diff --git a/src/main/scala/code/api/1_2_1/OBPAPI1.2.1.scala b/src/main/scala/code/api/1_2_1/OBPAPI1.2.1.scala
index 9025a727c..88ee49776 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/code/api/1_2_1/OBPAPI1.2.1.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/code/api/1_2_1/OBPAPI1.2.1.scala
@@ -65,8 +65,6 @@ object OBPAPI1_2_1 extends OBPRestHelper with Loggable {
   implicit def successToJson(success: SuccessMessage): JValue = Extraction.decompose(success)
 
   
-  val defaultAuthProvider = Props.get("hostname","")
-  
   val dateFormat = ModeratedTransaction.dateFormat
   val apiPrefix = "obp" / "v1.2.1" oPrefix _
 
@@ -261,12 +259,12 @@ object OBPAPI1_2_1 extends OBPRestHelper with Loggable {
 
   oauthServe(apiPrefix {
   //get access for specific user
-    case "banks" :: bankId :: "accounts" :: accountId :: "permissions" :: userId :: Nil JsonGet json => {
+    case "banks" :: bankId :: "accounts" :: accountId :: "permissions" :: providerId :: userId :: Nil JsonGet json => {
       user =>
         for {
           u <- user ?~ "user not found"
           account <- BankAccount(bankId, accountId)
-          permission <- account permission(u, defaultAuthProvider, userId)
+          permission <- account permission(u, providerId, userId)
         } yield {
             val views = JSONFactory.createViewsJSON(permission.views)
             successJsonResponse(Extraction.decompose(views))
@@ -276,13 +274,13 @@ object OBPAPI1_2_1 extends OBPRestHelper with Loggable {
 
   oauthServe(apiPrefix{
     //add access for specific user to a list of views
-    case "banks" :: bankId :: "accounts" :: accountId :: "permissions" :: userId :: "views" :: Nil JsonPost json -> _ => {
+    case "banks" :: bankId :: "accounts" :: accountId :: "permissions" :: providerId :: userId :: "views" :: Nil JsonPost json -> _ => {
       user =>
         for {
           u <- user ?~ "user not found"
           account <- BankAccount(bankId, accountId)
           viewIds <- tryo{json.extract[ViewIdsJson]} ?~ "wrong format JSON"
-          addedViews <- account addPermissions(u, viewIds.views, defaultAuthProvider, userId)
+          addedViews <- account addPermissions(u, viewIds.views, providerId, userId)
         } yield {
             val viewJson = JSONFactory.createViewsJSON(addedViews)
             successJsonResponse(Extraction.decompose(viewJson), 201)
@@ -292,13 +290,13 @@ object OBPAPI1_2_1 extends OBPRestHelper with Loggable {
 
   oauthServe(apiPrefix{
   //add access for specific user to a specific view
-    case "banks" :: bankId :: "accounts" :: accountId :: "permissions" :: userId :: "views" :: viewId :: Nil JsonPost json -> _ => {
+    case "banks" :: bankId :: "accounts" :: accountId :: "permissions" :: providerId :: userId :: "views" :: viewId :: Nil JsonPost json -> _ => {
       user =>
         for {
           u <- user ?~ "user not found"
           account <- BankAccount(bankId, accountId)
           view <- View.fromUrl(viewId, account)
-          isAdded <- account addPermission(u, viewId, defaultAuthProvider, userId)
+          isAdded <- account addPermission(u, viewId, providerId, userId)
           if(isAdded)
         } yield {
             val viewJson = JSONFactory.createViewJSON(view)
@@ -309,12 +307,12 @@ object OBPAPI1_2_1 extends OBPRestHelper with Loggable {
 
   oauthServe(apiPrefix{
   //delete access for specific user to one view
-    case "banks" :: bankId :: "accounts" :: accountId :: "permissions" :: userId :: "views" :: viewId :: Nil JsonDelete json => {
+    case "banks" :: bankId :: "accounts" :: accountId :: "permissions" :: providerId :: userId :: "views" :: viewId :: Nil JsonDelete json => {
       user =>
         for {
           u <- user ?~ "user not found"
           account <- BankAccount(bankId, accountId)
-          isRevoked <- account revokePermission(u, viewId, defaultAuthProvider, userId)
+          isRevoked <- account revokePermission(u, viewId, providerId, userId)
           if(isRevoked)
         } yield noContentJsonResponse
     }
@@ -322,12 +320,12 @@ object OBPAPI1_2_1 extends OBPRestHelper with Loggable {
 
   oauthServe(apiPrefix{
     //delete access for specific user to all the views
-    case "banks" :: bankId :: "accounts" :: accountId :: "permissions" :: userId :: "views" :: Nil JsonDelete json => {
+    case "banks" :: bankId :: "accounts" :: accountId :: "permissions" :: providerId :: userId :: "views" :: Nil JsonDelete json => {
       user =>
         for {
           u <- user ?~ "user not found"
           account <- BankAccount(bankId, accountId)
-          isRevoked <- account revokeAllPermissions(u, defaultAuthProvider, userId)
+          isRevoked <- account revokeAllPermissions(u, providerId, userId)
           if(isRevoked)
         } yield noContentJsonResponse
     }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/code/api/OBPRestHelper.scala b/src/main/scala/code/api/OBPRestHelper.scala
index f93ffd8b9..230969164 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/code/api/OBPRestHelper.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/code/api/OBPRestHelper.scala
@@ -41,11 +41,36 @@ import code.util.APIUtil._
 import code.model.User
 import code.api.OAuthHandshake._
 
+trait APIFailure{
+  val responseCode : Int
+  val msg : String
+}
+
+//if you change this, think about backwards compatibility! All existing
+//versions of the API return this failure message, so if you change it, make sure
+//that all stable versions retain the same behavior
+case class UserNotFound(providerId : String, userId: String) extends APIFailure {
+  val responseCode = 400 //TODO: better as 404? -> would break some backwards compatibility (or at least the tests!)
+  
+  //to reiterate the comment about preserving backwards compatibility:
+  //consider the case that an app may be parsing this string to decide what message to show their users
+  //e.g. when granting view permissions, an app may not give their users a choice of provider and only
+  //allow them to grant permissions to users from a certain hardcoded provider. In this case, showing this error
+  //message is undesired and confusing. So in fact that app may be doing some regex stuff to try to match the string below
+  //so that they can provide a useful message to their users. Obviously in the future this should be redesigned in a better
+  //way, perhaps by using error codes.
+  val msg = s"user $userId not found at provider $providerId"
+}
+
 class OBPRestHelper extends RestHelper with Loggable {
 
   implicit def jsonResponseBoxToJsonReponse(box: Box[JsonResponse]): JsonResponse = {
     box match {
       case Full(r) => r
+      case ParamFailure(_, _, _, apiFailure : APIFailure) => {
+        logger.info("API Failure: " + apiFailure.msg + " ($apiFailure.responseCode)")
+        errorJsonResponse(apiFailure.msg, apiFailure.responseCode)
+      }
       case Failure(msg, _, _) => {
         logger.info("API Failure: " + msg)
         errorJsonResponse(msg)
diff --git a/src/main/scala/code/model/User.scala b/src/main/scala/code/model/User.scala
index 16f4a8924..db63fe92c 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/code/model/User.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/code/model/User.scala
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import net.liftweb.json.JsonDSL._
 import net.liftweb.json.JsonAST.JObject
 import code.model.dataAccess.LocalStorage
 import net.liftweb.common.Box
+import code.api.UserNotFound
 
 trait User {
   
@@ -73,5 +74,8 @@ object User {
     LocalStorage.getUserByApiId(id)
     
   def findByProviderId(provider : String, idGivenByProvider : String) = 
-    LocalStorage.getUserByProviderId(provider, idGivenByProvider)
+    //if you change this, think about backwards compatibility! All existing
+    //versions of the API return this failure message, so if you change it, make sure
+    //that all stable versions retain the same behavior
+    LocalStorage.getUserByProviderId(provider, idGivenByProvider) ~> UserNotFound(provider, idGivenByProvider)
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/scala/code/api/API121Test.scala b/src/test/scala/code/api/API121Test.scala
index a4900ea71..713e51e8f 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/code/api/API121Test.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/code/api/API121Test.scala
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ import _root_.net.liftweb.json.Extraction
 import _root_.net.liftweb.json.Serialization
 import _root_.net.liftweb.json.Serialization.write
 import _root_.net.liftweb.json.JsonAST.{JValue, JObject}
-import org.mortbay.jetty.nio.SelectChannelConnector
 import net.liftweb.json.NoTypeHints
 import net.liftweb.json.JsonDSL._
 import scala.util.Random._
@@ -97,12 +96,14 @@ class API1_2_1Test extends ServerSetup{
       secret(randomString(40).toLowerCase).
       saveMe
 
+  val defaultProvider = Props.get("hostname","")
+      
   lazy val consumer = new Consumer (testConsumer.key,testConsumer.secret)
   // create the access token
   lazy val tokenDuration = weeks(4)
 
-  lazy val obpuser1 =
-    APIUser.create.
+  lazy val obpuser1 = 
+    APIUser.create.provider_(defaultProvider).
       saveMe
 
   override def specificSetup() ={
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ class API1_2_1Test extends ServerSetup{
 
   // create a user for test purposes
   lazy val obpuser2 =
-    APIUser.create.
+    APIUser.create.provider_(defaultProvider).
       saveMe
 
   //we create an access token for the other user
@@ -153,7 +154,7 @@ class API1_2_1Test extends ServerSetup{
 
   // create a user for test purposes
   lazy val obpuser3 =
-    APIUser.create.
+    APIUser.create.provider_(defaultProvider).
       saveMe
 
   //we create an access token for the other user
@@ -391,28 +392,28 @@ class API1_2_1Test extends ServerSetup{
   }
 
   def getUserAccountPermission(bankId : String, accountId : String, userId : String, consumerAndToken: Option[(Consumer, Token)]) : APIResponse = {
-    val request = v1_2Request / "banks" / bankId / "accounts" / accountId / "permissions"/ userId <@(consumerAndToken)
+    val request = v1_2Request / "banks" / bankId / "accounts" / accountId / "permissions" / defaultProvider / userId <@(consumerAndToken)
     makeGetRequest(request)
   }
 
   def grantUserAccessToView(bankId : String, accountId : String, userId : String, viewId : String, consumerAndToken: Option[(Consumer, Token)]) : APIResponse= {
-    val request = (v1_2Request / "banks" / bankId / "accounts" / accountId / "permissions"/ userId / "views" / viewId).POST <@(consumerAndToken)
+    val request = (v1_2Request / "banks" / bankId / "accounts" / accountId / "permissions"/ defaultProvider / userId / "views" / viewId).POST <@(consumerAndToken)
     makePostRequest(request)
   }
 
   def grantUserAccessToViews(bankId : String, accountId : String, userId : String, viewIds : List[String], consumerAndToken: Option[(Consumer, Token)]) : APIResponse= {
-    val request = (v1_2Request / "banks" / bankId / "accounts" / accountId / "permissions"/ userId / "views").POST <@(consumerAndToken)
+    val request = (v1_2Request / "banks" / bankId / "accounts" / accountId / "permissions"/ defaultProvider / userId / "views").POST <@(consumerAndToken)
     val viewsJson = ViewIdsJson(viewIds)
     makePostRequest(request, write(viewsJson))
   }
 
   def revokeUserAccessToView(bankId : String, accountId : String, userId : String, viewId : String, consumerAndToken: Option[(Consumer, Token)]) : APIResponse= {
-    val request = (v1_2Request / "banks" / bankId / "accounts" / accountId / "permissions"/ userId / "views" / viewId).DELETE <@(consumerAndToken)
+    val request = (v1_2Request / "banks" / bankId / "accounts" / accountId / "permissions"/ defaultProvider / userId / "views" / viewId).DELETE <@(consumerAndToken)
     makeDeleteRequest(request)
   }
 
   def revokeUserAccessToAllViews(bankId : String, accountId : String, userId : String, consumerAndToken: Option[(Consumer, Token)]) : APIResponse= {
-    val request = (v1_2Request / "banks" / bankId / "accounts" / accountId / "permissions"/ userId / "views").DELETE <@(consumerAndToken)
+    val request = (v1_2Request / "banks" / bankId / "accounts" / accountId / "permissions"/ defaultProvider / userId / "views").DELETE <@(consumerAndToken)
     makeDeleteRequest(request)
   }
 
diff --git a/src/test/scala/code/api/API12Test.scala b/src/test/scala/code/api/API12Test.scala
index 33bb5d3e8..3a3e98cd2 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/code/api/API12Test.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/code/api/API12Test.scala
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ import _root_.net.liftweb.json.Extraction
 import _root_.net.liftweb.json.Serialization
 import _root_.net.liftweb.json.Serialization.write
 import _root_.net.liftweb.json.JsonAST.{JValue, JObject}
-import org.mortbay.jetty.nio.SelectChannelConnector
 import net.liftweb.json.NoTypeHints
 import net.liftweb.json.JsonDSL._
 import scala.util.Random._