diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index a18b60c..85b6137 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ end
 group :test do
   gem 'shoulda-matchers', '~> 1.0.0'
   gem 'capybara', '~> 2.2.1'
-  gem 'poltergeist', '~> 1.5.0'
+  gem 'poltergeist', '~> 1.10.0'
   gem 'database_cleaner', '~> 1.2.0'
   gem 'launchy', '~> 2.4.2'
   gem 'spork', '~> 0.9.2'
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index db4fb0a..3afc08d 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -159,10 +159,9 @@ GEM
       mime-types
       mimemagic (= 0.3.0)
     pg (0.17.1)
-    poltergeist (1.5.1)
+    poltergeist (1.10.0)
       capybara (~> 2.1)
       cliver (~> 0.3.1)
-      multi_json (~> 1.0)
       websocket-driver (>= 0.2.0)
     polyglot (0.3.5)
     pry (0.9.12.6)
@@ -238,7 +237,7 @@ GEM
       json (>= 1.8.0)
     warden (1.1.1)
       rack (>= 1.0)
-    websocket-driver (0.6.3)
+    websocket-driver (0.6.5)
       websocket-extensions (>= 0.1.0)
     websocket-extensions (0.1.2)
     will_paginate (3.0.7)
@@ -273,7 +272,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   netzke-core (~> 0.8.0)
   paperclip (~> 4.3)
   pg (~> 0.17.1)
-  poltergeist (~> 1.5.0)
+  poltergeist (~> 1.10.0)
   pry (~> 0.9.8)
   rails (= 3.2.13)
   rake (< 11.0)
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 5c62268..cf605ca 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
     roles.include?(role)
   end
 
+  # try keeping the email field in DB clear and consistent, without empty strings (NULLs instead)
+  def email=(other)
+    super(other.blank? ? nil : other)
+  end
+
 ### TODO methods below probably belong somewhere else
 
   def completed_build_bikes
diff --git a/db/migrate/20170131164224_user_email_can_be_null.rb b/db/migrate/20170131164224_user_email_can_be_null.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..19625be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20170131164224_user_email_can_be_null.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+class UserEmailCanBeNull < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def up
+    change_table :users do |t|
+      t.change :email, :string, default: nil, null: true
+    end
+
+    User.where(email: '').update_all(email: nil)
+  end
+
+  def down
+    change_table :users do |t|
+      t.change :email, :string, default: '', null: false
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index c001ecc..b405966 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #
 # It's strongly recommended to check this file into your version control system.
 
-ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20170118112258) do
+ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20170131164224) do
 
   create_table "bike_actions", :force => true do |t|
     t.string   "action",     :limit => 128, :null => false
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20170118112258) do
   end
 
   create_table "users", :force => true do |t|
-    t.string   "email",                  :default => "", :null => false
+    t.string   "email"
     t.string   "encrypted_password",     :default => "", :null => false
     t.string   "reset_password_token"
     t.datetime "reset_password_sent_at"
diff --git a/spec/features/devise/registrations_spec.rb b/spec/features/devise/registrations_spec.rb
index 45bde07..864cf40 100644
--- a/spec/features/devise/registrations_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/devise/registrations_spec.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ describe "New User Registrations" do
     before do
       visit new_user_registration_path
     end
+
     it 'should have the additional user fields on the registration page' do
+      page.should have_field 'user_username'
       page.should have_field 'user_first_name'
       page.should have_field 'user_last_name'
       page.should have_field 'user_email'
@@ -29,6 +31,13 @@ describe "New User Registrations" do
         fill_in 'user_password_confirmation', :with => 'password'
       end
 
+      it 'should require username' do
+        fill_in 'user_first_name', :with => 'Frank'
+        fill_in 'user_last_name', :with => 'Footer'
+        click_button 'Sign up'
+        page.should have_content "Username can't be blank"
+      end
+
       it 'should require first name' do
         fill_in 'user_last_name', :with => 'Footer'
         click_button 'Sign up'
@@ -41,5 +50,21 @@ describe "New User Registrations" do
         page.should have_content "Last name can't be blank"
       end
     end
+
+    it 'should allow registering many users with empty emails' do
+      expect do
+        FactoryGirl.create :user, email: ''
+        FactoryGirl.create :user, email: nil
+
+        fill_in 'user_username', :with => 'test3'
+        fill_in 'user_first_name', :with => 'Frank3'
+        fill_in 'user_last_name', :with => 'Footer3'
+        fill_in 'user_password', :with => 'password3'
+        fill_in 'user_password_confirmation', :with => 'password3'
+        click_button 'Sign up'
+      end.to change { User.count }.by(3)
+
+      expect(User.where(email: nil).count).to eq(3)
+    end
   end
 end