diff --git a/src/meta.js b/src/meta.js
index 316d6349ce..3209bb13d6 100644
--- a/src/meta.js
+++ b/src/meta.js
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ var async = require('async'),
 	/* Assorted */
 	Meta.userOrGroupExists = function(slug, callback) {
 		async.parallel([
-			async.apply(user.exists, slug),
+			async.apply(user.existsBySlug, slug),
 			async.apply(groups.existsBySlug, slug)
 		], function(err, results) {
 			callback(err, results ? results.some(function(result) { return result; }) : false);
diff --git a/src/user.js b/src/user.js
index e9555b6d5e..81b9bbafab 100644
--- a/src/user.js
+++ b/src/user.js
@@ -168,11 +168,15 @@ var	async = require('async'),
 		Password.hash(nconf.get('bcrypt_rounds') || 12, password, callback);
 	};
 
-	User.exists = function(userslug, callback) {
+	User.exists = function(uid, callback) {
+		db.isSortedSetMember('users:joindate', uid, callback);
+	};
+
+	User.existsBySlug = function(userslug, callback) {
 		User.getUidByUserslug(userslug, function(err, exists) {
 			callback(err, !! exists);
 		});
-	};
+	}
 
 	User.getUidByUsername = function(username, callback) {
 		if (!username) {
diff --git a/src/user/create.js b/src/user/create.js
index ed04c2cd75..3238f628ee 100644
--- a/src/user/create.js
+++ b/src/user/create.js
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ module.exports = function(User) {
 			var	newUsername = '';
 			async.forever(function(next) {
 				newUsername = userData.username + (Math.floor(Math.random() * 255) + 1);
-				User.exists(newUsername, function(err, exists) {
+				User.existsBySlug(newUsername, function(err, exists) {
 					if (err) {
 						return callback(err);
 					}
diff --git a/src/user/follow.js b/src/user/follow.js
index 34efbf8149..094d33c460 100644
--- a/src/user/follow.js
+++ b/src/user/follow.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 var async = require('async'),
 	plugins = require('../plugins'),
-	db = require('./../database');
+	db = require('../database');
 
 module.exports = function(User) {
 
@@ -24,34 +24,41 @@ module.exports = function(User) {
 			return callback(new Error('[[error:you-cant-follow-yourself]]'));
 		}
 
-		User.isFollowing(uid, theiruid, function(err, isFollowing) {
-			if (err) {
-				return callback(err);
-			}
-
-			if (type === 'follow') {
-				if (isFollowing) {
-					return callback(new Error('[[error:already-following]]'));
+		async.waterfall([
+			function (next) {
+				User.exists(theiruid, next);
+			},
+			function (exists, next) {
+				if (!exists) {
+					return next(new Error('[[error:no-user]]'));
 				}
-				var now = Date.now();
-				async.parallel([
-					async.apply(db.sortedSetAdd, 'following:' + uid, now, theiruid),
-					async.apply(db.sortedSetAdd, 'followers:' + theiruid, now, uid),
-					async.apply(User.incrementUserFieldBy, uid, 'followingCount', 1),
-					async.apply(User.incrementUserFieldBy, theiruid, 'followerCount', 1)
-				], callback);
-			} else {
-				if (!isFollowing) {
-					return callback(new Error('[[error:not-following]]'));
+				User.isFollowing(uid, theiruid, next);
+			},
+			function (isFollowing, next) {
+				if (type === 'follow') {
+					if (isFollowing) {
+						return next(new Error('[[error:already-following]]'));
+					}
+					var now = Date.now();
+					async.parallel([
+						async.apply(db.sortedSetAdd, 'following:' + uid, now, theiruid),
+						async.apply(db.sortedSetAdd, 'followers:' + theiruid, now, uid),
+						async.apply(User.incrementUserFieldBy, uid, 'followingCount', 1),
+						async.apply(User.incrementUserFieldBy, theiruid, 'followerCount', 1)
+					], next);
+				} else {
+					if (!isFollowing) {
+						return next(new Error('[[error:not-following]]'));
+					}
+					async.parallel([
+						async.apply(db.sortedSetRemove, 'following:' + uid, theiruid),
+						async.apply(db.sortedSetRemove, 'followers:' + theiruid, uid),
+						async.apply(User.decrementUserFieldBy, uid, 'followingCount', 1),
+						async.apply(User.decrementUserFieldBy, theiruid, 'followerCount', 1)
+					], next);
 				}
-				async.parallel([
-					async.apply(db.sortedSetRemove, 'following:' + uid, theiruid),
-					async.apply(db.sortedSetRemove, 'followers:' + theiruid, uid),
-					async.apply(User.decrementUserFieldBy, uid, 'followingCount', 1),
-					async.apply(User.decrementUserFieldBy, theiruid, 'followerCount', 1)
-				], callback);
 			}
-		});
+		], callback);
 	}
 
 	User.getFollowing = function(uid, start, stop, callback) {
diff --git a/src/user/profile.js b/src/user/profile.js
index 7a3f761edd..95272d55fe 100644
--- a/src/user/profile.js
+++ b/src/user/profile.js
@@ -71,10 +71,13 @@ module.exports = function(User) {
 					return next();
 				}
 				User.getUserFields(uid, ['username', 'userslug'], function(err, userData) {
+					if (err) {
+						return next(err);
+					}
 
 					var userslug = utils.slugify(data.username);
 
-					if(userslug === userData.userslug) {
+					if (userslug === userData.userslug) {
 						return next();
 					}
 
@@ -86,12 +89,12 @@ module.exports = function(User) {
 						return next(new Error('[[error:username-too-long]]'));
 					}
 
-					if(!utils.isUserNameValid(data.username) || !userslug) {
+					if (!utils.isUserNameValid(data.username) || !userslug) {
 						return next(new Error('[[error:invalid-username]]'));
 					}
 
-					User.exists(userslug, function(err, exists) {
-						if(err) {
+					User.existsBySlug(userslug, function(err, exists) {
+						if (err) {
 							return next(err);
 						}
 
diff --git a/tests/user.js b/tests/user.js
index 82659ada90..1a4a402185 100644
--- a/tests/user.js
+++ b/tests/user.js
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ describe('User', function() {
 		it('should delete a user account', function(done) {
 			User.delete(uid, function(err) {
 				assert.ifError(err);
-				User.exists('usertodelete', function(err, exists) {
+				User.existsBySlug('usertodelete', function(err, exists) {
 					assert.ifError(err);
 					assert.equal(exists, false);
 					done();