diff --git a/signup/signup-handler.php b/signup/signup-handler.php
index 61993ad..c34db05 100644
--- a/signup/signup-handler.php
+++ b/signup/signup-handler.php
@@ -111,18 +111,19 @@ if (isset($_REQUEST["username"]) && isset($_REQUEST["email"])) {
     $name = trim($_REQUEST["username"]);
     if ($name == "")
         $message .= "<li>fill in your desired username</li>\n";
+    else {
+        if ($name != "" && strlen($name) < 2)
+            $message .= "<li>username is too short (2 character min)</li>\n";
 
-    if (strlen($name) > 32)
-        $message .= "<li>username too long (32 character max)</li>\n";
+        if (strlen($name) > 32)
+            $message .= "<li>username too long (32 character max)</li>\n";
 
-    if ($name != "" && strlen($name) < 2)
-        $message .= "<li>username is too short (2 character min)</li>\n";
+        if (strlen($name) > 1 && !preg_match('/^[a-z][a-z0-9]{1,31}$/', $name))
+            $message .= "<li>username contains invalid characters (lowercase only, must start with a letter).</li>\n";
 
-    if (strlen($name) > 1 && !preg_match('/^[a-z][a-z0-9]{1,31}$/', $name))
-        $message .= "<li>username contains invalid characters (lowercase only, must start with a letter).</li>\n";
-
-    if (posix_getpwnam($name) || forbidden_name($name))
-        $message .= "<li>sorry, the username $name is unavailable</li>\n";
+        if (posix_getpwnam($name) || forbidden_name($name))
+            $message .= "<li>sorry, the username $name is unavailable</li>\n";
+    }
 
     // Check the e-mail address.
     $email = trim($_REQUEST["email"]);
@@ -135,7 +136,7 @@ if (isset($_REQUEST["username"]) && isset($_REQUEST["email"])) {
         elseif ($result["email"] != $email)
             $message .= "<li>invalid email address. did you mean:  " . htmlspecialchars($result["email"]) . "</li>";
 
-        elseif (forbidden_email($email)) {
+        elseif ($name != "" && forbidden_email($email)) {
             $message .= "<li>your email is banned!</li><br />";
             add_ban_info($name, $email);
         }