diff --git a/client/coral-embed-stream/src/Embed.js b/client/coral-embed-stream/src/Embed.js
index b6fee1184..1eec07213 100644
--- a/client/coral-embed-stream/src/Embed.js
+++ b/client/coral-embed-stream/src/Embed.js
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class Embed extends Component {
             <Tab>Settings</Tab>
             <Tab restricted={!isAdmin}>Configure Stream</Tab>
           </TabBar>
-            {loggedIn && <UserBox user={user} logout={this.props.logout} />}
+            {loggedIn && user && <UserBox user={user} logout={this.props.logout} />}
             <TabContent show={activeTab === 0}>
                 {
                   asset.closedAt === null
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ class Embed extends Component {
                    : <p>{asset.settings.closedMessage}</p>
                 }
                 {!loggedIn && <SignInContainer offset={signInOffset}/>}
-                {loggedIn && <ChangeDisplayNameContainer loggedIn={loggedIn} offset={signInOffset} user={user}/>}
+                {loggedIn &&  user && <ChangeDisplayNameContainer loggedIn={loggedIn} offset={signInOffset} user={user} />}
                 <Stream
                   refetch={refetch}
                   addNotification={this.props.addNotification}
diff --git a/services/users.js b/services/users.js
index bc46c5e62..01dd0c157 100644
--- a/services/users.js
+++ b/services/users.js
@@ -156,18 +156,6 @@ module.exports = class UsersService {
     });
   }
 
-  static changeDisplayName(id, displayName) {
-    return UsersService.isValidDisplayName(displayName)
-      .then((displayName) => { // displayName is valid
-        return UserModel.update({id}, {
-          $inc: {__v: 1},
-          $set: {
-            displayName: displayName
-          }
-        });
-      });
-  }
-
   /**
    * Creates local users.
    * @param  {Array} users Users to create
@@ -366,14 +354,12 @@ module.exports = class UsersService {
    */
   static setDisplayName(id, displayName) {
 
-    // Check to see if that the displayName is not empty.
-    if (displayName.length < 1) {
-
-      // User displayName is required! Error out here.
-      return Promise.reject(new Error('display name should not be empty'));
-    }
-
-    return UserModel.update({id}, {$set: {'displayName': displayName}});
+    return UsersService.isValidDisplayName(displayName)
+      .then((displayName) => { // displayName is valid
+        return UserModel.update(
+          {id},
+          {$set: {'displayName': displayName}});
+      });
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/test/services/users.js b/test/services/users.js
index e2e5655e4..ba2bedcc3 100644
--- a/test/services/users.js
+++ b/test/services/users.js
@@ -178,6 +178,25 @@ describe('services.UsersService', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('#setDisplayName', () => {
+    it('should set the display name to a new unique one', () => {
+      return UsersService
+        .setDisplayName(mockUsers[0].id, 'maria')
+        .then(() => UsersService.findById(mockUsers[0].id))
+        .then((user) => {
+          expect(user).to.have.property('displayName', 'maria');
+        });
+    });
+
+    it('should return an error when the displayName is not unique', () => {
+      return UsersService
+        .setDisplayName(mockUsers[0].id, 'marvel')
+        .catch((error) => {
+          expect(error).to.not.be.null;
+        });
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('#ban', () => {
     it('should set the status to banned', () => {
       return UsersService