diff --git a/controllers/user.js b/controllers/user.js
index e0e9ae3d7f..07edf0e9f5 100644
--- a/controllers/user.js
+++ b/controllers/user.js
@@ -191,9 +191,11 @@ exports.checkUniqueUsername = function(req, res) {
 exports.checkExistingUsername = function(req, res) {
     User.count({'profile.username': req.params.username.toLowerCase()}, function (err, data) {
         if (data == 1) {
-            return res.send(false);
-        } else {
+            debug('sending false back')
             return res.send(true);
+        } else {
+            debug('sending true back')
+            return res.send(false);
         }
     });
 };
diff --git a/public/js/main.js b/public/js/main.js
index 4c812dae1d..c817b94a0d 100644
--- a/public/js/main.js
+++ b/public/js/main.js
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ profileValidation.controller('profileValidationController', ['$scope', '$http',
 
 profileValidation.controller('pairedWithController', ['$scope',
     function($scope) {
-
+        $scope.existingUser = null;
 
     }
 ]);
@@ -152,16 +152,16 @@ profileValidation.directive('existingUsername', function($http) {
         require: 'ngModel',
         link: function (scope, element, attrs, ngModel) {
             element.bind("keyup", function (event) {
-                ngModel.$setValidity('exists', true);
+                ngModel.$setValidity('exists', false);
                 if (element.val()) {
-                    $http.get("/api/checkExistingUsername/" + element.val()).success(function (data) {
+                    $http.get("/api/checkExistingUsername/" + element.val() + ' ').success(function (data) {
                         console.log('in existing username function');
                         if (element.val() == scope.existingUsername) {
-                            console.log('matches a username');
-                            ngModel.$setValidity('exists', true);
-                        } else if (data) {
-                            console.log("doesn't match a username")
+                            console.log("doesn't match a username");
                             ngModel.$setValidity('exists', false);
+                        } else if (data) {
+                            console.log("matches a username")
+                            ngModel.$setValidity('exists', true);
                         }
                     });
                 }
diff --git a/views/bonfire/show.jade b/views/bonfire/show.jade
index 72286d661b..2145bac009 100644
--- a/views/bonfire/show.jade
+++ b/views/bonfire/show.jade
@@ -62,13 +62,16 @@ block content
                                         span.landing-icon.ion-checkmark-circled.text-primary
                                 - if (cc)
                                     form.form-horizontal(novalidate='novalidate', name='completedWithForm')
+                                        .form-group.text-center
+                                            label(for="existingUserName") If you paired with someone, enter their username here.
+                                            .col-xs-10.col-xs-offset-1.col-sm-8.col-sm-offset-2.col-md-8.col-md-offset-2
+                                                input.form-control#completed-with(name="existingUser", placeholder='Otherwise just leave it blank', existing-username='', ng-model="existingUser")
+                                            .col-xs-10.col-xs-offset-1.col-sm-8.col-sm-offset-2.col-md-8.col-md-offset-2(ng-show="completedWithForm.$error.exists && !completedWithForm.existingUser.$pristine")
+                                                alert(type='danger')
+                                                    span.ion-close-circled
+                                                    | Username not found
 
-                                        input.form-control#completed-with(name="completed-with", placeholder="If you paired with someone, enter their username here", ng-keypress='', existing-username='', ng-model="existingUsername")
-                                        .col-sm-4.col-sm-offset-5(ng-show="completedWithForm.existingUsername.$error.unique && !completedWithForm.existingUsername.$pristine")
-                                            alert(type='danger')
-                                                span.ion-close-circled
-                                                | Username not found
-                                        a.animated.fadeIn.btn.btn-lg.btn-primary.btn-block.next-bonfire-button(name='_csrf', value=_csrf, aria-hidden='true', ng-disabled='completedWithForm.$invalid') Take me to my next challenge
+                                    a.animated.fadeIn.btn.btn-lg.btn-primary.btn-block.next-bonfire-button(name='_csrf', value=_csrf, aria-hidden='true', ng-disabled='completedWithForm.$invalid') Take me to my next challenge
 
 
                                     - if (points && points > 2)