diff --git a/lib/manager/actions/user.js b/lib/manager/actions/user.js
index dab9e7baf..66b0a67d6 100644
--- a/lib/manager/actions/user.js
+++ b/lib/manager/actions/user.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import objectPath from 'object-path'
 import {browserHistory} from 'react-router'
 import {createAction, type ActionType} from 'redux-actions'
 
+import {fetchUsers} from '../../admin/actions/admin'
 import {createVoidPayloadAction, secureFetch} from '../../common/actions'
 import auth0 from '../../common/user/Auth0Manager'
 import UserPermissions from '../../common/user/UserPermissions'
@@ -222,7 +223,10 @@ export function updateTargetForSubscription (profile: UserProfile, target: strin
 }
 
 /**
- * Update application/client ID specific datatools object with provided user data.
+ * Update application/client ID specific datatools object with provided user
+ * data. This is used in the user admin module to update some user's permissions
+ * as well as throughout the application to update attributes for the logged in
+ * user (e.g., when a user subscribes/watches a feed source or project).
  */
 export function updateUserData (user: any, userData: any) {
   return function (dispatch: dispatchFn, getState: getStateFn) {
@@ -242,20 +246,32 @@ export function updateUserData (user: any, userData: any) {
       appMetadata.datatools[dtIndex][key] = userData[key]
     }
     const url = `/api/manager/secure/user/${user.user_id}`
+    let status
     // Make request to server
     return dispatch(secureFetch(url, 'put', {
       user_id: user.user_id,
       data: appMetadata.datatools
     }))
-      .then(response => response.json())
-      .then(updatedProfile => {
+      .then(response => {
+        status = response.status
+        return response.json()
+      })
+      .then(responseJson => {
+        if (status >= 400) {
+          return dispatch(setErrorMessage({
+            message: `Could not update user metadata\n${JSON.stringify(responseJson)}`
+          }))
+        }
         const {profile} = getState().user
         if (!profile) throw new Error('Could not find user profile in state.')
-        const currentUserId = profile.user_id
-        if (updatedProfile.user_id === currentUserId) {
+        if (responseJson.user_id === profile.user_id) {
           // If user being updated matches the logged in user, update their
-          // profile in the application state.
-          dispatch(userProfileUpdated(updatedProfile))
+          // profile in the application state as the change in user_metdata can
+          // change various items in the application such as user subscriptions
+          // or even permissions a user has available to them.
+          dispatch(userProfileUpdated(responseJson))
+        } else {
+          dispatch(fetchUsers())
         }
       })
   }