diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/modal/create_account_view.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/modal/create_account_view.js
index bbf1a50fa26..00bc3ea0cc0 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/modal/create_account_view.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/modal/create_account_view.js
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ Discourse.CreateAccountView = Discourse.ModalBodyView.extend({
         _this.flash(result.message);
         _this.set('complete', true);
       } else {
-        _this.flash(result.message, 'error');
+        _this.flash(result.message || Em.String.i18n('create_account.failed'), 'error');
         _this.set('formSubmitted', false);
       }
       if (result.active) {
diff --git a/app/controllers/users_controller.rb b/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
index 4465385b131..8a471af7b4a 100644
--- a/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
@@ -192,6 +192,8 @@ class UsersController < ApplicationController
     else
       render :json => {success: false, message: I18n.t("login.errors", errors: user.errors.full_messages.join("\n"))}
     end
+  rescue ActiveRecord::StatementInvalid
+    render :json => {success: false, message: I18n.t("login.something_already_taken")}
   rescue DiscourseHub::NicknameUnavailable
     render :json => {success: false, message: I18n.t("login.errors", errors:I18n.t("login.not_available", suggestion: User.suggest_username(params[:username])) )}
   rescue RestClient::Forbidden
diff --git a/config/locales/server.en.yml b/config/locales/server.en.yml
index 014f0b9cb56..a7c14fbcb46 100644
--- a/config/locales/server.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/server.en.yml
@@ -456,6 +456,7 @@ en:
     not_activated: "You can't log in yet. We sent an activation email to you. Please follow the instructions in the email to activate your account."
     errors: "%{errors}"
     not_available: "Not available. Try %{suggestion}?"
+    something_already_taken: "Something went wrong, perhaps the username or email is already registered. Try the forgot password link."
     omniauth_error: "Sorry, there was an error authorizing your %{strategy} account. Perhaps you did not approve authorization?"
     omniauth_error_unknown: "Something went wrong processing your log in, please try again."
 
diff --git a/spec/controllers/users_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/users_controller_spec.rb
index a975ee8dc5d..d3a030cc138 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/users_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/users_controller_spec.rb
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ describe UsersController do
       it_should_behave_like 'honeypot fails'
     end
 
-    shared_examples_for 'failed signup due to password problem' do
+    shared_examples_for 'failed signup' do
       it 'should not create a new User' do
         expect { xhr :post, :create, create_params }.to_not change { User.count }
       end
@@ -394,12 +394,20 @@ describe UsersController do
 
     context 'when password is blank' do
       let(:create_params) { {:name => @user.name, :username => @user.username, :password => "", :email => @user.email} }
-      it_should_behave_like 'failed signup due to password problem'
+      it_should_behave_like 'failed signup'
     end
 
     context 'when password param is missing' do
       let(:create_params) { {:name => @user.name, :username => @user.username, :email => @user.email} }
-      it_should_behave_like 'failed signup due to password problem'
+      it_should_behave_like 'failed signup'
+    end
+
+    context 'when InvalidStatement is raised' do
+      before do
+        User.any_instance.stubs(:save).raises(ActiveRecord::StatementInvalid)
+      end
+      let(:create_params) { {:name => @user.name, :username => @user.username, :password => "strongpassword", :email => @user.email} }
+      it_should_behave_like 'failed signup'
     end
   end