diff --git a/client/coral-framework/hocs/withMutation.js b/client/coral-framework/hocs/withMutation.js
index f16809322..cb6bc3789 100644
--- a/client/coral-framework/hocs/withMutation.js
+++ b/client/coral-framework/hocs/withMutation.js
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ export default (document, config = {}) => hoistStatics((WrappedComponent) => {
                   res[key] = (prev, result) => {
                     if (getResponseErrors(result.mutationResult)) {
 
-                    // Do not run updates when we have mutation errors.
+                      // Do not run updates when we have mutation errors.
                       return prev;
                     }
                     return map[key](prev, result) || prev;
@@ -116,6 +116,11 @@ export default (document, config = {}) => hoistStatics((WrappedComponent) => {
                 } else {
                   const existing = res[key];
                   res[key] = (prev, result) => {
+                    if (getResponseErrors(result.mutationResult)) {
+
+                      // Do not run updates when we have mutation errors.
+                      return prev;
+                    }
                     const next = existing(prev, result);
                     return map[key](next, result) || next;
                   };
diff --git a/errors.js b/errors.js
index ab1667e07..dca3f0511 100644
--- a/errors.js
+++ b/errors.js
@@ -195,6 +195,12 @@ const ErrAssetURLAlreadyExists = new APIError('Asset URL already exists, cannot
   status: 409
 });
 
+// ErrCannotIgnoreStaff is returned when a user tries to ignore a staff member.
+const ErrCannotIgnoreStaff = new APIError('Cannot ignore staff members.', {
+  translation_key: 'CANNOT_IGNORE_STAFF',
+  status: 400
+});
+
 module.exports = {
   ExtendableError,
   APIError,
@@ -221,5 +227,6 @@ module.exports = {
   ErrLoginAttemptMaximumExceeded,
   ErrEditWindowHasEnded,
   ErrCommentTooShort,
-  ErrAssetURLAlreadyExists
+  ErrAssetURLAlreadyExists,
+  ErrCannotIgnoreStaff
 };
diff --git a/locales/en.yml b/locales/en.yml
index 454d4c2a2..17eed0ed5 100644
--- a/locales/en.yml
+++ b/locales/en.yml
@@ -206,6 +206,7 @@ en:
     NOT_FOUND: "Resource not found"
     ALREADY_EXISTS: "Resource already exists"
     INVALID_ASSET_URL: "Assert URL is invalid"
+    CANNOT_IGNORE_STAFF: "Cannot ignore Staff members."
     email: "Not a valid E-Mail"
     confirm_password: "Passwords don't match. Please check again"
     network_error: "Failed to connect to server. Check your internet connection and try again."
diff --git a/services/users.js b/services/users.js
index 78708b40a..7968f7e83 100644
--- a/services/users.js
+++ b/services/users.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ const assert = require('assert');
 const uuid = require('uuid');
 const bcrypt = require('bcryptjs');
 const errors = require('../errors');
+const some = require('lodash/some');
 
 const {
   ROOT_URL
@@ -885,13 +886,18 @@ module.exports = class UsersService {
    * @param  {String} id the id of the user that is ignoring another users
    * @param  {Array<String>} usersToIgnore Array of user IDs to ignore
    */
-  static ignoreUsers(id, usersToIgnore) {
+  static async ignoreUsers(id, usersToIgnore) {
     assert(Array.isArray(usersToIgnore), 'usersToIgnore is an array');
     assert(usersToIgnore.every((u) => typeof u === 'string'), 'usersToIgnore is an array of string user IDs');
     if (usersToIgnore.includes(id)) {
       throw new Error('Users cannot ignore themselves');
     }
 
+    const users = await UsersService.findByIdArray(usersToIgnore);
+    if (some(users, (user) => user.isStaff())) {
+      throw errors.ErrCannotIgnoreStaff;
+    }
+
     // TODO: For each usersToIgnore, make sure they exist?
     return UserModel.update({id}, {
       $addToSet:  {
diff --git a/test/server/services/users.js b/test/server/services/users.js
index 251618187..6ac56947a 100644
--- a/test/server/services/users.js
+++ b/test/server/services/users.js
@@ -164,6 +164,19 @@ describe('services.UsersService', () => {
       const userAfterIgnoring2 = await UsersService.findById(user.id);
       expect(userAfterIgnoring2.ignoresUsers.length).to.equal(2);
     });
+
+    it('should not ignore a staff member', async () => {
+      const user = mockUsers[0];
+      const usersToIgnore = [mockUsers[1]];
+      await UsersService.addRoleToUser(usersToIgnore[0].id, 'STAFF');
+
+      try {
+        await UsersService.ignoreUsers(user.id, usersToIgnore.map((u) => u.id));
+      } catch (err) {
+        expect(err.status).to.equal(400);
+        expect(err.translation_key).to.equal('CANNOT_IGNORE_STAFF');
+      }
+    });
   });
 
   describe('#ban', () => {