diff --git a/lang/en/repository.php b/lang/en/repository.php
index bb2d551fe3a..c9f28554073 100644
--- a/lang/en/repository.php
+++ b/lang/en/repository.php
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ $string['renameto'] = 'Rename to';
 $string['repositories'] = 'Repositories';
 $string['repository'] = 'Repository';
 $string['repositorycourse'] = 'Course repositories';
+$string['repositoryerror'] = 'Remote repository returned error: {$a}';
 $string['save'] = 'Save';
 $string['saveas'] = 'Save as';
 $string['saved'] = 'Saved';
diff --git a/repository/dropbox/lib.php b/repository/dropbox/lib.php
index 68c8b9bae73..90860159208 100644
--- a/repository/dropbox/lib.php
+++ b/repository/dropbox/lib.php
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class repository_dropbox extends repository {
             'oauth_consumer_key'=>$this->dropbox_key,
             'oauth_consumer_secret'=>$this->dropbox_secret,
             'oauth_callback' => $this->callback->out(false),
-            'api_root' => 'http://api.dropbox.com/0/oauth',
+            'api_root' => 'http://www.dropbox.com/0/oauth',
         );
 
         $this->dropbox = new dropbox($args);
@@ -163,10 +163,16 @@ class repository_dropbox extends repository {
             }
         }
 
-        $files = $result->contents;
-        if (!is_array($files) || empty($files)) {
+        if (!empty($result->error)) {
+            // reset access key
+            set_user_preference($this->setting.'_access_key', '');
+            set_user_preference($this->setting.'_access_secret', '');
+            throw new repository_exception('repositoryerror', 'repository', '', $result->error);
+        }
+        if (empty($result->contents) or !is_array($result->contents)) {
             return $list;
         }
+        $files = $result->contents;
         foreach ($files as $file) {
             if ($file->is_dir) {
                 $list['list'][] = array(