diff --git a/static/js/app.js b/static/js/app.js
index 0ecbb8842..b20c4b082 100644
--- a/static/js/app.js
+++ b/static/js/app.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 var TEAM_PATTERN = '^[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]+$';
-var ROBOT_PATTERN = '^[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]+$';
+var ROBOT_PATTERN = '^[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9]{3,29}$';
 
 function getRestUrl(args) {
   var url = '';
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ function getFirstTextLine(commentString) {
 function createRobotAccount(ApiService, is_org, orgname, name, callback) {
   ApiService.createRobot(is_org ? orgname : null, null, {'robot_shortname': name}).then(callback, function(resp) {
     bootbox.dialog({
-      "message": resp.data ? resp.data : 'The robot account could not be created',
+      "message": resp.data ? resp.data['message'] : 'The robot account could not be created',
       "title": "Cannot create robot account",
       "buttons": {
         "close": {