           }
 
           SocialChannel[funcName] client, options, (err, participants) ->
-
-            return console.error "couldnt #{funcName} user into group socialapi chan", err, options  if err
+            if err
+              console.error "couldnt #{funcName} user into group socialapi chan", err, options
+              return new Error "couldnt #{funcName} user into group socialapi chan"
 
             # only add koding's members to announcement channel
-            return if group.slug isnt 'koding'
+            return callback null if group.slug isnt 'koding'
 
             options = {
               channelId  : socialApiAnnouncementChannelId

            }

            SocialChannel[funcName] client, options, (err) ->
              return console.error "couldnt #{funcName} user into group socialapi chan", err, options  if err

      client.connection.groupName = group.slug

      group.createSocialApiChannels client, (err, socialApiChannels) ->
        if err
          console.error 'couldnt create socialapi channels', err
          return callback err

        { socialApiChannelId, socialApiAnnouncementChannelId } = socialApiChannels

        # ensure member has socialapi id
        member.createSocialApiId (err, socialApiId) ->
          if err
            console.error 'couldnt create socialapi id', err
            return callback new Error 'couldnt create socialapi id'

          options = {
            channelId  : socialApiChannelId
