diff --git a/connect/connectNotificationServer.js b/connect/connectNotificationServer.js
index c315321..4815a93 100644
--- a/connect/connectNotificationServer.js
+++ b/connect/connectNotificationServer.js
@@ -275,6 +275,8 @@ notificationServer.setConfig({ LOG_LEVEL: 'debug' });
 // logger object used to log in parent thread
 // the callback is function(error, userIds), where userIds is an array of user ids to receive notifications
 const handler = (topic, message, logger, callback) => {
+  logger.debug(topic, 'topic');
+  logger.debug(message, 'message');
   const projectId = message.projectId;
   if (!projectId) {
     return callback(new Error('Missing projectId in the event message.'));
@@ -324,20 +326,22 @@ const handler = (topic, message, logger, callback) => {
       // if message has userId such messages will likely need userHandle and user full name
       // so let's get it
       const ids = [message.initiatorUserId];
+      logger.debug(message.userId, 'message.userId');
       if (message.userId) {
         ids.push(message.userId);
-        return service.getUsersById(ids);
       }
-      return [];
+      return service.getUsersById(ids);
+      // return [];
     }).then((users) => {
+      logger.debug(users, 'users');
       _.map(allNotifications, (notification) => {
         notification.version = eventConfig.version;
         notification.contents.projectName = project.name;
         notification.contents.timestamp = (new Date()).toISOString();
         // if found a user then add user handle
         if (users.length) {
-          const affectedUser = _.find(users, u => u.userId === message.userId);
-          const initiatorUser = _.find(users, u => u.userId === message.initiatorUserId);
+          const affectedUser = _.find(users, u => `${u.userId}` === message.userId);
+          const initiatorUser = _.find(users, u => `${u.userId}` === message.initiatorUserId);
           if (affectedUser) {
             notification.contents.userHandle = affectedUser.handle;
             notification.contents.userFullName = `${affectedUser.firstName} ${affectedUser.lastName}`;
diff --git a/emails/src/partials/invites.html b/emails/src/partials/invites.html
index 8e0da62..4d2e158 100644
--- a/emails/src/partials/invites.html
+++ b/emails/src/partials/invites.html
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
             <table class="main-child">
                 <tr>
                     <td class="empty-child-one"></td>
-                    <td>You are invited to join the <strong>{{projectName}}</strong> on Topcoder Connect. To join the project, please register for a Topcoder account using <strong>Register</strong> button below.</td>
+                    <td>You have been invited to a project by {{initiator.firstName}} {{initiator.lastName}}. To join, please register with Topcoder.</td>
                 </tr>
             </table>  
         </td>