diff --git a/app/common/main-controller.js b/app/common/main-controller.js
index 67fa692..377db03 100644
--- a/app/common/main-controller.js
+++ b/app/common/main-controller.js
@@ -351,35 +351,6 @@
             }
         });
     };
-    $scope.ping = function () {
-        return $http({
-            method: 'GET',
-            timeout: globals.settings.Timeout,
-            url: globals.BaseURL() + '/ping.view?' + globals.BaseParams(),
-        }).error(function (data) {
-            notifications.updateMessage('Unable to connect to Subsonic server');
-        });
-        /*
-        $.ajax({
-            url: globals.BaseURL() + '/ping.view?' + globals.BaseParams(),
-            method: 'GET',
-            dataType: globals.settings.Protocol,
-            timeout: globals.settings.Timeout,
-            success: function (data) {
-                if (data["subsonic-response"].status == 'ok') {
-                    globals.settings.ApiVersion = data["subsonic-response"].version;
-                } else {
-                    if (typeof data["subsonic-response"].error != 'undefined') {
-                        notifications.updateMessage(data["subsonic-response"].error.message);
-                    }
-                }
-            },
-            error: function () {
-                notifications.updateMessage('Unable to connect to Subsonic server');
-            }
-        });
-        */
-    };
     $scope.queueRemoveSelected = function (data, event) {
         angular.forEach($scope.selectedSongs, function (item, key) {
             var index = $rootScope.queue.indexOf(item);
diff --git a/app/settings/settings-service.js b/app/settings/settings-service.js
index edd541e..bb790c8 100644
--- a/app/settings/settings-service.js
+++ b/app/settings/settings-service.js
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ angular.module('jamstash.settings', [])
 
     this.BaseURL = function () { return this.settings.Server + '/rest'; };
     this.BaseParams = function () { return 'u=' + this.settings.Username + '&p=' + this.settings.Password + '&f=' + this.settings.Protocol + '&v=' + this.settings.ApiVersion + '&c=' + this.settings.ApplicationName; };
+    this.BaseJSONParams = function () { return 'u=' + this.settings.Username + '&p=' + this.settings.Password + '&f=json&v=' + this.settings.ApiVersion + '&c=' + this.settings.ApplicationName; };
 })
 
 .factory('json', ['$http', function ($http) { // Deferred loading
diff --git a/app/settings/settings.js b/app/settings/settings.js
index 6028972..30b7039 100644
--- a/app/settings/settings.js
+++ b/app/settings/settings.js
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 angular.module('JamStash')
 
-.controller('SettingsCtrl', ['$rootScope', '$scope', '$routeParams', '$location', 'utils', 'globals', 'json', 'notifications', 'player',
-    function ($rootScope, $scope, $routeParams, $location, utils, globals, json, notifications, player) {
+.controller('SettingsCtrl', ['$rootScope', '$scope', '$routeParams', '$location',  '$http', '$q', 'utils', 'globals', 'json', 'notifications', 'player',
+    function ($rootScope, $scope, $routeParams, $location, $http, $q, utils, globals, json, notifications, player) {
     'use strict';
     $rootScope.hideQueue();
     $scope.settings = globals.settings; /* See service.js */
+    $scope.ApiVersion = globals.settings.ApiVersion;
     $scope.Timeouts = [
         { id: 10000, name: 10 },
         { id: 20000, name: 20 },
@@ -27,6 +28,34 @@
             $('#AZIndex').show();
         }
     });
+    $scope.ping = function () {
+        var exception = {reason: 'Error when contacting the Subsonic server.'};
+        var deferred = $q.defer();
+        var httpPromise;
+        httpPromise = $http({
+            method: 'GET',
+            timeout: globals.settings.Timeout,
+            // 2015-1-5: This API call only works with json as of SS v5.0?!?
+            //url: globals.BaseURL() + '/ping.view?' + globals.BaseParams(),
+            url: globals.BaseURL() + '/ping.view?' + globals.BaseJSONParams()
+        });
+        httpPromise.success(function(data, status) {
+            var subsonicResponse = (data['subsonic-response'] !== undefined) ? data['subsonic-response'] : {status: 'failed'};
+            if (subsonicResponse.status === 'ok') {
+                $scope.ApiVersion = subsonicResponse.version;
+                globals.settings.ApiVersion = $scope.ApiVersion;
+                deferred.resolve(data);
+            } else {
+                if(subsonicResponse.status === 'failed' && subsonicResponse.error !== undefined) {
+                    notifications.updateMessage(subsonicResponse.error.message);
+                }
+            }
+        }).error(function(data, status) {
+            exception.httpError = status;
+            deferred.reject(exception);
+        });
+        return deferred.promise;
+    };
     $scope.reset = function () {
         utils.setValue('Settings', null, true);
         $scope.loadSettings();
@@ -63,16 +92,9 @@
         notifications.updateMessage('Settings Updated!', true);
         $scope.loadSettings();
         if (globals.settings.Server !== '' && globals.settings.Username !== '' && globals.settings.Password !== '') {
-            $scope.ping().then(function(data) {
-                if (data["subsonic-response"].status == 'ok') {
-                    globals.settings.ApiVersion = data["subsonic-response"].version;
-                    $location.path('/library').replace();
-                    $rootScope.showIndex = true;
-                } else {
-                    if (typeof data["subsonic-response"].error != 'undefined') {
-                        notifications.updateMessage(data["subsonic-response"].error.message);
-                    }
-                }
+            $scope.ping().then(function() {
+                $location.path('/library').replace();
+                $rootScope.showIndex = true;
             });
         }
     };