diff --git a/common/models/user.js b/common/models/user.js
index 991e5b48d2..405357c095 100644
--- a/common/models/user.js
+++ b/common/models/user.js
@@ -45,6 +45,18 @@ function nextTick(fn) {
   return process.nextTick(fn);
 }
 
+function getWaitPeriod(ttl) {
+  const fiveMinutesAgo = moment().subtract(5, 'minutes');
+  const lastEmailSentAt = moment(new Date(ttl || null));
+  const isWaitPeriodOver = ttl ?
+    lastEmailSentAt.isBefore(fiveMinutesAgo) : true;
+  if (!isWaitPeriodOver) {
+    const minutesLeft = 5 -
+      (moment().minutes() - lastEmailSentAt.minutes());
+    return minutesLeft;
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
 module.exports = function(User) {
   // NOTE(berks): user email validation currently not needed but build in. This
   // work around should let us sneak by
@@ -75,6 +87,7 @@ module.exports = function(User) {
     User.findOne$ = Observable.fromNodeCallback(User.findOne, User);
     User.update$ = Observable.fromNodeCallback(User.updateAll, User);
     User.count$ = Observable.fromNodeCallback(User.count, User);
+    User.findOrCreate$ = Observable.fromCallback(User.findOrCreate, User);
   });
 
   User.beforeRemote('create', function({ req }) {
@@ -488,43 +501,40 @@ module.exports = function(User) {
     }
   );
 
-  User.requestAuthLink = function requestAuthLink(email, emailTemplate) {
+  User.requestAuthLink = function requestAuthLink(email) {
     if (!isEmail(email)) {
       return Promise.reject(
         new Error('The submitted email not valid.')
         );
     }
 
-    const filter = {
-      where: { email },
-      // remove password from the query
-      fields: { password: null }
+    var userObj = {
+      username: 'fcc' + uuid.v4().slice(0, 8),
+      email: email,
+      emailVerified: false
     };
-    return User.findOne$(filter)
-      .map(user => {
-        if (!user) {
-          debug(`no user found with the email ${email}.`);
-          // do not let the user know if an email is not found
-          // this is to avoid sending spam requests to valid users
+    return User.findOrCreate$({ where: { email: userObj.email }}, userObj)
+      .map(([ err, user, isCreated ]) => {
+        if (err) {
           return dedent`
-           If you entered a valid email, a magic link is on its way.
-           Please click that link to sign in.`;
+           Oops, something is not right, please try again later.`;
         }
 
-        // Todo : Break this below chunk to a separate function
-        const fiveMinutesAgo = moment().subtract(5, 'minutes');
-        const lastEmailSentAt = moment(new Date(user.emailAuthLinkTTL || null));
-        const isWaitPeriodOver = user.emailAuthLinkTTL ?
-          lastEmailSentAt.isBefore(fiveMinutesAgo) : true;
-        if (!isWaitPeriodOver) {
-          const minutesLeft = 5 -
-            (moment().minutes() - lastEmailSentAt.minutes());
-          const timeToWait = minutesLeft ?
-            `${minutesLeft} minute${minutesLeft > 1 ? 's' : ''}` :
-            'a few seconds';
-          debug('request before wait time : ' + timeToWait);
-          return dedent`
-            Please wait ${timeToWait} to resend email verification.`;
+        if (!isDev) {
+          const minutesLeft = getWaitPeriod(user.emailAuthLinkTTL);
+          if (minutesLeft) {
+            const timeToWait = minutesLeft ?
+              `${minutesLeft} minute${minutesLeft > 1 ? 's' : ''}` :
+              'a few seconds';
+            debug('request before wait time : ' + timeToWait);
+            return dedent`
+              Please wait ${timeToWait} to resend an authentication link.`;
+          }
+        }
+
+        let emailTemplate = 'user-request-sign-in.ejs';
+        if (isCreated) {
+          emailTemplate = 'user-request-sign-up.ejs';
         }
 
         // create a temporary access token with ttl for 1 hour
@@ -546,15 +556,19 @@ module.exports = function(User) {
             type: 'email',
             to: user.email,
             from: 'Team@freecodecamp.com',
-            subject: 'Free Code Camp - Sign in Request!',
+            subject: 'Free Code Camp - Authentication Request!',
             text: renderAuthEmail({
               loginEmail,
               loginToken
             })
           };
-          this.email.send(mailOptions, err =>{
-            if (err) { throw err; }
-          });
+          if (!isDev) {
+            this.email.send(mailOptions, err =>{
+              if (err) { throw err; }
+            });
+          } else {
+            console.log('~~~~\n' + mailOptions.text + '~~~~\n');
+          }
           user.emailAuthLinkTTL = token.created;
           user.save(err =>{ if (err) { throw err; }});
         });
@@ -583,8 +597,6 @@ module.exports = function(User) {
       description: 'request a link on email with temporary token to sign in',
       accepts: [{
         arg: 'email', type: 'string', required: true
-      }, {
-        arg: 'emailTemplate', type: 'string', required: true
       }],
       returns: [{
         arg: 'message', type: 'string'
@@ -596,13 +608,7 @@ module.exports = function(User) {
   );
 
   User.prototype.updateEmail = function updateEmail(email) {
-    const fiveMinutesAgo = moment().subtract(5, 'minutes');
-    const lastEmailSentAt = moment(new Date(this.emailVerifyTTL || null));
     const ownEmail = email === this.email;
-    const isWaitPeriodOver = this.emailVerifyTTL ?
-      lastEmailSentAt.isBefore(fiveMinutesAgo) :
-      true;
-
     if (!isEmail('' + email)) {
       return Observable.throw(createEmailError());
     }
@@ -613,17 +619,17 @@ module.exports = function(User) {
       ));
     }
 
-    if (ownEmail && !isWaitPeriodOver) {
-      const minutesLeft = 5 -
-        (moment().minutes() - lastEmailSentAt.minutes());
-
-      const timeToWait = minutesLeft ?
-        `${minutesLeft} minute${minutesLeft > 1 ? 's' : ''}` :
-        'a few seconds';
-
-      return Observable.throw(new Error(
-        `Please wait ${timeToWait} to resend email verification.`
-      ));
+    if (!isDev) {
+      const minutesLeft = getWaitPeriod(this.emailVerifyTTL);
+      if (ownEmail && minutesLeft) {
+        const timeToWait = minutesLeft ?
+          `${minutesLeft} minute${minutesLeft > 1 ? 's' : ''}` :
+          'a few seconds';
+        debug('request before wait time : ' + timeToWait);
+        return Observable.throw(new Error(
+          `Please wait ${timeToWait} to resend email verification.`
+        ));
+      }
     }
 
     return Observable.fromPromise(User.doesExist(null, email))
diff --git a/server/boot/user.js b/server/boot/user.js
index eb9b0c4f41..412b8d3d6e 100644
--- a/server/boot/user.js
+++ b/server/boot/user.js
@@ -139,8 +139,16 @@ function buildDisplayChallenges(
 module.exports = function(app) {
   const router = app.loopback.Router();
   const api = app.loopback.Router();
+<<<<<<< HEAD
   const { User, Email } = app.models;
   const map$ = cachedMap(app.models);
+=======
+  const User = app.models.User;
+  const AccessToken = app.models.AccessToken;
+  const Block = app.models.Block;
+  const { Email } = app.models;
+  const map$ = cachedMap(Block);
+>>>>>>> Optimize code and streamline flow.
   function findUserByUsername$(username, fields) {
     return observeQuery(
       User,
@@ -152,6 +160,9 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
     );
   }
 
+  AccessToken.findOne$ = Observable.fromNodeCallback(
+    AccessToken.findOne, AccessToken);
+
   router.get('/login', function(req, res) {
     res.redirect(301, '/signin');
   });
@@ -169,10 +180,8 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
   router.get('/email-signin', getEmailSignin);
   router.get('/deprecated-signin', getDepSignin);
   router.get('/update-email', getUpdateEmail);
-  router.get('/passwordless-signin', getPasswordlessSignin);
-  router.get('/passwordless-signup', getPasswordlessSignup);
-  api.post('/passwordless-signin', postPasswordlessSignin);
-  api.post('/passwordless-signup', postPasswordlessSignup);
+  router.get('/passwordless-auth', getPasswordlessAuth);
+  api.post('/passwordless-auth', postPasswordlessAuth);
   router.get(
     '/delete-my-account',
     sendNonUserToMap,
@@ -252,117 +261,24 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
     });
   }
 
-  function postPasswordlessSignup(req, res) {
-    if (req.user) {
+  function postPasswordlessAuth(req, res) {
+    if (req.user || !(req.body && req.body.email)) {
       return res.redirect('/');
     }
 
-    if (req.body && req.body.email) {
-      var userObj = {
-        username: 'fcc' + uuid.v4().slice(0, 8),
-        email: req.body.email,
-        emailVerified: false
-      };
-      var data = { or: [
-        { username: userObj.username },
-        { email: userObj.email },
-        { emailVerified: userObj.emailVerified }
-      ]};
-      return User.findOrCreate({where: data}, userObj, function(err, user) {
-        if (err) {
-          throw err;
-        }
-        User.requestAuthLink(user.email, 'user-request-sign-up.ejs');
-      });
-    } else {
-      return res.redirect('/');
-    }
-  }
-
-  function postPasswordlessSignin(req, res) {
-    if (req.user) {
-      return res.redirect('/');
-    }
-
-    if (req.body && req.body.email) {
-      var data = { or: [
-        { email: req.body.email },
-        { emailVerified: true }
-      ]};
-      return User.findOne$({ where: { data }})
-        .map(user => {
-        User.requestAuthLink(user.email, 'user-request-sign-in.ejs');
-      });
-    } else {
-      return res.redirect('/');
-    }
-  }
-
-  function getPasswordlessSignup(req, res, next) {
-    if (req.user) {
-      req.flash('info', {
-            msg: 'Hey, looks like you’re already signed in.'
-          });
-      return res.redirect('/');
-    }
-
-    const defaultErrorMsg = [
-     'Oops, something is not right, ',
-     'please request a fresh link to sign in.'].join('');
-
-    if (!req.query || !req.query.email || !req.query.token) {
-      req.flash('info', { msg: defaultErrorMsg });
-      return res.redirect('/email-signup');
-    }
-
-    const email = req.query.email;
-    /* const tokenId = req.query.token; */
-
-    return User.findOne$({ where: { email }})
-      .map(user => {
-        return user.createAccessToken(
-          { ttl: User.settings.ttl }, (err, accessToken) => {
-          if (err) { throw err; }
-
-          var config = {
-            signed: !!req.signedCookies,
-            maxAge: accessToken.ttl
-          };
-
-          if (accessToken && accessToken.id) {
-            debug('setting cookies');
-            res.cookie('access_token', accessToken.id, config);
-            res.cookie('userId', accessToken.userId, config);
-          }
-
-          return req.logIn({
-            id: accessToken.userId.toString() }, err => {
-            if (err) { return next(err); }
-
-            debug('user logged in');
-
-            if (req.session && req.session.returnTo) {
-              var redirectTo = req.session.returnTo;
-              if (redirectTo === '/map-aside') {
-                redirectTo = '/map';
-              }
-              return res.redirect(redirectTo);
-            }
-
-            req.flash('success', { msg:
-              'Success! You have signed in to your account. Happy Coding!'
-            });
-            return res.redirect('/');
-          });
+    return User.requestAuthLink(req.body.email, 'user-request-sign-in.ejs')
+      .then(msg => {
+          return res.status(200).send({ message: msg });
+      })
+      .catch(err => {
+        debug(err);
+        return res.status(200).send({
+          message: 'Oops, something is not right, please try again later.'
         });
-    })
-    .subscribe(
-      () => {},
-      next
-    );
+      });
   }
 
-  function getPasswordlessSignin(req, res, next) {
+  function getPasswordlessAuth(req, res, next) {
     if (req.user) {
       req.flash('info', {
             msg: 'Hey, looks like you’re already signed in.'
@@ -370,9 +286,8 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
       return res.redirect('/');
     }
 
-    const defaultErrorMsg = [
-     'Oops, something is not right, ',
-     'please request a fresh link to sign in.'].join('');
+    const defaultErrorMsg = [ 'Oops, something is not right, please request a ',
+    'fresh link to sign in / sign up.' ].join('');
 
     if (!req.query || !req.query.email || !req.query.token) {
       req.flash('info', { msg: defaultErrorMsg });
@@ -380,10 +295,28 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
     }
 
     const email = req.query.email;
-    /* const tokenId = req.query.token; */
 
     return User.findOne$({ where: { email }})
       .map(user => {
+
+        if (!user) {
+          debug(`did not find a valid user with email: ${email}`);
+          req.flash('info', { msg: defaultErrorMsg });
+          return res.redirect('/email-signin');
+        }
+
+        const emailVerified = true;
+        const emailAuthLinkTTL = null;
+        const emailVerifyTTL = null;
+        user.update$({
+          emailVerified, emailAuthLinkTTL, emailVerifyTTL
+        })
+        .do((user) => {
+          user.emailVerified = emailVerified;
+          user.emailAuthLinkTTL = emailAuthLinkTTL;
+          user.emailVerifyTTL = emailVerifyTTL;
+        });
+
         return user.createAccessToken(
           { ttl: User.settings.ttl }, (err, accessToken) => {
           if (err) { throw err; }
diff --git a/server/views/account/email-signin.jade b/server/views/account/email-signin.jade
index c9bcdc1128..1616b64a0a 100644
--- a/server/views/account/email-signin.jade
+++ b/server/views/account/email-signin.jade
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ block content
             h2 Sign in with your Email here:
           .button-spacer
           .col-sm-6.col-sm-offset-3
-              form(method='POST', action='/passwordless-signin')
+              form(method='POST', action='/passwordless-auth')
                   input(type='hidden', name='_csrf', value=_csrf)
                   .form-group
                       input.input-lg.form-control(type='email', name='email', id='email', placeholder='Email', autofocus=true)
diff --git a/server/views/account/email-signup.jade b/server/views/account/email-signup.jade
index 1e9cf67dcd..b431d99283 100644
--- a/server/views/account/email-signup.jade
+++ b/server/views/account/email-signup.jade
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ block content
               | Sign up with an Email here:
               .button-spacer
           .col-sm-6.col-sm-offset-3
-              form(method='POST', action='/passwordless-signup')
+              form(method='POST', action='/passwordless-auth')
                   input(type='hidden', name='_csrf', value=_csrf)
                   .form-group
                       input.input-lg.form-control(type='email', name='email', id='email', placeholder='Email', autofocus=true)
diff --git a/server/views/emails/user-request-sign-in.ejs b/server/views/emails/user-request-sign-in.ejs
index 7543b67712..74967a86cb 100644
--- a/server/views/emails/user-request-sign-in.ejs
+++ b/server/views/emails/user-request-sign-in.ejs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ Greetings from San Francisco!
 
 You can now sign in to Free Code Camp, without a password. Just follow the link below:
 
-https://freecodecamp.com/passwordless-signin?email=<%= loginEmail %>&token=<%= loginToken %>
+https://freecodecamp.com/passwordless-auth?email=<%= loginEmail %>&token=<%= loginToken %>
 
 IMPORTANT NOTE:
 You can simply delete or ignore this email, if you did not make any such request.
diff --git a/server/views/emails/user-request-sign-up.ejs b/server/views/emails/user-request-sign-up.ejs
index b5f59aeee7..19b9468968 100644
--- a/server/views/emails/user-request-sign-up.ejs
+++ b/server/views/emails/user-request-sign-up.ejs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ Greetings from San Francisco!
 Welcome to Free Code Camp. We've created a new account for you.
 To verify and start using your profile just follow the link below:
 
-https://freecodecamp.com/passwordless-signup?email=<%= loginEmail %>&token=<%= loginToken %>
+https://freecodecamp.com/passwordless-auth?email=<%= loginEmail %>&token=<%= loginToken %>
 
 Next steps:
 1. Visit the settings page and link your account to Github.