diff --git a/src/test/database-test.js b/src/test/database-test.js
index c471fddf1..bc52363fe 100644
--- a/src/test/database-test.js
+++ b/src/test/database-test.js
@@ -86,10 +86,28 @@ describe('database', function () {
             userdb.add(USER_2.id, USER_2, done);
         });
 
-        it('cannot add same user again', function (done) {
-            userdb.add(USER_0.id, USER_0, function (error) {
+        it('cannot add user width same email again', function (done) {
+            var tmp = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(USER_0));
+            tmp.id = 'somethingelse';
+            tmp.username = 'somethingelse';
+
+            userdb.add(tmp.id, tmp, function (error) {
                 expect(error).to.be.ok();
                 expect(error.reason).to.be(DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS);
+                expect(error.message).to.equal('email already exists');
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('cannot add user width same username again', function (done) {
+            var tmp = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(USER_0));
+            tmp.id = 'somethingelse';
+            tmp.email = 'somethingelse@not.taken';
+
+            userdb.add(tmp.id, tmp, function (error) {
+                expect(error).to.be.ok();
+                expect(error.reason).to.be(DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS);
+                expect(error.message).to.equal('username already exists');
                 done();
             });
         });
@@ -185,6 +203,24 @@ describe('database', function () {
             });
         });
 
+        it('can update the user with already existing email', function (done) {
+            userdb.update(USER_0.id, { email: USER_2.email }, function (error) {
+                expect(error).to.be.ok();
+                expect(error.reason).to.be(DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS);
+                expect(error.message).to.equal('email already exists');
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('can update the user with already existing username', function (done) {
+            userdb.update(USER_0.id, { username: USER_2.username }, function (error) {
+                expect(error).to.be.ok();
+                expect(error.reason).to.be(DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS);
+                expect(error.message).to.equal('username already exists');
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+
         it('cannot update with null field', function () {
             expect(function () {
                 userdb.update(USER_0.id, { email: null }, function () {});
diff --git a/src/userdb.js b/src/userdb.js
index fdde3897c..a8488c474 100644
--- a/src/userdb.js
+++ b/src/userdb.js
@@ -143,7 +143,16 @@ function add(userId, user, callback) {
 
     var data = [ userId, user.username || null, user.password, user.email, user.salt, user.createdAt, user.modifiedAt, user.resetToken, user.displayName, user.showTutorial ];
     database.query('INSERT INTO users (id, username, password, email, salt, createdAt, modifiedAt, resetToken, displayName, showTutorial) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)', data, function (error, result) {
-        if (error && error.code === 'ER_DUP_ENTRY') return callback(new DatabaseError(DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS, error));
+        if (error && error.code === 'ER_DUP_ENTRY') {
+            var msg = error.message;
+            if (error.message.indexOf('users_email') !== -1) {
+                msg = 'email already exists';
+            } else if (error.message.indexOf('users_username') !== -1) {
+                msg = 'username already exists';
+            }
+
+            return callback(new DatabaseError(DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS, msg));
+        }
         if (error || result.affectedRows !== 1) return callback(new DatabaseError(DatabaseError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
         callback(null);
@@ -216,7 +225,16 @@ function update(userId, user, callback) {
     args.push(userId);
 
     database.query('UPDATE users SET ' + fields.join(', ') + ' WHERE id = ?', args, function (error, result) {
-        if (error && error.code === 'ER_DUP_ENTRY') return callback(new DatabaseError(DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS, error));
+        if (error && error.code === 'ER_DUP_ENTRY') {
+            var msg = error.message;
+            if (error.message.indexOf('users_email') !== -1) {
+                msg = 'email already exists';
+            } else if (error.message.indexOf('users_username') !== -1) {
+                msg = 'username already exists';
+            }
+
+            return callback(new DatabaseError(DatabaseError.ALREADY_EXISTS, msg));
+        }
         if (error) return callback(new DatabaseError(DatabaseError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
         if (result.affectedRows !== 1) return callback(new DatabaseError(DatabaseError.NOT_FOUND));