diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/api.py b/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
index 14511d0e8..137c38411 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
@@ -1150,17 +1150,23 @@ class ApiController(RedditController):
         if not form.has_errors('name', errors.USER_DOESNT_EXIST,
                                errors.NO_EMAIL_FOR_USER):
             emailer.password_email(user)
+            form.set_html(".status", _("an email will be sent to that account's address shortly"))
+
             
-    @validatedForm(user = VCacheKey('reset', ('key', 'name')),
-                   password = VPassword(['passwd', 'passwd2']))
-    def POST_resetpassword(self, form, jquery, user, password):
+    @validatedForm(cache_evt = VCacheKey('reset', ('key', 'name')),
+                   password  = VPassword(['passwd', 'passwd2']))
+    def POST_resetpassword(self, form, jquery, cache_evt, password):
         if errors.BAD_USERNAME in c.errors:
+            # clear reset event -- the user failed to know their user name
+            cache_evt.clear()
             return form.redirect('/password')
         elif (not form.has_errors('passwd',  errors.BAD_PASSWORD) and
               not form.has_errors('passwd2', errors.BAD_PASSWORD_MATCH) and
-              user):
-            change_password(user, password)
-            self._login(jquery, user, '/resetpassword')
+              cache_evt.user):
+            # successfully entered user name and valid new password
+            change_password(cache_evt.user, password)
+            self._login(jquery, cache_evt.user, '/resetpassword')
+            cache_evt.clear()
 
 
     @noresponse(VUser())
diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/front.py b/r2/r2/controllers/front.py
index ab12ef09e..69b1e62a5 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/front.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/front.py
@@ -95,9 +95,9 @@ class FrontController(RedditController):
         """The 'what is my password' page"""
         return BoringPage(_("password"), content=Password()).render()
 
-    @validate(user = VCacheKey('reset', ('key', 'name')),
+    @validate(cache_evt = VCacheKey('reset', ('key', 'name')),
               key = nop('key'))
-    def GET_resetpassword(self, user, key):
+    def GET_resetpassword(self, cache_evt, key):
         """page hit once a user has been sent a password reset email
         to verify their identity before allowing them to update their
         password."""
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ class FrontController(RedditController):
         if not key and request.referer:
             referer_path =  request.referer.split(g.domain)[-1]
             done = referer_path.startswith(request.fullpath)
-        elif not user:
+        elif not cache_evt.user:
             return self.abort404()
         return BoringPage(_("reset password"),
                           content=ResetPassword(key=key, done=done)).render()
diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/validator/validator.py b/r2/r2/controllers/validator/validator.py
index afd616b2f..52063a70c 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/validator/validator.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/validator/validator.py
@@ -715,20 +715,27 @@ class VCommentIDs(Validator):
 class VCacheKey(Validator):
     def __init__(self, cache_prefix, param, *a, **kw):
         self.cache_prefix = cache_prefix
+        self.user = None
+        self.key = None
         Validator.__init__(self, param, *a, **kw)
 
+    def clear(self):
+        if self.key and self.cache_prefix:
+            g.cache.delete(str(self.cache_prefix + "_" + self.key))
+
     def run(self, key, name):
+        self.key = key
         if key:
-            uid = g.cache.get(str(self.cache_prefix + "_" + key))
+            uid = g.cache.get(str(self.cache_prefix + "_" + self.key))
             try:
                 a = Account._byID(uid, data = True)
-                g.cache.delete(str(self.cache_prefix + "_" + key))
+                if name and a.name.lower() != name.lower():
+                    self.set_error(errors.BAD_USERNAME)
+                else:
+                    self.user = a
             except NotFound:
-                return None
-            if name and a.name.lower() != name.lower():
                 self.set_error(errors.BAD_USERNAME)
-            if a:
-                return a
+            return self
             
         self.set_error(errors.EXPIRED)