diff --git a/endpoints/api.py b/endpoints/api.py
index c0876f2a9..368576f8f 100644
--- a/endpoints/api.py
+++ b/endpoints/api.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ from auth.permissions import (ReadRepositoryPermission,
                               ModifyRepositoryPermission,
                               AdministerRepositoryPermission)
 from endpoints import registry
-
+import re
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@ def get_logged_in_user():
 @app.route('/api/user/', methods=['POST'])
 def create_user_api():
   user_data = request.get_json()
+  existing_user = model.get_user(user_data['username'])
+  if existing_user:
+    error_resp = jsonify({
+         'message': 'The username already exists'
+    })
+    error_resp.status_code = 400
+    return error_resp
+
   try:
     new_user = model.create_user(user_data['username'], user_data['password'],
                                  user_data['email'])
@@ -62,8 +70,13 @@ def create_user_api():
     send_confirmation_email(new_user.username, new_user.email, code.code)
     return make_response('Created', 201)
   except model.DataModelException as ex:
+    message = ex.message
+    m = re.search('column ([a-zA-Z]+) is not unique', message)
+    if m and m.group(1):
+      message = m.group(1) + ' already exists'
+
     error_resp = jsonify({
-      'message': ex.message,
+      'message': message,
     })
     error_resp.status_code = 400
     return error_resp
diff --git a/static/js/controllers.js b/static/js/controllers.js
index 23bc13f64..3772662e9 100644
--- a/static/js/controllers.js
+++ b/static/js/controllers.js
@@ -100,18 +100,29 @@ function RepoListCtrl($scope, Restangular) {
 
 function LandingCtrl($scope, $timeout, Restangular, UserService) {
   $('.form-signup').popover();
+  $('.spin').spin();
 
   $scope.$watch( function () { return UserService.currentUser(); }, function (currentUser) {
     $scope.user = currentUser;
+    if (currentUser && !currentUser.anonymous) {
+	document.location = '/#/repository';
+    }
   }, true);
 
   $scope.awaitingConfirmation = false;
+  $scope.registering = false;
+
   $scope.register = function() {
+    $('.form-signup').popover('hide');
+    $scope.registering = true;
+
     var newUserPost = Restangular.one('user/');
     newUserPost.customPOST($scope.newUser).then(function() {
       $scope.awaitingConfirmation = true;
+      $scope.registering  = false;
     }, function(result) {
       console.log("Displaying error message.");
+      $scope.registering  = false;
       $scope.registerError = result.data.message;
       $timeout(function() {
         $('.form-signup').popover('show');
diff --git a/static/partials/landing.html b/static/partials/landing.html
index fd0fab96b..af41f8917 100644
--- a/static/partials/landing.html
+++ b/static/partials/landing.html
@@ -9,13 +9,16 @@
 
   <div class="signup-container">
     <div ng-show="user.anonymous">
-      <form class="form-signup" name="signupForm" ng-submit="register()" data-trigger="manual" data-content="{{ registerError }}" data-placement="left" ng-show="!awaitingConfirmation">
+      <form class="form-signup" name="signupForm" ng-submit="register()" data-trigger="manual" data-content="{{ registerError }}" data-placement="left" ng-show="!awaitingConfirmation && !registering">
         <input type="text" class="form-control" placeholder="Create a username" name="username" ng-model="newUser.username" autofocus required>
         <input type="email" class="form-control" placeholder="Email address" ng-model="newUser.email" required>
         <input type="password" class="form-control" placeholder="Create a password" ng-model="newUser.password" required>
         <input type="password" class="form-control" placeholder="Verify your password" ng-model="newUser.repeatePassword" match="newUser.password" required>
         <button class="btn btn-lg btn-primary btn-block" ng-disabled="signupForm.$invalid" type="submit">Get Started!</button>
       </form>
+      <div ng-show="registering" style="text-align: center">
+        <span class="spin" color="#fff" style="display: inline-block"></span>
+      </div>
       <div ng-show="awaitingConfirmation">
         <div class="sub-message">Thank you for registering! We have sent you an activation email. You must <b>verify your email address</b> before you can continue.</div>
       </div>
diff --git a/templates/index.html b/templates/index.html
index 819d3e4f2..4e2ca8e6a 100644
--- a/templates/index.html
+++ b/templates/index.html
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
           <span class="icon-bar"></span>
           <span class="icon-bar"></span>
         </button>
-        <a class="navbar-brand" href="#">Quay</a>
+        <a class="navbar-brand" href="{{ user.anonymous ? '#' : '#/repository' }}">Quay</a>
       </div>
       
       <!-- Collapsable stuff -->