diff --git a/caravel/assets/javascripts/explore.js b/caravel/assets/javascripts/explore.js
index 73546364139b..27faccbf0d7d 100644
--- a/caravel/assets/javascripts/explore.js
+++ b/caravel/assets/javascripts/explore.js
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ function query(force, pushState) {
   }
   $('.query-and-save button').attr('disabled', 'disabled');
   $('.btn-group.results span,a').attr('disabled', 'disabled');
-  $('div.alert').remove();
+  if (force) {  // Don't hide the alert message when the page is just loaded
+    $('div.alert').remove();
+  }
   $('#is_cached').hide();
   prepForm();
   slice.render(force);
diff --git a/caravel/views.py b/caravel/views.py
index d2e8e5b9db52..31592a307895 100644
--- a/caravel/views.py
+++ b/caravel/views.py
@@ -828,7 +828,7 @@ def save_slice(self, slc):
     def overwrite_slice(self, slc):
         can_update = check_ownership(slc, raise_if_false=False)
         if not can_update:
-            flash("You cannot overwrite [{}]".format(slc))
+            flash("You cannot overwrite [{}]".format(slc), "danger")
         else:
             session = db.session()
             session.merge(slc)