diff --git a/app/account/login/login.controller.js b/app/account/login/login.controller.js
index 73cca451f..ae56fed41 100644
--- a/app/account/login/login.controller.js
+++ b/app/account/login/login.controller.js
@@ -3,96 +3,116 @@
 
   angular.module('tc.account').controller('LoginController', LoginController);
 
-  LoginController.$inject = ['$log', '$state', '$stateParams', '$location', '$scope', 'TcAuthService', 'AuthTokenService', 'UserService', 'NotificationService', 'Helpers', 'CONSTANTS'];
+  LoginController.$inject = ['$log', '$state', '$stateParams', '$location', '$scope', 'TcAuthService', 'UserService', 'NotificationService', 'Helpers', 'CONSTANTS'];
 
-  function LoginController($log, $state, $stateParams, $location, $scope, TcAuthService, AuthTokenService, UserService, NotificationService, Helpers, CONSTANTS) {
-    $log = $log.getInstance("LoginController");
+  function LoginController($log, $state, $stateParams, $location, $scope, TcAuthService, UserService, NotificationService, Helpers, CONSTANTS) {
     var vm = this;
+    $log = $log.getInstance("LoginController");
     vm.$stateParams = $stateParams;
     vm.passwordReset = false;
-    vm.usernameExists = true;
     vm.currentPasswordDefaultPlaceholder = "Password";
+    vm.loginErrors = {
+      USERNAME_NONEXISTANT: false,
+      WRONG_PASSWORD: false,
+      SOCIAL_LOGIN_ERROR: false
+    };
+
+    vm.login = login;
+    vm.socialLogin = socialLogin;
+
     // reference for main vm
     var mainVm = $scope.$parent.main;
 
-    if ($stateParams.notifyReset) {
-      NotificationService.inform('Your new password has been set. Please log in. If you have any trouble, please contact support@topcoder.com.');
-    }
+    activate();
 
-    function _doLogin(usernameOrEmail, password) {
-     return TcAuthService.login(usernameOrEmail, password).then(
-      function(data) {
-        // success
-        $log.debug('logged in');
-        // setup login event for analytics tracking
-        Helpers.setupLoginEventMetrices(usernameOrEmail);
-        return Helpers.redirectPostLogin($stateParams.next);
-      })
-     .catch(function(resp) {
-        $log.warn(resp);
-        switch (resp.status) {
-          case "ACCOUNT_INACTIVE":
-            $state.go('registeredSuccessfully');
-            // user should already be redirected
-            break;
-          case "UNKNOWN_ERROR":
-          default:
-            vm.wrongPassword = true;
-            vm.password = '';
-        }
-      });
+    function activate() {
+      if ($stateParams.notifyReset) {
+        NotificationService.inform('Your new password has been set. Please log in. If you have any trouble, please contact support@topcoder.com.');
+      }
     }
 
-    vm.login = function() {
-      vm.usernameExists = true;
-      vm.wrongPassword = false;
+    function login() {
+      vm.loginErrors.USERNAME_NONEXISTANT = false;
+      vm.loginErrors.WRONG_PASSWORD = false;
+
       // TODO ideally it should be done by dedicated directive to handle all outside clicks
       mainVm.menuVisible = false;
 
       if (Helpers.isEmail(vm.username)) {
+        // the user is loggin in using email
         vm.emailOrUsername = 'email';
+
         // ensure email exists
+        // uses same validity check as registration
+        // valid => email isn't already used by someone
         UserService.validateUserEmail(vm.username).then(function(data) {
           if (data.valid) {
             // email doesn't exist
-            vm.usernameExists = false;
+            vm.loginErrors.USERNAME_NONEXISTANT = true;
           } else {
-            vm.usernameExists = true;
             _doLogin(vm.username, vm.currentPassword);
           }
         }).catch(function(resp) {
           // TODO handle error
           // assume email exists, login would in any case if it didn't
-          vm.usernameExists = true;
+          vm.loginErrors.USERNAME_NONEXISTANT = false;
           _doLogin(vm.username, vm.currentPassword);
         });
       } else {
+        // the user is logging in using a username
         vm.emailOrUsername = 'username';
+
         // username - make sure it exists
         UserService.validateUserHandle(vm.username).then(function(data) {
           if (data.valid) {
             // username doesn't exist
-            vm.usernameExists = false;
+            vm.loginErrors.USERNAME_NONEXISTANT = true;
           } else {
-            vm.usernameExists = true;
             _doLogin(vm.username, vm.currentPassword);
           }
         }).catch(function(resp) {
           // TODO handle error
           // assume email exists, login would in any case if it didn't
-          vm.usernameExists = true;
           _doLogin(vm.username, vm.currentPassword);
         });
       }
     };
 
-    vm.socialLogin = function(backend) {
-      var params = {}, callbackUrl;
+    function _doLogin(usernameOrEmail, password) {
+      return TcAuthService.login(usernameOrEmail, password).then(function(data) {
+        // success
+        $log.debug('logged in');
+
+        // setup login event for analytics tracking
+        Helpers.setupLoginEventMetrics(usernameOrEmail);
+        return Helpers.redirectPostLogin($stateParams.next);
+
+      }).catch(function(resp) {
+        $log.warn(resp);
+        switch (resp.status) {
+          case "ACCOUNT_INACTIVE":
+            $state.go('registeredSuccessfully');
+            // user should already be redirected
+            break;
+          case "UNKNOWN_ERROR":
+          default:
+            vm.loginErrors.WRONG_PASSWORD = true;
+            vm.password = '';
+        }
+      });
+    }
+
+    function socialLogin(platform) {
+      // we need to pass on the 'next' param if we have one
+      var params = {};
       if ($stateParams.next) {
         params = {next: $stateParams.next};
       }
-      callbackUrl = $state.href('login', params, {absolute: true});
-      TcAuthService.socialLogin(backend, callbackUrl)
+
+      // redirect back to login
+      var callbackUrl = $state.href('login', params, {absolute: true});
+
+      TcAuthService.socialLogin(platform, callbackUrl)
       .then(function() {
         $log.debug('logged in');
         return Helpers.redirectPostLogin($stateParams.next);
@@ -104,6 +124,7 @@
           case "USER_NOT_REGISTERED":
           default:
             vm.socialLoginError = 401;
+            vm.loginErrors.SOCIAL_LOGIN_ERROR = true;
             break;
         }
       });
diff --git a/app/account/login/login.jade b/app/account/login/login.jade
index 3ac5deb41..ce7f103ce 100644
--- a/app/account/login/login.jade
+++ b/app/account/login/login.jade
@@ -6,14 +6,14 @@
   h1 LOG IN TO TOPCODER
 
   form(name="vm.loginForm", role="form", ng-submit="vm.loginForm.$valid && vm.login()", novalidate)
-    .form-errors
-      p.form-error(ng-hide="vm.usernameExists") We couldn't find a member with that {{vm.emailOrUsername || "username"}}. Please check that you entered it correctly.
+    .form-errors(ng-messages="vm.loginErrors")
+      p.form-error(ng-message="USERNAME_NONEXISTANT") We couldn't find a member with that {{vm.emailOrUsername || "username"}}. Please check that you entered it correctly.
 
-      p.form-error(ng-show="vm.wrongPassword") That password is incorrect. Please check that you entered the right one.
+      p.form-error(ng-message="WRONG_PASSWORD") That password is incorrect. Please check that you entered the right one.
 
-      p.form-error(ng-show="vm.socialLoginError === 401") User with that profile is not registered.
+      p.form-error(ng-message="SOCIAL_LOGIN_ERROR") User with that profile is not registered.
 
-    div.validation-bar(ng-class="{'error-bar': !vm.usernameExists}")
+    div.validation-bar(ng-class="{'error-bar': vm.loginErrors.USERNAME_NONEXISTANT}")
       input(ng-model="vm.username", name="username", placeholder="Username or Email", type="text", required)
 
     toggle-password
diff --git a/app/services/helpers.service.js b/app/services/helpers.service.js
index 11a98703d..d04ace38f 100644
--- a/app/services/helpers.service.js
+++ b/app/services/helpers.service.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
       getCountyObjFromIP: getCountyObjFromIP,
       redirectPostLogin: redirectPostLogin,
       getSocialUserData: getSocialUserData,
-      setupLoginEventMetrices: setupLoginEventMetrices,
+      setupLoginEventMetrics: setupLoginEventMetrics,
       npad: npad
 
     };
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@
       }
     }
 
-    function setupLoginEventMetrices (usernameOrEmail) {
+    function setupLoginEventMetrics (usernameOrEmail) {
       if (_kmq) {
         _kmq.push(['identify', usernameOrEmail ]);
       }