diff --git a/packages/dashboard/package.json b/packages/dashboard/package.json
index 18f6b27a..61cde58d 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/package.json
+++ b/packages/dashboard/package.json
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
     "@tailwindcss/forms": "^0.2.1",
     "autoprefixer": "^10.2.4",
     "classnames": "^2.2.6",
-    "cookie": "^0.4.1",
     "dayjs": "^1.10.4",
     "express-jwt": "^6.0.0",
     "formik": "^2.2.6",
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/src/pages/api/redirect.js b/packages/dashboard/src/pages/api/accounts/authenticate.js
similarity index 54%
rename from packages/dashboard/src/pages/api/redirect.js
rename to packages/dashboard/src/pages/api/accounts/authenticate.js
index 58cecb4b..37ac3f5d 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/src/pages/api/redirect.js
+++ b/packages/dashboard/src/pages/api/accounts/authenticate.js
@@ -1,21 +1,19 @@
 import superagent from "superagent";
 
 export default async (req, res) => {
-  console.log(Object.keys(req));
-  console.log(req.url);
-  console.log(req.cookies);
-  console.log(req.rawHeaders);
+  if (!req.cookies.ory_kratos_session) {
+    res.redirect(302, "/auth/login"); // redirect to login page if kratos session is missing
+  }
+
   try {
     const auth = await superagent
       .get("http://oathkeeper:4455/user")
       .set("cookie", `ory_kratos_session=${req.cookies.ory_kratos_session}`);
 
-    console.log(auth.header);
-
     res.setHeader("Set-Cookie", auth.header["set-cookie"]);
   } catch (error) {
-    console.log(error);
+    res.redirect(302, "/error"); // credentials were correct but accounts service failed
   }
 
-  res.redirect(302, req.query.return_to);
+  res.redirect(302, req.query.return_to ?? "/");
 };
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/src/pages/auth/login.js b/packages/dashboard/src/pages/auth/login.js
index 1c24534a..bb307f97 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/src/pages/auth/login.js
+++ b/packages/dashboard/src/pages/auth/login.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const kratos = new PublicApi(new Configuration({ basePath: config.kratos.public
 
 export async function getServerSideProps(context) {
   const flow = context.query.flow;
-  const redirect = encodeURIComponent(`/api/redirect?return_to=${context.query.return_to ?? "/"}`);
+  const redirect = encodeURIComponent(`/api/accounts/authenticate?return_to=${context.query.return_to ?? "/"}`);
 
   if (process.env.NODE_ENV === "development") {
     return { props: { flow: require("../../../stubs/login.json") } };