });
         }
 
         next();
     };
-}
+};
 
 module.exports = createMiddleware;
diff --git a/src/router/user.js b/src/router/user.js
index 16c51f5..da956c2 100644
--- a/src/router/user.js
+++ b/src/router/user.js
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ module.exports = (middleware, users, plans, assets) => {
     });
 
     router.get('/assets', async (req, res) => {
-        let userAssets = await assets.find({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.user._id) }).toArray();
+        let userAssets = await assets.find({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.userId) }).toArray();
         res.render('assets', {
             user: req.session.user,
             errMessage: req.session.errMessage,
@@ -99,16 +99,16 @@ module.exports = (middleware, users, plans, assets) => {
 
     router.get('/plans', async (req, res) => {
         try {
-            const userPlansFromDB = await plans.find({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.user._id) }).toArray();
+            const userPlansFromDB = await plans.find({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.userId) }).toArray();
 
             // Use a for...of loop for proper async/await behavior in series for updates
             for (const plan of userPlansFromDB) {
-                const percentage = await calculatePlanProgress(plan, assets, req.session.user._id);
+                const percentage = await calculatePlanProgress(plan, assets, req.session.userId);
                 await updatePlanProgressInDB(plan._id, percentage, plans); // Pass the 'plans' collection
             }
 
             // Re-fetch plans to get updated progress for rendering
-            const updatedUserPlans = await plans.find({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.user._id) }).toArray();
+            const updatedUserPlans = await plans.find({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.userId) }).toArray();
 
             res.render('plans', {
                 user: req.session.user,
@@ -126,18 +126,17 @@ module.exports = (middleware, users, plans, assets) => {
 
         try {
             const planId = req.params.id;
-            let userAssets = await assets.find({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.user._id) }).toArray();
-
+            let userAssets = await assets.find({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.userId) }).toArray();
 
             if (!ObjectId.isValid(planId)) {
                 req.session.errMessage = "Invalid plan ID format.";
                 return res.status(status.BadRequest).redirect('/plans');
             }
 
-            const plan = await plans.findOne({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.user._id), _id: new ObjectId(planId) });
+            const plan = await plans.findOne({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.userId), _id: new ObjectId(planId) });
 
             if (!plan) {
-                console.log(`Plan not found with ID: ${planId} for user: ${req.session.user.email}`);
+                console.log(`Plan not found with ID: ${planId} for user: ${req.session.userId}`);
                 req.session.errMessage = "Plan not found or you do not have permission to view it.";
                 return res.status(status.NotFound).redirect('/plans');
             }
@@ -197,7 +196,7 @@ module.exports = (middleware, users, plans, assets) => {
             return;
         }
         const newPlan = {
-            userId: new ObjectId(req.session.user._id),
+            userId: new ObjectId(req.session.userId),
             name: value.name,
             retirementAge: value.retirementAge,
             retirementExpenses: value.retirementExpenses,
@@ -207,7 +206,7 @@ module.exports = (middleware, users, plans, assets) => {
         };
 
         try {
-            await plans.insertOne({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.user._id), ...newPlan });
+            await plans.insertOne({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.userId), ...newPlan });
             req.session.errMessage = "";
             res.redirect('/plans');
         }
@@ -280,7 +279,7 @@ module.exports = (middleware, users, plans, assets) => {
         }
 
         users.updateOne(
-            { _id: new ObjectId(req.session.user._id) },
+            { _id: new ObjectId(req.session.userId) },
             {
                 $set: {
                     financialData: true,
@@ -295,13 +294,13 @@ module.exports = (middleware, users, plans, assets) => {
             }
         ).then((result) => {
             if (result.matchedCount === 0) {
-                console.log(`User not found during questionnaire update: ${req.session.user.email}`);
+                console.log(`User not found during questionnaire update: ${req.session.userId}`);
                 req.session.errMessage = "User session invalid. Please log in again.";
                 res.status(status.NotFound).redirect("/login");
                 return;
             }
             if (result.modifiedCount === 0 && result.matchedCount === 1) {
-                console.log(`User questionnaire data unchanged (already up-to-date): ${req.session.user.email}`);
+                console.log(`User questionnaire data unchanged (already up-to-date): ${req.session.userId}`);
             }
 
             req.session.user.financialData = true;
@@ -333,7 +332,7 @@ module.exports = (middleware, users, plans, assets) => {
 
         if (valid.err) {
             req.session.errMessage = "Invalid input",
-                res.status(status.BadRequest);
+            res.status(status.BadRequest);
             return res.redirect("/profile");
         }
 
@@ -351,17 +350,17 @@ module.exports = (middleware, users, plans, assets) => {
         }
 
         users.updateOne(
-            { email: req.session.email },
+            { _id: new ObjectId(req.session.userId) },
             { $set: update }
         ).then((result) => {
             if (result.matchedCount === 0) {
-                console.log(`User not found during account update: ${req.session.email}`);
+                console.log(`User not found during account update: ${req.session.userId}`);
                 req.session.errMessage = "User session invalid. Please log in again.";
                 res.status(status.NotFound).redirect("/login");
                 return;
             }
             if (result.modifiedCount === 0 && result.matchedCount === 1) {
-                console.log(`User account data unchanged (already up-to-date): ${req.session.email}`);
+                console.log(`User account data unchanged (already up-to-date): ${req.session.userId}`);
             }
 
             req.session.errMessage = "";
@@ -393,7 +392,7 @@ module.exports = (middleware, users, plans, assets) => {
         }
 
         let newAsset = {
-            userId: new ObjectId(req.session.user._id),
+            userId: new ObjectId(req.session.userId),
             ...req.body,
             updatedAt: new Date(),
         };
@@ -437,7 +436,7 @@ module.exports = (middleware, users, plans, assets) => {
             return res.redirect("/assets");
         }
 
-        if (req.body.userId != req.session.user._id) {
+        if (req.body.userId != req.session.userId) {
             req.session.errMessage = "Cannot change asset owner",
                 res.status(status.BadRequest);
             return res.redirect("/assets");
@@ -507,20 +506,20 @@ module.exports = (middleware, users, plans, assets) => {
 
     router.post("/deleteUser", (req, res) => {
         // not as critical if results aren't as expected only if crashing
-        assets.deleteMany({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.user._id) }).catch((err) => {
+        assets.deleteMany({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.userId) }).catch((err) => {
             console.error("Error deleting user assets: ", err);
             req.session.errMessage = "An error occured while deleting your account. Please try again.";
             return res.status(status.InternalServerError).redirect("/profile");
         });
 
-        plans.deleteMany({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.user._id) }).catch((err) => {
+        plans.deleteMany({ userId: new ObjectId(req.session.userId) }).catch((err) => {
             console.error("Error deleting user assets: ", err);
             req.session.errMessage = "An error occured while deleting your account. Please try again.";
             return res.status(status.InternalServerError).redirect("/profile");
         });
 
         users.deleteOne(
-            { _id: new ObjectId(req.session.user._id) },
+            { _id: new ObjectId(req.session.userId) },
         ).then((result) => {
             if (result.deletedCount === 0) {
                 console.error(`User not found: ${req.body.id}`);