diff --git a/client/coral-admin/src/components/CountdownTimer.js b/client/coral-admin/src/components/CountdownTimer.js
index 3eaa6d305..aba4d0b5a 100644
--- a/client/coral-admin/src/components/CountdownTimer.js
+++ b/client/coral-admin/src/components/CountdownTimer.js
@@ -31,16 +31,20 @@ class CountdownTimer extends React.Component {
   }
 
   componentWillMount () {
-    setInterval(() => { // the countdown timer
+    this.interval = setInterval(() => { // the countdown timer
       let nextCount = this.state.secondsUntilRefresh - 1;
       if (nextCount < 0) {
         nextCount = refreshIntervalSeconds;
-        this.props.handleTimeout();
+        return this.props.handleTimeout();
       }
       this.setState({secondsUntilRefresh: nextCount});
     }, 1000);
   }
 
+  componentWillUnmount () {
+    window.clearInterval(this.interval);
+  }
+
   formatTime = () => {
     const minutes = Math.floor(this.state.secondsUntilRefresh / 60);
     let seconds = (this.state.secondsUntilRefresh % 60).toString();