diff --git a/cps/templates/user_edit.html b/cps/templates/user_edit.html
index 3cc0051cd..559f6914b 100644
--- a/cps/templates/user_edit.html
+++ b/cps/templates/user_edit.html
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <form role="form" method="POST">
     <div class="form-group">
       <label for="email">e-mail</label>
-      <input type="email" class="form-control" name="email" id="email" value="{{content.email}}">
+      <input type="email" class="form-control" name="email" id="email" value="{{ content.email if content.email != None }}"> 
     </div>
     <div class="form-group">
       <label for="password">password</label>
@@ -13,16 +13,16 @@
     </div>
     <div class="form-group">
       <label for="kindle_mail">Kindle E-Mail</label>
-      <input type="text" class="form-control" name="kindle_mail" id="kindle_mail" value="{{content.kindle_mail}}">
+      <input type="text" class="form-control" name="kindle_mail" id="kindle_mail" value="{{ content.kindle_mail if content.kindle_mail != None }}">
     </div>
     {% if g.user and g.user.role %}
     <div class="form-group">
-      <label for="user_role">is admin</label>
-      <input type="text" class="form-control" name="user_role" id="user_role" value="{{content.role}}">
+      <label for="user_role">Admin user? 0 or 1</label>
+      <input type="text" class="form-control" name="user_role" id="user_role" value="{{ content.role if content.role != None }}">
     </div>
     <div class="form-group">
       <label for="nickname">nickname</label>
-      <input type="text" class="form-control" name="nickname" id="nickname" value="{{content.nickname}}">
+      <input type="text" class="form-control" name="nickname" id="nickname" value="{{ content.nickname if content.nickname != None }}">
     </div>
     <div class="checkbox">
       <label>
diff --git a/cps/ub.py b/cps/ub.py
index 9028cd3f8..2745e3bd4 100644
--- a/cps/ub.py
+++ b/cps/ub.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class User(Base):
 
 	id = Column(Integer, primary_key = True)
 	nickname = Column(String(64), unique = True)
-	email = Column(String(120), unique = True)
+	email = Column(String(120), unique = True, default = "")
 	role = Column(SmallInteger, default = ROLE_USER)
 	password = Column(String)
 	kindle_mail = Column(String(120), default="")
diff --git a/cps/web.py b/cps/web.py
index 139ac97c5..3fc270dd5 100755
--- a/cps/web.py
+++ b/cps/web.py
@@ -324,16 +324,16 @@ def logout():
 def send_to_kindle(book_id):
     settings = ub.get_mail_settings()
     if settings.get("mail_server", "mail.example.com") == "mail.example.com":
-        flash("please configure your email account settings first...", category="error")
+        flash("Please configure the SMTP email account first...", category="error")
     elif current_user.kindle_mail:
         x = helper.send_mail(book_id, current_user.kindle_mail)
         if x:
-            flash("mail successfully send to %s" % current_user.kindle_mail, category="success")
+            flash("Mail successfully send to %s" % current_user.kindle_mail, category="success")
             helper.update_download(book_id, int(current_user.id))
         else:
-            flash("there was an error sending this book", category="error")
+            flash("There was an error sending this book", category="error")
     else:
-        flash("please set a kindle mail first...", category="error")
+        flash("Please set a kindle mail first...", category="error")
     return redirect(request.environ["HTTP_REFERER"])
 
 @app.route("/shelf/add/<int:shelf_id>/<int:book_id>")