diff --git a/models/user.js b/models/user.js
index bbf8f21e6..01dbb37a9 100644
--- a/models/user.js
+++ b/models/user.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ const mongoose = require('../mongoose');
 const uuid = require('uuid');
 const bcrypt = require('bcrypt');
 const jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');
-const debug = require('debug')('talk:user_model');
 
 // SALT_ROUNDS is the number of rounds that the bcrypt algorithm will run
 // through during the salting process.
@@ -15,7 +14,7 @@ const USER_ROLES = [
 ];
 
 if (!process.env.TALK_SESSION_SECRET) {
-  debug('\n////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////\n' +
+  throw new Error('\n////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////\n' +
         '///   TALK_SESSION_SECRET must be defined to encode      ///\n' +
         '///   JSON Web Tokens and other auth functionality       ///\n' +
         '////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////');
@@ -413,7 +412,7 @@ UserService.findByIdArray = (ids) => {
  * Creates a JWT from a user email. Only works for local accounts.
  * @param {String} email of the local user
  */
-UserService.createJWT = function (email) {
+UserService.createPasswordResetToken = function (email) {
   if (!email || typeof email !== 'string') {
     return Promise.reject('email is required when creating a JWT for resetting passord');
   }
@@ -438,7 +437,7 @@ UserService.createJWT = function (email) {
  * verifies a jwt and returns the associated user
  * @param {String} token the JSON Web Token to verify
  */
-UserService.verifyToken = function (token) {
+UserService.verifyPasswordResetToken = function (token) {
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
     jwt.verify(token, process.env.TALK_SESSION_SECRET, (error, decoded) => {
       if (error) {
@@ -454,7 +453,7 @@ UserService.verifyToken = function (token) {
      * and make an entry if it does not exist.
      * reject if entry already exists.
      */
-    return this.findOne({id: decoded.userId});
+    return this.findById(decoded.userId);
   });
 };
 
diff --git a/routes/api/user/index.js b/routes/api/user/index.js
index b9c6efa3b..4b00cf785 100644
--- a/routes/api/user/index.js
+++ b/routes/api/user/index.js
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ router.post('/:user_id/role', (req, res, next) => {
 router.post('/update-password', (req, res, next) => {
   const {token, password} = req.body;
 
-  User.verifyToken(token)
+  User.verifyPasswordResetToken(token)
     .then(user => {
       return User.changePassword(user.id, password);
     })
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ router.post('/request-password-reset', (req, res, next) => {
   }
 
   User
-    .createJWT(email)
+    .createPasswordResetToken(email)
     .then(token => {
       const options = {
         subject: 'Password Reset Requested - Talk',
diff --git a/services/mailer.js b/services/mailer.js
index 347e7a63d..cdb23f370 100644
--- a/services/mailer.js
+++ b/services/mailer.js
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 const nodemailer = require('nodemailer');
-const debug = require('debug')('talk:mail');
 
 if (!process.env.TALK_SMTP_CONNECTION_URL) {
-  debug('\n///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////\n' +
+  throw new Error('\n///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////\n' +
         '///   TALK_SMTP_CONNECTION_URL should be defined if you would   ///\n' +
         '///   like to send password reset emails from Talk          ///\n' +
         '///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////');