diff --git a/pkg/api/user.go b/pkg/api/user.go
index 26096c78d38..c8eaf8ed223 100644
--- a/pkg/api/user.go
+++ b/pkg/api/user.go
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) UpdateSignedInUser(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) response.Re
 	cmd.Email = strings.TrimSpace(cmd.Email)
 	cmd.Login = strings.TrimSpace(cmd.Login)
 
-	userID, errResponse := getUserID(c)
+	userID, errResponse := hs.getUserID(c)
 	if errResponse != nil {
 		return errResponse
 	}
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) UpdateUserEmail(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) response.Respo
 // 403: forbiddenError
 // 500: internalServerError
 func (hs *HTTPServer) GetSignedInUserOrgList(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) response.Response {
-	userID, errResponse := getUserID(c)
+	userID, errResponse := hs.getUserID(c)
 	if errResponse != nil {
 		return errResponse
 	}
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) GetSignedInUserOrgList(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) respons
 // 403: forbiddenError
 // 500: internalServerError
 func (hs *HTTPServer) GetSignedInUserTeamList(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) response.Response {
-	userID, errResponse := getUserID(c)
+	userID, errResponse := hs.getUserID(c)
 	if errResponse != nil {
 		return errResponse
 	}
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) UserSetUsingOrg(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) response.Respo
 		return response.Error(http.StatusBadRequest, "id is invalid", err)
 	}
 
-	userID, errResponse := getUserID(c)
+	userID, errResponse := hs.getUserID(c)
 	if errResponse != nil {
 		return errResponse
 	}
@@ -505,7 +505,8 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) ChangeActiveOrgAndRedirectToHome(c *contextmodel.ReqContex
 	}
 
 	if !c.SignedInUser.IsIdentityType(claims.TypeUser) {
-		c.JsonApiErr(http.StatusForbidden, "Endpoint only available for users", nil)
+		hs.log.Debug("Requested endpoint only available to users")
+		c.JsonApiErr(http.StatusNotModified, "Endpoint only available for users", nil)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -549,7 +550,7 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) ChangeUserPassword(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) response.Re
 		return response.Error(http.StatusBadRequest, "bad request data", err)
 	}
 
-	userID, errResponse := getUserID(c)
+	userID, errResponse := hs.getUserID(c)
 	if errResponse != nil {
 		return errResponse
 	}
@@ -585,7 +586,7 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) SetHelpFlag(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) response.Response
 		return response.Error(http.StatusBadRequest, "id is invalid", err)
 	}
 
-	userID, errResponse := getUserID(c)
+	userID, errResponse := hs.getUserID(c)
 	if errResponse != nil {
 		return errResponse
 	}
@@ -615,7 +616,7 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) SetHelpFlag(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) response.Response
 // 403: forbiddenError
 // 500: internalServerError
 func (hs *HTTPServer) ClearHelpFlags(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) response.Response {
-	userID, errResponse := getUserID(c)
+	userID, errResponse := hs.getUserID(c)
 	if errResponse != nil {
 		return errResponse
 	}
@@ -628,9 +629,10 @@ func (hs *HTTPServer) ClearHelpFlags(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) response.Respon
 	return response.JSON(http.StatusOK, &util.DynMap{"message": "Help flag set", "helpFlags1": flags})
 }
 
-func getUserID(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) (int64, *response.NormalResponse) {
+func (hs *HTTPServer) getUserID(c *contextmodel.ReqContext) (int64, *response.NormalResponse) {
 	if !c.SignedInUser.IsIdentityType(claims.TypeUser) {
-		return 0, response.Error(http.StatusForbidden, "Endpoint only available for users", nil)
+		hs.log.Debug("Requested endpoint only available to users")
+		return 0, response.Error(http.StatusNotModified, "Endpoint only available for users", nil)
 	}
 
 	userID, err := c.SignedInUser.GetInternalID()
diff --git a/public/app/core/services/backend_srv.ts b/public/app/core/services/backend_srv.ts
index 72be4f2ff4d..3acacdcdb29 100644
--- a/public/app/core/services/backend_srv.ts
+++ b/public/app/core/services/backend_srv.ts
@@ -269,6 +269,16 @@ export class BackendSrv implements BackendService {
   }
 
   showErrorAlert(config: BackendSrvRequest, err: FetchError) {
+    // do not show non-user error alerts for api keys or render tokens, they are used for kiosk mode and reporting and can't react to error pop-ups
+    if (
+      (err.status < 400 || err.status >= 500) &&
+      this.dependencies.contextSrv.isSignedIn &&
+      (this.dependencies.contextSrv.user.authenticatedBy === 'apikey' ||
+        this.dependencies.contextSrv.user.authenticatedBy === 'render')
+    ) {
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (config.showErrorAlert === false) {
       return;
     }