diff --git a/src/node/handler/APIHandler.js b/src/node/handler/APIHandler.js
index 5d731ddc7..07b9b55c5 100644
--- a/src/node/handler/APIHandler.js
+++ b/src/node/handler/APIHandler.js
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ exports.version = version;
  * @req express request object
  * @res express response object
  */
-exports.handle = function(apiVersion, functionName, fields, req, res)
+exports.handle = async function(apiVersion, functionName, fields, req, res)
 {
   //check if this is a valid apiversion
   var isKnownApiVersion = false;
@@ -194,41 +194,38 @@ exports.handle = function(apiVersion, functionName, fields, req, res)
     return;
   }
 
-  // sanitize any padIDs before continuing
-  if (fields["padID"]) {
-    padManager.sanitizePadId(fields["padID"], function(padId) {
-      fields["padID"] = padId;
-      callAPI(apiVersion, functionName, fields, req, res);
-    });
-  } else if (fields["padName"]) {
-    padManager.sanitizePadId(fields["padName"], function(padId) {
-      fields["padName"] = padId;
-      callAPI(apiVersion, functionName, fields, req, res);
-    });
-  } else {
-    callAPI(apiVersion, functionName, fields, req, res);
+  try {
+    // sanitize any padIDs before continuing
+    if (fields["padID"]) {
+       fields["padID"] = await padManager.sanitizePadId(fields["padID"]);
+    } else if (fields["padName"]) {
+       fields["padName"] = await padManager.sanitizePadId(fields["padName"]);
+    }
+    await callAPI(apiVersion, functionName, fields, req, res);
+  } catch (e) {
+    ERR(e);
   }
 }
 
 // calls the api function
-function callAPI(apiVersion, functionName, fields, req, res)
+async function callAPI(apiVersion, functionName, fields, req, res)
 {
   // put the function parameters in an array
   var functionParams = version[apiVersion][functionName].map(function (field) {
     return fields[field]
   });
 
-  // add a callback function to handle the response
-  functionParams.push(function(err, data) {
-    if (err == null) {
-      // no error happened, everything is fine
+  try {
+    // call the api function
+    let data = await api[functionName].apply(this, functionParams);
 
-      if (!data) {
+    if (!data) {
         data = null;
-      }
+    }
 
-      res.send({code: 0, message: "ok", data: data});
-    } else if (err.name == "apierror") {
+    res.send({code: 0, message: "ok", data: data});
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (err.name == "apierror") {
       // parameters were wrong and the api stopped execution, pass the error
 
       res.send({code: 1, message: err.message, data: null});
@@ -236,10 +233,7 @@ function callAPI(apiVersion, functionName, fields, req, res)
       // an unknown error happened
 
       res.send({code: 2, message: "internal error", data: null});
-      ERR(err);
+      throw err;
     }
-  });
-
-  // call the api function
-  api[functionName].apply(this, functionParams);
+  }
 }