diff --git a/packages/lib-classifier/src/components/Classifier/Classifier.js b/packages/lib-classifier/src/components/Classifier/Classifier.js
index 3fdfc111d51..b49556e02a8 100644
--- a/packages/lib-classifier/src/components/Classifier/Classifier.js
+++ b/packages/lib-classifier/src/components/Classifier/Classifier.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import asyncStates from '@zooniverse/async-states'
 import { Provider } from 'mobx-react'
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types'
 import React, { useEffect } from 'react'
@@ -5,7 +6,7 @@ import zooTheme from '@zooniverse/grommet-theme'
 import '../../translations/i18n'
 import i18n from 'i18next'
 
-import { usePanoptesUser, useProjectRoles } from '@hooks'
+import { usePanoptesUser, useProjectPreferences, useProjectRoles } from '@hooks'
 import Layout from './components/Layout'
 import ModalTutorial from './components/ModalTutorial'
 
@@ -24,6 +25,24 @@ export default function Classifier({
 
   const user = usePanoptesUser()
   const projectRoles = useProjectRoles(project?.id, user?.id)
+  const upp = useProjectPreferences(project?.id, user?.id)
+
+  const uppLoading = upp === undefined
+  const { userProjectPreferences } = classifierStore
+  // are we replacing a stored UPP?
+  if (uppLoading && userProjectPreferences.loadingState === asyncStates.success) {
+    console.log('resetting stale user data')
+    userProjectPreferences.reset()
+  }
+  // store a new UPP
+  if (userProjectPreferences.loadingState !== asyncStates.success) {
+    if (upp === null) {
+      userProjectPreferences.clear()
+    }
+    if (upp?.id) {
+      userProjectPreferences.setUPP(upp)
+    }
+  }
 
   const canPreviewWorkflows = projectRoles.indexOf('owner') > -1 ||
     projectRoles.indexOf('collaborator') > -1 ||
diff --git a/packages/lib-classifier/src/components/Classifier/ClassifierContainer.js b/packages/lib-classifier/src/components/Classifier/ClassifierContainer.js
index 48b941c3beb..5e05b48253e 100644
--- a/packages/lib-classifier/src/components/Classifier/ClassifierContainer.js
+++ b/packages/lib-classifier/src/components/Classifier/ClassifierContainer.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { GraphQLClient } from 'graphql-request'
 import { Paragraph } from 'grommet'
 import { Provider } from 'mobx-react'
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types'
-import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+import React, { useEffect } from 'react'
 import '../../translations/i18n'
 import {
   env,
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ export default function ClassifierContainer({
   subjectSetID,
   workflowID
 }) {
-  const [loaded, setLoaded] = useState(false)
   const storeEnvironment = { authClient, client }
 
   const workflowSnapshot = useWorkflowSnapshot(workflowID)
@@ -98,26 +97,17 @@ export default function ClassifierContainer({
     Otherwise, hydration will overwrite the callbacks with
     their defaults.
     */
-    const { classifications, subjects, userProjectPreferences } = classifierStore
-    console.log('resetting stale user data')
-    userProjectPreferences.reset()
+    const { classifications, subjects } = classifierStore
     console.log('setting classifier event callbacks')
     classifications.setOnComplete(onCompleteClassification)
     subjects.setOnReset(onSubjectReset)
     classifierStore.setOnAddToCollection(onAddToCollection)
     classifierStore.setOnSubjectChange(onSubjectChange)
     classifierStore.setOnToggleFavourite(onToggleFavourite)
-    setLoaded(true)
   }, [])
 
-  useEffect(function onAuthChange() {
-    if (loaded) {
-      classifierStore.userProjectPreferences.checkForUser()
-    }
-  }, [loaded, authClient])
-
   try {
-    if (loaded) {
+    if (classifierStore) {
 
       return (
         <Provider classifierStore={classifierStore}>
diff --git a/packages/lib-classifier/src/components/Classifier/components/ModalTutorial/ModalTutorial.spec.js b/packages/lib-classifier/src/components/Classifier/components/ModalTutorial/ModalTutorial.spec.js
index ce0deca0118..1cfd579db64 100644
--- a/packages/lib-classifier/src/components/Classifier/components/ModalTutorial/ModalTutorial.spec.js
+++ b/packages/lib-classifier/src/components/Classifier/components/ModalTutorial/ModalTutorial.spec.js
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ describe('ModalTutorial', function () {
       store = mockStore()
       const tutorialSnapshot = TutorialFactory.build()
       store.tutorials.setTutorials([tutorialSnapshot])
-      await when(() => store.userProjectPreferences.loadingState === asyncStates.success)
       const upp = UPPFactory.build()
       store.userProjectPreferences.setUPP(upp)
       store.userProjectPreferences.setHeaders({
diff --git a/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/Readme.md b/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/Readme.md
index ac7e20037f9..7e66e17e0d2 100644
--- a/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/Readme.md
+++ b/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/Readme.md
@@ -25,6 +25,13 @@ Get the logged-in user, or null if no one is logged in.
   const user = usePanoptesUser()
 ```
 
+## useProjectPreferences
+
+Get project preferences for a user and project, or null if there's no one logged in.
+```js
+  const upp = useProjectPreferences(project.id, user.id)
+```
+
 ## useProjectRoles
 
 Get the logged-in user's project roles, as an array of strings, or an empty array if no one is logged in.
diff --git a/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/index.js b/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/index.js
index a19bca3b077..903ef00a10e 100644
--- a/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/index.js
+++ b/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 export { default as useHydratedStore } from './useHydratedStore'
 export { default as usePanoptesAuth } from './usePanoptesAuth'
 export { default as usePanoptesUser } from './usePanoptesUser'
+export { default as useProjectPreferences } from './useProjectPreferences'
 export { default as useProjectRoles } from './useProjectRoles'
 export { default as useStores } from './useStores'
 export { default as useWorkflowSnapshot } from './useWorkflowSnapshot'
diff --git a/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/useProjectPreferences.js b/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/useProjectPreferences.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..509bfea248d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/useProjectPreferences.js
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+import useSWR from 'swr'
+import { panoptes } from '@zooniverse/panoptes-js'
+
+import { usePanoptesAuth } from './'
+
+const SWRoptions = {
+  revalidateIfStale: true,
+  revalidateOnMount: true,
+  revalidateOnFocus: true,
+  revalidateOnReconnect: true,
+  refreshInterval: 0
+}
+
+async function createProjectPreferences({ endpoint, project_id, authorization }) {
+  const data = {
+    links: { project: project_id },
+    preferences: {}
+  }
+  const { body } = await panoptes.post(endpoint, { project_preferences: data }, { authorization })
+  const [projectPreferences] = body.project_preferences
+  return projectPreferences
+}
+
+async function fetchProjectPreferences({ endpoint, project_id, user_id, authorization }) {
+  const { body } = await panoptes.get(endpoint, { project_id, user_id }, { authorization })
+  const [projectPreferences] = body.project_preferences
+  return projectPreferences
+}
+
+async function fetchOrCreateProjectPreferences({ endpoint, project_id, user_id, authorization }) {
+  // auth is undefined while loading
+  if (authorization === undefined) {
+    return undefined
+  }
+  // logged-in
+  if (authorization) {
+    const projectPreferences = await fetchProjectPreferences({ endpoint, project_id, user_id, authorization })
+    if (projectPreferences) {
+      return projectPreferences
+    } else {
+      return await createProjectPreferences({ endpoint, project_id, authorization })
+    }
+  }
+  // not logged-in
+  return null
+}
+
+export default function useProjectPreferences(project_id, user_id) {
+  const authorization = usePanoptesAuth(user_id)
+  const endpoint = '/project_preferences'
+  const { data } = useSWR({ endpoint, project_id, user_id, authorization }, fetchOrCreateProjectPreferences, SWRoptions)
+  return data
+}
diff --git a/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/useProjectRoles.js b/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/useProjectRoles.js
index 2bd492cab43..15bf45d996c 100644
--- a/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/useProjectRoles.js
+++ b/packages/lib-classifier/src/hooks/useProjectRoles.js
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ const SWRoptions = {
   refreshInterval: 0
 }
 
-async function fetchProjectRoles({ project_id, user_id, authorization }) {
+async function fetchProjectRoles({ endpoint, project_id, user_id, authorization }) {
   if (authorization) {
-    const { body } = await panoptes.get(`/project_roles`, { project_id, user_id }, { authorization })
+    const { body } = await panoptes.get(endpoint, { project_id, user_id }, { authorization })
     const [projectRoles] = body.project_roles
     return projectRoles.roles
   }
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ async function fetchProjectRoles({ project_id, user_id, authorization }) {
 
 export default function useProjectRoles(project_id, user_id) {
   const authorization = usePanoptesAuth(user_id)
-  const { data } = useSWR({ project_id, user_id, authorization }, fetchProjectRoles, SWRoptions)
+  const endpoint = '/project_roles'
+  const { data } = useSWR({ endpoint, project_id, user_id, authorization }, fetchProjectRoles, SWRoptions)
   return data ?? []
 }
diff --git a/packages/lib-classifier/src/store/TutorialStore/Tutorial/Tutorial.spec.js b/packages/lib-classifier/src/store/TutorialStore/Tutorial/Tutorial.spec.js
index b0655c08b34..c672578bd59 100644
--- a/packages/lib-classifier/src/store/TutorialStore/Tutorial/Tutorial.spec.js
+++ b/packages/lib-classifier/src/store/TutorialStore/Tutorial/Tutorial.spec.js
@@ -21,21 +21,19 @@ describe('Model > Tutorial', function () {
     })
 
     it('should be false while UPP loads', function () {
-      store.userProjectPreferences.fetchUPP({ id: 'test' })
       const tutorial = store.tutorials.active
       expect(tutorial.hasNotBeenSeen).to.be.false()
     })
 
     it('should be true for anonymous users', async function () {
       let tutorial = store.tutorials.active
-      await when(() => store.userProjectPreferences.loadingState === asyncStates.success)
+      store.userProjectPreferences.clear()
       tutorial = store.tutorials.active
       expect(tutorial.hasNotBeenSeen).to.be.true()
     })
 
     it('should be true after the user has loaded', async function () {
       let tutorial = store.tutorials.active
-      await when(() => store.userProjectPreferences.loadingState === asyncStates.success)
       const upp = UPPFactory.build()
       store.userProjectPreferences.setUPP(upp)
       tutorial = store.tutorials.active
@@ -44,7 +42,6 @@ describe('Model > Tutorial', function () {
 
     it('should be false after a user has seen the tutorial', async function () {
       let tutorial = store.tutorials.active
-      await when(() => store.userProjectPreferences.loadingState === asyncStates.success)
       const upp = UPPFactory.build()
       store.userProjectPreferences.setUPP(upp)
       store.userProjectPreferences.setHeaders({
@@ -63,7 +60,6 @@ describe('Model > Tutorial', function () {
       store = mockStore()
       const tutorialSnapshot = TutorialFactory.build()
       store.tutorials.setTutorials([tutorialSnapshot])
-      await when(() => store.userProjectPreferences.loadingState === asyncStates.success)
       const upp = UPPFactory.build()
       store.userProjectPreferences.setUPP(upp)
       store.userProjectPreferences.setHeaders({
diff --git a/packages/lib-classifier/src/store/UserProjectPreferencesStore/UserProjectPreferencesStore.js b/packages/lib-classifier/src/store/UserProjectPreferencesStore/UserProjectPreferencesStore.js
index 5ba5ae1df79..2cdcb85f114 100644
--- a/packages/lib-classifier/src/store/UserProjectPreferencesStore/UserProjectPreferencesStore.js
+++ b/packages/lib-classifier/src/store/UserProjectPreferencesStore/UserProjectPreferencesStore.js
@@ -16,85 +16,9 @@ const UserProjectPreferencesStore = types
 
   // TODO: move some of these req into panoptes.js helpers
   .actions(self => {
-    function afterAttach () {
-      createProjectObserver()
-    }
-
-    function createProjectObserver () {
-      const projectDisposer = autorun(() => {
-        const validProjectReference = isValidReference(() => getRoot(self).projects.active)
-
-        if (validProjectReference) {
-          self.reset()
-          self.checkForUser()
-        }
-      }, { name: 'UPPStore Project Observer autorun' })
-      addDisposer(self, projectDisposer)
-    }
-
-    function * createUPP (authorization) {
-      const { type } = self
-      const client = getRoot(self).client.panoptes
-      const project = getRoot(self).projects.active
-      const data = {
-        links: { project: project.id },
-        preferences: {}
-      }
-      self.loadingState = asyncStates.posting
-      try {
-        const response = yield client.post(`/${type}`, { [type]: data }, { authorization })
-        self.headers = response.headers
-        return response.body[type][0]
-      } catch (error) {
-        console.error(error)
-        self.loadingState = asyncStates.error
-        return null
-      }
-    }
-
-    function * checkForUser () {
-      const { authClient } = getRoot(self)
-
-      try {
-        const user = yield authClient.checkCurrent()
-
-        if (user) {
-          self.fetchUPP(user)
-        } else {
-          self.reset()
-          self.loadingState = asyncStates.success
-        }
-      } catch (error) {
-        console.error(error)
-        self.loadingState = asyncStates.error
-      }
-    }
-
-    function * fetchUPP (user) {
-      let resource
-      const { type } = self
-      const { authClient } = getRoot(self)
-      const client = getRoot(self).client.panoptes
-      const project = getRoot(self).projects.active
-
-      self.loadingState = asyncStates.loading
-      try {
-        const authorization = yield getBearerToken(authClient)
-        const response = yield client.get(`/${type}`, { project_id: project.id, user_id: user.id }, { authorization })
-        if (response.body[type][0]) {
-          // We don't store the headers from this get response because it's by query params
-          // and not for a specific resource, so the etag won't be usable for the later PUT request
-          resource = response.body[type][0]
-        } else {
-          resource = yield self.createUPP(authorization)
-        }
-
-        self.loadingState = asyncStates.success
-        if (resource) self.setUPP(resource)
-      } catch (error) {
-        console.error(error)
-        self.loadingState = asyncStates.error
-      }
+    function clear() {
+      self.resources.clear()
+      self.loadingState = asyncStates.success
     }
 
     function * fetchUPPById (id = '') {
@@ -181,13 +105,11 @@ const UserProjectPreferencesStore = types
     function setUPP (userProjectPreferences) {
       self.setResources([userProjectPreferences])
       self.setActive(userProjectPreferences.id)
+      self.loadingState = asyncStates.success
     }
 
     return {
-      afterAttach,
-      checkForUser: flow(checkForUser),
-      createUPP: flow(createUPP),
-      fetchUPP: flow(fetchUPP),
+      clear,
       fetchUPPById: flow(fetchUPPById),
       putUPP: flow(putUPP),
       setHeaders,
diff --git a/packages/lib-classifier/src/store/UserProjectPreferencesStore/UserProjectPreferencesStore.spec.js b/packages/lib-classifier/src/store/UserProjectPreferencesStore/UserProjectPreferencesStore.spec.js
index 2e3c16e2359..3a6abd04a25 100644
--- a/packages/lib-classifier/src/store/UserProjectPreferencesStore/UserProjectPreferencesStore.spec.js
+++ b/packages/lib-classifier/src/store/UserProjectPreferencesStore/UserProjectPreferencesStore.spec.js
@@ -88,173 +88,11 @@ describe('Model > UserProjectPreferencesStore', function () {
       expect(UserProjectPreferencesStore).to.be.an('object')
     })
 
-    it('should remain in an initialized state if there is no project', function () {
+    it('should be in an initialized state', function () {
       rootStore = setupStores(clientStub, authClientStubWithoutUser)
       expect(rootStore.userProjectPreferences.loadingState).to.equal(asyncStates.initialized)
       rootStore = null
     })
-
-    it('should set project preferences if there is a user and a project', async function () {
-      rootStore = setupStores(clientStub, authClientStubWithUser)
-      rootStore.projects.setActive(project.id)
-      await when(preferencesAreReady(rootStore.userProjectPreferences))
-      const uppInStore = rootStore.userProjectPreferences.active
-      expect(uppInStore.toJSON()).to.deep.equal(upp)
-      rootStore = null
-    })
-  })
-
-  describe('Actions > checkForUser', function () {
-    let rootStore
-    beforeEach(function () {
-      rootStore = null
-    })
-
-    it('should check for a user upon initialization when there is a project', async function () {
-      rootStore = setupStores(clientStub, authClientStubWithoutUser)
-      await rootStore.projects.setActive(project.id)
-      expect(authClientStubWithoutUser.checkCurrent).to.have.been.called()
-    })
-
-    it('should set to a successful state if there is no user', async function () {
-      rootStore = setupStores(clientStub, authClientStubWithoutUser)
-      rootStore.projects.setActive(project.id)
-      await when(preferencesAreReady(rootStore.userProjectPreferences))
-      expect(rootStore.userProjectPreferences.loadingState).to.equal(asyncStates.success)
-      expect(rootStore.userProjectPreferences.active).to.be.undefined()
-    })
-
-    it('should set state to error upon error', async function () {
-      const errorAuthClientStub = {
-        checkBearerToken: () => Promise.reject(new Error('testing error handling')),
-        checkCurrent: () => Promise.reject(new Error('testing error handling'))
-      }
-
-      rootStore = setupStores(clientStub, errorAuthClientStub)
-      rootStore.projects.setActive(project.id)
-      await when(preferencesAreReady(rootStore.userProjectPreferences))
-      expect(rootStore.userProjectPreferences.loadingState).to.equal(asyncStates.error)
-    })
-
-    it.skip('should call fetchUPP if there is a user', async function () {
-      rootStore = setupStores(clientStub, authClientStubWithUser)
-      const fetchUPPSpy = sinon.spy(rootStore.userProjectPreferences, 'fetchUPP')
-
-      rootStore.projects.setActive(project.id)
-      await when(preferencesAreReady(rootStore.userProjectPreferences))
-      expect(fetchUPPSpy).to.have.been.called()
-    })
-  })
-
-  describe('Actions > fetchUPP', function () {
-    let getSpy
-    let rootStore
-    before(function () {
-      getSpy = sinon.spy(clientStub.panoptes, 'get')
-    })
-
-    afterEach(function () {
-      getSpy.resetHistory()
-      rootStore = null
-    })
-
-    after(function () {
-      getSpy.restore()
-    })
-
-    it('should set the loading state to loading then to success upon successful request', async function () {
-      rootStore = setupStores(clientStub, authClientStubWithUser)
-      rootStore.projects.setActive(project.id)
-      expect(rootStore.userProjectPreferences.loadingState).to.equal(asyncStates.initialized)
-      await when(preferencesAreReady(rootStore.userProjectPreferences))
-      expect(rootStore.userProjectPreferences.loadingState).to.equal(asyncStates.success)
-    })
-
-    it('should request for the user project preferences', async function () {
-      rootStore = setupStores(clientStub, authClientStubWithUser)
-      rootStore.projects.setActive(project.id)
-      await when(preferencesAreReady(rootStore.userProjectPreferences))
-      expect(getSpy).to.have.been.calledWith(
-        '/project_preferences',
-        { project_id: project.id, user_id: user.id },
-        { authorization: 'Bearer 1234' }
-      )
-    })
-
-    it.skip('should call createUPP action upon successful request and there is not an existing UPP', async function () {
-      rootStore = setupStores(clientStubWithoutUPP, authClientStubWithUser)
-      const createUPPSpy = sinon.spy(rootStore.userProjectPreferences, 'createUPP')
-      rootStore.projects.setActive(project.id)
-      await when(preferencesAreReady(rootStore.userProjectPreferences))
-      expect(createUPPSpy).to.have.been.calledOnceWith(`Bearer ${token}`)
-      createUPPSpy.restore()
-    })
-
-    it.skip('should call setUPP action upon successful request and there is an existing UPP', async function () {
-      rootStore = setupStores(clientStub, authClientStubWithUser)
-      const setUPPSpy = sinon.spy(rootStore.userProjectPreferences, 'setUPP')
-      rootStore.projects.setActive(project.id)
-      await when(preferencesAreReady(rootStore.userProjectPreferences))
-      expect(setUPPSpy).to.have.been.calledOnceWith(upp)
-      setUPPSpy.restore()
-    })
-  })
-
-  describe('Actions > createUPP', function () {
-    let rootStore
-    beforeEach(function () {
-      rootStore = null
-    })
-
-    it('should create new user project preferences', async function () {
-      const postStub = sinon.stub().callsFake(() => Promise.resolve({ body: { project_preferences: [upp] } }))
-      const panoptesClientStub = {
-        panoptes: {
-          get: (url) => {
-            if (url === `/projects/${project.id}`) return Promise.resolve({ body: { projects: [project] } })
-            return Promise.resolve({ body: {
-              subjects: Factory.buildList('subject', 10),
-              project_preferences: [],
-              workflows: [workflow]
-            } })
-          },
-          post: postStub
-        }
-      }
-
-      rootStore = setupStores(panoptesClientStub, authClientStubWithUser)
-      rootStore.projects.setActive(project.id)
-      await when(preferencesAreReady(rootStore.userProjectPreferences))
-      expect(postStub).to.have.been.calledOnceWith(
-        '/project_preferences',
-        { project_preferences: {
-          links: { project: project.id },
-          preferences: {}
-        } },
-        { authorization: `Bearer ${token}` }
-      )
-    })
-
-    it('should set the loading state to error upon error', async function () {
-      const panoptesClientStub = {
-        panoptes: {
-          get: (url) => {
-            if (url === `/projects/${project.id}`) return Promise.resolve({ body: { projects: [project] } })
-            return Promise.resolve({ body: {
-              subjects: Factory.buildList('subject', 10),
-              project_preferences: [],
-              workflows: [workflow]
-            } })
-          },
-          post: () => Promise.reject(new Error('testing error handling'))
-        }
-      }
-
-      rootStore = setupStores(panoptesClientStub, authClientStubWithUser)
-      rootStore.projects.setActive(project.id)
-      await when(preferencesAreReady(rootStore.userProjectPreferences))
-      expect(rootStore.userProjectPreferences.loadingState).to.equal(asyncStates.error)
-    })
   })
 
   describe('Actions > updateUPP', function () {
@@ -296,6 +134,7 @@ describe('Model > UserProjectPreferencesStore', function () {
 
       rootStore = setupStores(panoptesClientStub, authClientStubWithUser)
       rootStore.projects.setActive(project.id)
+      rootStore.userProjectPreferences.setUPP(upp)
     })
 
     afterEach(function () {