diff --git a/core/user.js b/core/user.js
index 73d3927e..54edc3af 100644
--- a/core/user.js
+++ b/core/user.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ exports.User						= User;
 exports.getUserIdAndName			= getUserIdAndName;
 exports.getUserName					= getUserName;
 exports.loadProperties				= loadProperties;
+exports.getUserIdsWithProperty		= getUserIdsWithProperty;
 exports.getUserList					= getUserList;
 
 function User() {
@@ -494,6 +495,26 @@ function loadProperties(options, cb) {
 	});
 }
 
+//	:TODO: make this much more flexible - propValue should allow for case-insensitive compare, etc.
+function getUserIdsWithProperty(propName, propValue, cb) {
+	var userIds = [];
+
+	userDb.each(
+		'SELECT user_id '		+
+		'FROM user_property	'	+
+		'WHERE prop_name = ? AND prop_value = ?;',
+		[ propName, propValue ], 
+		function rowEntry(err, row) {
+			if(!err) {
+				userIds.push(row.user_id);
+			}
+		}, 
+		function complete() {
+			cb(null, userIds);
+		}
+	);
+}
+
 function getUserList(options, cb) {
 	var userList = [];
 
diff --git a/mods/apply.js b/mods/apply.js
index cf83f58f..8e15d3d5 100644
--- a/mods/apply.js
+++ b/mods/apply.js
@@ -13,10 +13,12 @@ var sysMenuMethod			= require('../core/system_menu_method.js');
 var getDefaultMessageArea	= require('../core/message_area.js').getDefaultMessageArea;
 
 var util					= require('util');
+var async					= require('async');
 
 exports.submitApplication	= submitApplication;
 
 function validateApplicationData(formData, cb) {
+	/*
 	if(formData.value.username.length < Config.users.usernameMin) {
 		cb('Handle too short!', [ 1 ]);
 		return;
@@ -62,6 +64,77 @@ function validateApplicationData(formData, cb) {
 			cb(null);
 		}
 	});
+	*/
+
+	//	:TODO: This entire section should be replaced with a generic form validation system!!
+	async.waterfall(
+		[
+			function basics(callback) {
+				if(formData.value.username.length < Config.users.usernameMin) {
+					cb(new Error('Handle too short!'), [ 1 ]);
+					return;
+				}
+
+				if(formData.value.username.length > Config.users.usernameMax) {
+					cb(new Error('Handle too long!'), [ 1 ]);
+					return;
+				}
+
+				var re = new RegExp(Config.users.usernamePattern);
+				if(!re.test(formData.value.username)) {
+					cb(new Error('Handle contains invalid characters!'), [ 1 ] );
+					return;
+				}
+
+				var invalidNames = Config.users.newUserNames + Config.users.badUserNames;
+				if(invalidNames.indexOf(formData.value.username.toLowerCase()) > -1) {
+					cb(new Error('Handle is blacklisted!'), [ 1 ] );
+					return;
+				}
+
+				if(isNaN(Date.parse(formData.value.birthdate))) {
+					cb(new Error('Invalid birthdate!'), [ 3 ] );
+					return;
+				}
+
+				if(formData.value.password.length < Config.users.passwordMin) {
+					cb(new Error('Password too short!'), [ 9, 10 ]);
+					return;
+				}
+
+				if(formData.value.password !== formData.value.passwordConfirm) {
+					cb(new Error('Passwords do not match!'), [ 9, 10 ]);
+					return;
+				}
+
+				callback(null);
+			},
+			function email(callback) {
+				user.getUserIdsWithProperty('email_address', formData.value.email, function userIdsWithEmail(err, uids) {
+					if(err) {
+						callback(new Error('Internal system error: ' + err.toString()), [ 1 ]);
+					} else if(uids.length > 0) {
+						callback(new Error('Email address not unique!'), [ 7 ] );
+					} else {
+						callback(null);
+					}
+				});
+			},
+			function userName(callback) {
+				user.getUserIdAndName(formData.value.username, function userIdAndName(err) {
+					var alreadyExists = !err;
+					if(alreadyExists) {
+						callback(new Error('Username unavailable!'), [ 1 ] );
+					} else {
+						cb(null);
+					}
+				});
+			}
+		],
+		function complete(err, viewIds) {
+			cb(err, viewIds);
+		}
+	);	
 }
 
 function submitApplication(callingMenu, formData, extraArgs) {
@@ -76,9 +149,9 @@ function submitApplication(callingMenu, formData, extraArgs) {
 		errorMsg	: menuViewController.getView(11)
 	};
 
-	validateApplicationData(formData, function validationResult(errorMsg, viewIds) {
-		if(errorMsg) {
-			views.errorMsg.setText(errorMsg);
+	validateApplicationData(formData, function validationResult(err, viewIds) {
+		if(err) {
+			views.errorMsg.setText(err.toString().replace('Error: ', ''));
 
 			viewIds.forEach(function formId(id) {
 				menuViewController.getView(id).clearText('');
@@ -120,6 +193,7 @@ function submitApplication(callingMenu, formData, extraArgs) {
 				newUser.properties.theme_id = Config.defaults.theme;
 			}
 
+			//	:TODO: .create() should also validate email uniqueness!
 			newUser.create( { password : formData.value.password }, function created(err) {
 				if(err) {
 					Log.info( { error : err, username : formData.value.username }, 'New user creation failed');