diff --git a/packages/accounts-passwords/email_tests.js b/packages/accounts-passwords/email_tests.js
index f6634bebb0..92c1dbad70 100644
--- a/packages/accounts-passwords/email_tests.js
+++ b/packages/accounts-passwords/email_tests.js
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@
     function (test, expect) {
       Meteor.call("getInterceptedEmails", email1, expect(function (error, result) {
         test.notEqual(result, undefined);
-        test.equal(result.length, 1);
-        var content = result[0];
+        test.equal(result.length, 2); // the first is the email validation
+        var content = result[1];
 
         var match = content.match(
           new RegExp(window.location.protocol + "//" +
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@
       email2 = Meteor.uuid() + "-intercept@example.com";
       email3 = Meteor.uuid() + "-intercept@example.com";
       Meteor.createUser(
-        {email: email2, password: 'foobar', validation: true},
+        {email: email2, password: 'foobar'},
         expect(function (error) {
           test.equal(error, undefined);
         }));
@@ -109,7 +109,6 @@
     function (test, expect) {
       Meteor.call(
         "addEmailForTestAndValidate", email3,
-        window.location.protocol + "//" + window.location.host + "/" /*appBaseUrl*/,
         expect(function (error, result) {
           test.isFalse(error);
         }));
diff --git a/packages/accounts-passwords/email_tests_setup.js b/packages/accounts-passwords/email_tests_setup.js
index 78346f63e7..09ff7dc139 100644
--- a/packages/accounts-passwords/email_tests_setup.js
+++ b/packages/accounts-passwords/email_tests_setup.js
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@
       return interceptedEmails[email];
     },
 
-    addEmailForTestAndValidate: function (email, appBaseUrl) {
+    addEmailForTestAndValidate: function (email) {
       Meteor.users.update(
         {_id: this.userId()},
         {$push: {emails: {email: email, validated: false}}});
-      Meteor.accounts.sendValidationEmail(this.userId(), email, appBaseUrl);
+      Meteor.accounts.sendValidationEmail(this.userId(), email);
     },
 
     createUserOnServer: function (email) {
diff --git a/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_client.js b/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_client.js
index 4c676f7b43..36af1955fe 100644
--- a/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_client.js
+++ b/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_client.js
@@ -14,10 +14,6 @@
     delete options.password;
     options.srp = verifier;
 
-    if (options.validation)
-      // needed because we generate a link back to the app
-      options.baseUrl = appBaseUrl();
-
     Meteor.apply('createUser', [options, extra], {wait: true},
                  function (error, result) {
                    if (error || !result) {
@@ -138,8 +134,6 @@
   Meteor.forgotPassword = function(options, callback) {
     if (!options.email)
       throw new Error("Must pass options.email");
-    // needed because we generate a link back to the app
-    options.baseUrl = appBaseUrl();
     Meteor.call("forgotPassword", options, callback);
   };
 
@@ -215,9 +209,5 @@
         callback && callback();
       });
   };
-
-  var appBaseUrl = function () {
-    return window.location.protocol + "//" + window.location.host + "/";
-  };
 })();
 
diff --git a/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_server.js b/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_server.js
index 9340de71f4..7d5a2c37a1 100644
--- a/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_server.js
+++ b/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_server.js
@@ -106,11 +106,8 @@
 
     forgotPassword: function (options) {
       var email = options.email;
-      var baseUrl = options.baseUrl;
-      if (!email)
+       if (!email)
         throw new Meteor.Error(400, "Need to set options.email");
-      if (!baseUrl)
-        throw new Meteor.Error(400, "Need to set options.baseUrl");
 
       var user = Meteor.users.findOne({"emails.email": email});
       if (!user)
@@ -126,7 +123,7 @@
       }});
 
       // XXX definitely *not* the final form!
-      Meteor.mail.send(email, Meteor.accounts.urls.resetPassword(baseUrl, token));
+      Meteor.mail.send(email, Meteor.accounts.urls.resetPassword(token));
     },
 
     resetPassword: function (token, newVerifier) {
@@ -197,7 +194,7 @@
 
   // send the user an email with a link that when opened marks that
   // address as validated
-  Meteor.accounts.sendValidationEmail = function (userId, email, appBaseUrl) {
+  Meteor.accounts.sendValidationEmail = function (userId, email) {
     var token = Meteor.uuid();
     var creationTime = +(new Date);
     Meteor.accounts._emailValidationTokens.insert({
@@ -212,13 +209,13 @@
     // this account.
     Meteor.mail.send(
       email,
-      Meteor.accounts.urls.validateEmail(appBaseUrl, token));
+      Meteor.accounts.urls.validateEmail(token));
   };
 
   // send the user an email informing them that their account was
   // created, with a link that when opened both marks their email as
   // validated and forces them to choose their password
-  Meteor.accounts.sendEnrollmentEmail = function (userId, email, appBaseUrl) {
+  Meteor.accounts.sendEnrollmentEmail = function (userId, email) {
     var token = Meteor.uuid();
     var creationTime = +(new Date);
     Meteor.users.update(userId, {$set: {
@@ -230,7 +227,7 @@
 
     Meteor.mail.send(
       email,
-      Meteor.accounts.urls.enrollAccount(appBaseUrl, token));
+      Meteor.accounts.urls.enrollAccount(token));
   };
 
   // handler to login with password
@@ -310,12 +307,6 @@
     if (!username && !email)
       throw new Meteor.Error(400, "Need to set a username or email");
 
-    // XXX need to get base url on the server somehow, for welcome
-    // emails at least.
-    if (options.validation && !options.baseUrl)
-      throw new Meteor.Error(
-        400, "If options.validation is set, need to pass options.baseUrl");
-
     if (username && Meteor.users.findOne({username: username}))
       throw new Meteor.Error(403, "User already exists with username " + username);
     if (email && Meteor.users.findOne({"emails.email": email})) {
@@ -341,12 +332,6 @@
 
     user = Meteor.accounts.onCreateUserHook(options, extra, user);
     var userId = Meteor.users.insert(user);
-
-    // If `options.validation` is set, register a token to validate
-    // the user's primary email, and send it to that address.
-    if (email && options.validation)
-      Meteor.accounts.sendValidationEmail(userId, email, options.baseUrl);
-
     return userId;
   };
 
@@ -362,6 +347,12 @@
       if (!userId)
         throw new Error("createUser failed to insert new user");
 
+      // If `Meteor.accounts._options.validateEmails` is set, register
+      // a token to validate the user's primary email, and send it to
+      // that address.
+      if (options.email && Meteor.accounts._options.validateEmails)
+        Meteor.accounts.sendValidationEmail(userId, options.email);
+
       // client gets logged in as the new user afterwards.
       var loginToken = Meteor.accounts._loginTokens.insert({userId: userId});
       this.setUserId(userId);
@@ -393,13 +384,9 @@
 
     if (!options.email)
       throw new Error("Meteor.createUser on the server requires email.");
-    // XXX we don't have a base url, so we don't know how to generate links.
-    if (options.validation)
-      throw new Error("Validation email from server not supported yet.");
 
     var userId = createUser(options, extra);
-    /// XXX replace with real root url!
-    Meteor.accounts.sendEnrollmentEmail(userId, options.email, 'http://localhost:3000/');
+    Meteor.accounts.sendEnrollmentEmail(userId, options.email);
     return userId;
   };
 
diff --git a/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_tests.js b/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_tests.js
index 5981fca7fd..a9e5f33c9a 100644
--- a/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_tests.js
+++ b/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_tests.js
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ if (Meteor.is_client) (function () {
   var username = Meteor.uuid();
   var username2 = Meteor.uuid();
   var username3 = Meteor.uuid();
-  var email = Meteor.uuid() + '@example.com';
+  // use -intercept so that we don't print to the console
+  var email = Meteor.uuid() + '-intercept@example.com';
   var password = 'password';
   var password2 = 'password2';
   var password3 = 'password3';
diff --git a/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_tests_setup.js b/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_tests_setup.js
index 1fdf3ca4f2..858e0667c4 100644
--- a/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_tests_setup.js
+++ b/packages/accounts-passwords/passwords_tests_setup.js
@@ -29,5 +29,6 @@ Meteor.accounts.config({
   // The 'accounts - updateOrCreateUser' test needs accounts without
   // usernames or emails, so we can't test with these on.
   requireEmail: false,
-  requireUsername: false
+  requireUsername: false,
+  validateEmails: true
 });
diff --git a/packages/accounts-urls/package.js b/packages/accounts-urls/package.js
index 71e31e66dd..3f84ec6f57 100644
--- a/packages/accounts-urls/package.js
+++ b/packages/accounts-urls/package.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ Package.describe({
 });
 
 Package.on_use(function (api) {
+  api.use('absolute-url', 'server');
   api.add_files('url_client.js', 'client');
   api.add_files('url_server.js', 'server');
 });
diff --git a/packages/accounts-urls/url_server.js b/packages/accounts-urls/url_server.js
index 8b12673611..2b8e991a58 100644
--- a/packages/accounts-urls/url_server.js
+++ b/packages/accounts-urls/url_server.js
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@ if (!Meteor.accounts)
 if (!Meteor.accounts.urls)
   Meteor.accounts.urls = {};
 
-Meteor.accounts.urls.resetPassword = function (baseUrl, token) {
-  return baseUrl + '#?reset-password/' + token;
+Meteor.accounts.urls.resetPassword = function (token) {
+  return Meteor.absoluteUrl('#?reset-password/' + token);
 };
 
-Meteor.accounts.urls.validateEmail = function (baseUrl, token) {
-  return baseUrl + '#?validate-email/' + token;
+Meteor.accounts.urls.validateEmail = function (token) {
+  return Meteor.absoluteUrl('#?validate-email/' + token);
 };
 
-Meteor.accounts.urls.enrollAccount = function (baseUrl, token) {
-  return baseUrl + '#?enroll-account/' + token;
+Meteor.accounts.urls.enrollAccount = function (token) {
+  return Meteor.absoluteUrl('#?enroll-account/' + token);
 };
diff --git a/packages/accounts/accounts_common.js b/packages/accounts/accounts_common.js
index 8472e90dfe..1b5e335d5a 100644
--- a/packages/accounts/accounts_common.js
+++ b/packages/accounts/accounts_common.js
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ if (!Meteor.accounts._options) {
 // - unsafePasswordChanges {Boolean} allow changing password without the old one
 // - requireEmail {Boolean}
 // - requireUsername {Boolean}
-// - validateEmail {Boolean} Send validation emails to all new users
-//                           via the signup form
+// - validateEmails {Boolean} Send validation emails to all new users
+//                            via the signup form
 Meteor.accounts.config = function(options) {
   Meteor.accounts._options = options;
 };