diff --git a/lib/api/v1/account.js b/lib/api/v1/account.js
index c45f180..11df746 100644
--- a/lib/api/v1/account.js
+++ b/lib/api/v1/account.js
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-var crypto = require('crypto'),
-      Hapi = require('hapi'),
-        db = require('../../db');
+var crypto = require('crypto');
+var Hapi   = require('hapi');
+var db     = require('../../db.js');
+var util   = require('../../util.js');
 
-var B = Hapi.Types.Boolean,
-    S = Hapi.Types.String;
+var B = Hapi.Types.Boolean;
+var S = Hapi.Types.String;
 
 module.exports = {
   method: 'POST',
@@ -13,20 +14,19 @@ module.exports = {
       mode: 'none'
     },
     description: 'Stage a new account',
-    schema: {
-      email: S(),
-      pass: S(),
-      newsletter: B()
-    },
-    response: {
-      success: B()
+    validate: {
+      schema: {
+        email: S().email().required(),
+        pass: S().required(),
+        newsletter: B()
+      }
     }
   }
 };
 
 function handler(request) {
   db.stageAccount(request.payload, function(err) {
-    if (err) request.reply(Hapi.Error.internal("error staging account"));
+    if (err) return request.reply(Hapi.Error.badRequest("Could not create account: " + err));
     request.reply({
       success: true
     });
diff --git a/lib/api/v1/context.js b/lib/api/v1/context.js
index 2619298..7a36ae6 100644
--- a/lib/api/v1/context.js
+++ b/lib/api/v1/context.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ module.exports = {
 
 function handler(request) {
   crypto.randomBytes(32, function(err, bytes) {
-    if (err) return Hapi.Error.internal("error attaining entropy");
+    if (err) return request.reply(Hapi.Error.internal("error attaining entropy"));
     request.reply({
       server_time: Math.round((new Date()).getTime() / 1000),
       entropy: bytes.toString('base64')
diff --git a/lib/db/json.js b/lib/db/json.js
index 85e8443..cc9833a 100644
--- a/lib/db/json.js
+++ b/lib/db/json.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ module.exports = {
       staged: false
     };
     setTimeout(function() {
+      if (db[data.email]) return cb("That email has already been used");
       db[data.email] = account;
       cb(null);
     }, 0);