diff --git a/website/src/controllers/api-v3/user.js b/website/src/controllers/api-v3/user.js
index 6354f0d142..acff305ae9 100644
--- a/website/src/controllers/api-v3/user.js
+++ b/website/src/controllers/api-v3/user.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ let api = {};
  * @apiParam {String} username Username of the new user
  * @apiParam {String} email Email address of the new user
  * @apiParam {String} password Password for the new user account
- * @apiParam {String} passwordConfirmation Password confirmation
+ * @apiParam {String} confirmPassword Password confirmation
  *
  * @apiSuccess {Object} user The user object
  */
@@ -28,32 +28,19 @@ api.registerLocal = {
   method: 'POST',
   url: '/user/auth/local/register',
   handler (req, res, next) {
-    let email = req.body.email && req.body.email.toLowerCase();
-    let username = req.body.username;
+    let { email, username, password, confirmPassword } = req.body;
+
+    // Validate required params
+    if (!username) return next(new NotAuthorized(res.t('missingUsername')));
+    if (!email) return next(new NotAuthorized(res.t('missingEmail')));
+    if (!validator.isEmail(email)) return next(new NotAuthorized(res.t('invalidEmail')));
+    if (!password) return next(new NotAuthorized(res.t('missingPassword')));
+    if (password !== confirmPassword) return next(new NotAuthorized(res.t('passwordConfirmationMatch')));
+
     // Get the lowercase version of username to check that we do not have duplicates
     // So we can search for it in the database and then reject the choosen username if 1 or more results are found
-    let lowerCaseUsername = username && username.toLowerCase();
-
-    let newUser = new User({
-      auth: {
-        local: {
-          username,
-          lowerCaseUsername, // Store the lowercase version of the username
-          email, // Store email as lowercase
-          salt: passwordUtils.makeSalt(),
-          password: req.body.password,
-          passwordConfirmation: req.body.passwordConfirmation,
-        },
-      },
-      preferences: {
-        language: req.language,
-      },
-    });
-
-    newUser.registeredThrough = req.headers['x-client']; // TODO is this saved somewhere?
-    let validationErrors = newUser.validateSync(); // Validate synchronously for speed, remove if we add any async validator
-
-    if (validationErrors) return next(validationErrors);
+    let lowerCaseUsername = username.toLowerCase();
+    email = email.toLowerCase();
 
     // Search for duplicates using lowercase version of username
     User.findOne({$or: [
@@ -65,25 +52,48 @@ api.registerLocal = {
       if (user) {
         if (email === user.auth.local.email) return next(new NotAuthorized(res.t('emailTaken')));
         // Check that the lowercase username isn't already used
-        if (lowerCaseUsername === user.auth.local.lowerCaseUsername) return next(new NotAuthorized(res.t('usernameTaken')));
+        if (lowerCaseUsername === user.auth.local.lowerCaseUsername) {
+          return next(new NotAuthorized(res.t('usernameTaken')));
+        }
       }
 
+      let salt = passwordUtils.makeSalt();
+      let hashed_password = passwordUtils.encrypt(password, salt); // eslint-disable-line camelcase
+      let newUser = new User({
+        auth: {
+          local: {
+            username,
+            lowerCaseUsername,
+            email,
+            salt,
+            hashed_password, // eslint-disable-line camelcase
+          },
+        },
+        preferences: {
+          language: req.language,
+        },
+      });
+
+      newUser.registeredThrough = req.headers['x-client']; // TODO is this saved somewhere?
+
       return newUser.save();
     })
     .then((savedUser) => {
-      res.status(201).json(savedUser);
+      if (savedUser) {
+        res.status(201).json(savedUser);
 
-      // Clean previous email preferences
-      EmailUnsubscription
-      .remove({email: savedUser.auth.local.email})
-      .then(() => sendTxnEmail(savedUser, 'welcome'));
+        // Clean previous email preferences
+        EmailUnsubscription
+          .remove({email: savedUser.auth.local.email})
+          .then(() => sendTxnEmail(savedUser, 'welcome'));
 
-      res.analytics.track('register', {
-        category: 'acquisition',
-        type: 'local',
-        gaLabel: 'local',
-        uuid: savedUser._id,
-      });
+        res.analytics.track('register', {
+          category: 'acquisition',
+          type: 'local',
+          gaLabel: 'local',
+          uuid: savedUser._id,
+        });
+      }
     })
     .catch(next);
   },