diff --git a/lib/galaxy/security/validate_user_input.py b/lib/galaxy/security/validate_user_input.py
index 88c73d66642..c3b927a2d6e 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/security/validate_user_input.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/security/validate_user_input.py
@@ -9,15 +9,20 @@ import re
 
 log = logging.getLogger( __name__ )
 
-VALID_PUBLICNAME_RE = re.compile( "^[a-z0-9\-]+$" )
-VALID_PUBLICNAME_SUB = re.compile( "[^a-z0-9\-]" )
+# Email validity parameters
+VALID_EMAIL_RE = re.compile( "[^@]+@[^@]+\.[^@]+" )
+EMAIL_MAX_LEN = 255
+
+# Public name validity parameters
 PUBLICNAME_MIN_LEN = 3
 PUBLICNAME_MAX_LEN = 255
-
-#  Basic regular expression to check email validity.
-VALID_EMAIL_RE = re.compile( "[^@]+@[^@]+\.[^@]+" )
+VALID_PUBLICNAME_RE = re.compile( "^[a-z0-9._\-]+$" )
+VALID_PUBLICNAME_SUB = re.compile( "[^a-z0-9._\-]" )
 FILL_CHAR = '-'
 
+# Password validity parameters
+PASSWORD_MIN_LEN = 6
+
 
 def validate_email( trans, email, user=None, check_dup=True ):
     """
@@ -27,9 +32,9 @@ def validate_email( trans, email, user=None, check_dup=True ):
     if user and user.email == email:
         return message
     if not( VALID_EMAIL_RE.match( email ) ):
-        message = "Please enter your real email address."
-    elif len( email ) > 255:
-        message = "Email address exceeds maximum allowable length."
+        message = "The format of the email address is not correct."
+    elif len( email ) > EMAIL_MAX_LEN:
+        message = "Email address cannot be more than %d characters in length." % EMAIL_MAX_LEN
     elif check_dup and trans.sa_session.query( trans.app.model.User ).filter_by( email=email ).first():
         message = "User with that email already exists."
     #  If the blacklist is not empty filter out the disposable domains.
@@ -48,13 +53,13 @@ def validate_publicname( trans, publicname, user=None ):
     if user and user.username == publicname:
         return ''
     if len( publicname ) < PUBLICNAME_MIN_LEN:
-        return "Public name must be at least %d characters in length" % ( PUBLICNAME_MIN_LEN )
+        return "Public name must be at least %d characters in length." % ( PUBLICNAME_MIN_LEN )
     if len( publicname ) > PUBLICNAME_MAX_LEN:
-        return "Public name cannot be more than %d characters in length" % ( PUBLICNAME_MAX_LEN )
+        return "Public name cannot be more than %d characters in length." % ( PUBLICNAME_MAX_LEN )
     if not( VALID_PUBLICNAME_RE.match( publicname ) ):
-        return "Public name must contain only lower-case letters, numbers and '-'"
+        return "Public name must contain only lower-case letters, numbers, '.', '_' and '-'."
     if trans.sa_session.query( trans.app.model.User ).filter_by( username=publicname ).first():
-        return "Public name is taken; please choose another"
+        return "Public name is taken; please choose another."
     return ''
 
 
@@ -67,15 +72,15 @@ def transform_publicname( trans, publicname, user=None ):
     elif publicname not in [ 'None', None, '' ]:
         publicname = publicname.lower()
         publicname = re.sub( VALID_PUBLICNAME_SUB, FILL_CHAR, publicname )
-        publicname = publicname.ljust( 4, FILL_CHAR )[:255]
+        publicname = publicname.ljust( PUBLICNAME_MIN_LEN + 1, FILL_CHAR )[:PUBLICNAME_MAX_LEN]
         if not trans.sa_session.query( trans.app.model.User ).filter_by( username=publicname ).first():
             return publicname
     return ''
 
 
 def validate_password( trans, password, confirm ):
-    if len( password ) < 6:
-        return "Use a password of at least 6 characters"
+    if len( password ) < PASSWORD_MIN_LEN:
+        return "Use a password of at least %d characters." % PASSWORD_MIN_LEN
     elif password != confirm:
-        return "Passwords do not match"
+        return "Passwords don't match."
     return ''
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/mobile.py b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/mobile.py
index c18de38f7a2..1065da37c14 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/mobile.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/mobile.py
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@ class Mobile( BaseUIController ):
         #         kwd['email'] = autoreg[1]
         #         kwd['username'] = autoreg[2]
         #         params = util.Params( kwd )
-        #         message = validate_email( trans, kwd['email'] )
+        #         message = " ".join( [ validate_email( trans, kwd['email'] ),
+        #                               validate_publicname( trans, kwd['username'] ) ] ).rstrip()
         #         if not message:
         #             message, status, user, success = self.__register( trans, 'user', False, **kwd )
         #             if success:
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/user.py b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/user.py
index 8acb135afb1..fcd41069c97 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/user.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/user.py
@@ -530,7 +530,8 @@ class User( BaseUIController, UsesFormDefinitionsMixin, CreatesUsersMixin, Creat
             if autoreg[0]:
                 kwd['email'] = autoreg[1]
                 kwd['username'] = autoreg[2]
-                message = validate_email( trans, kwd['email'] )  # self.__validate( trans, params, email, password, password, username )
+                message = " ".join( [ validate_email( trans, kwd['email'] ),
+                                      validate_publicname( trans, kwd['username'] ) ] ).rstrip()
                 if not message:
                     message, status, user, success = self.__register( trans, 'user', False, **kwd )
                     if success:
diff --git a/templates/user/info.mako b/templates/user/info.mako
index 632ff29490f..c7a17eb2dfc 100644
--- a/templates/user/info.mako
+++ b/templates/user/info.mako
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
             function validateString(test_string, type) {
                 var mail_re = /^(([^<>()[\]\\.,;:\s@\"]+(\.[^<>()[\]\\.,;:\s@\"]+)*)|(\".+\"))@((\[[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\])|(([a-zA-Z\-0-9]+\.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,}))$/;
-                var username_re = /^[a-z0-9\-]{3,255}$/;
+                var username_re = /^[a-z0-9._\-]{3,255}$/;
                 if (type === 'email') {
                     return mail_re.test(test_string);
                 } else if (type === 'username'){
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@
             original_username = $( '#name_input' ).val();
 
             $( '#login_info' ).bind( 'submit', function( e ) {
-                var error_text_email= 'Please enter your valid email address.';
-                var error_text_email_long= 'Email cannot be more than 255 characters in length.';
-                var error_text_username_characters = 'Public name must contain only lowercase letters, numbers and "-". It also has to be shorter than 255 characters but longer than 2.';
+                var error_text_email = 'The format of the email address is not correct.';
+                var error_text_email_long = 'Email address cannot be more than 255 characters in length.';
+                var error_text_username_characters = "Public name must contain only lowercase letters, numbers, '.', '_' and '-'. It also must be between 3 and 255 characters in length.";
                 var email = $( '#email_input' ).val();
                 var name = $( '#name_input' ).val();
                 var validForm = true;
@@ -102,15 +102,15 @@
                         <input type="hidden" id="name_input" name="username" value="${username | h}"/>
                         ${username | h}
                         <div class="toolParamHelp" style="clear: both;">
-                            You cannot change your public name after you have created a repository in this tool shed.
+                            You cannot change your public name after you have created a repository in this Tool Shed.
                         </div>
                     %else:
                         <input type="text" id="name_input" name="username" size="40" value="${username | h}"/>
                         <div class="toolParamHelp" style="clear: both;">
-                            Your public name provides a means of identifying you publicly within this tool shed. Public
+                            Your public name provides a means of identifying you publicly within this Tool Shed. Public
                             names must be at least three characters in length and contain only lower-case letters, numbers,
-                            and the '-' character.  You cannot change your public name after you have created a repository
-                            in this tool shed.
+                            dots, underscores, and dashes ('.', '_', '-').  You cannot change your public name after you have created a repository
+                            in this Tool Shed.
                         </div>
                     %endif
                 %else:
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@
                     <div class="toolParamHelp" style="clear: both;">
                         Your public name is an identifier that will be used to generate addresses for information
                         you share publicly. Public names must be at least three characters in length and contain only lower-case
-                        letters, numbers, and the '-' character.
+                        letters, numbers, dots, underscores, and dashes ('.', '_', '-').
                     </div>
                 %endif
             </div>
diff --git a/templates/user/register.mako b/templates/user/register.mako
index d3126f6a1df..7de41b2440c 100644
--- a/templates/user/register.mako
+++ b/templates/user/register.mako
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def inherit(context):
     <div style="${ 'margin: 1em;' if context.get( 'use_panels', True ) else '' }">
 
         %if redirect_url:
-            <script type="text/javascript">  
+            <script type="text/javascript">
                 top.location.href = '${redirect_url | h}';
             </script>
         %elif message:
@@ -64,27 +64,27 @@ def inherit(context):
     %>
 
     <script type="text/javascript">
-    	$(document).ready(function() {
+        $(document).ready(function() {
 
-    		function validateString(test_string, type) { 
-    			var mail_re = /^(([^<>()[\]\\.,;:\s@\"]+(\.[^<>()[\]\\.,;:\s@\"]+)*)|(\".+\"))@((\[[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\])|(([a-zA-Z\-0-9]+\.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,}))$/;
-    			//var mail_re_RFC822 = /^([^\x00-\x20\x22\x28\x29\x2c\x2e\x3a-\x3c\x3e\x40\x5b-\x5d\x7f-\xff]+|\x22([^\x0d\x22\x5c\x80-\xff]|\x5c[\x00-\x7f])*\x22)(\x2e([^\x00-\x20\x22\x28\x29\x2c\x2e\x3a-\x3c\x3e\x40\x5b-\x5d\x7f-\xff]+|\x22([^\x0d\x22\x5c\x80-\xff]|\x5c[\x00-\x7f])*\x22))*\x40([^\x00-\x20\x22\x28\x29\x2c\x2e\x3a-\x3c\x3e\x40\x5b-\x5d\x7f-\xff]+|\x5b([^\x0d\x5b-\x5d\x80-\xff]|\x5c[\x00-\x7f])*\x5d)(\x2e([^\x00-\x20\x22\x28\x29\x2c\x2e\x3a-\x3c\x3e\x40\x5b-\x5d\x7f-\xff]+|\x5b([^\x0d\x5b-\x5d\x80-\xff]|\x5c[\x00-\x7f])*\x5d))*$/;
-    			var username_re = /^[a-z0-9\-]{3,255}$/;
-    			if (type === 'email') {
-    				return mail_re.test(test_string);
-    			} else if (type === 'username'){
-    				return username_re.test(test_string);
-    			}
-    		} 
+            function validateString(test_string, type) {
+                var mail_re = /^(([^<>()[\]\\.,;:\s@\"]+(\.[^<>()[\]\\.,;:\s@\"]+)*)|(\".+\"))@((\[[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\])|(([a-zA-Z\-0-9]+\.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,}))$/;
+                //var mail_re_RFC822 = /^([^\x00-\x20\x22\x28\x29\x2c\x2e\x3a-\x3c\x3e\x40\x5b-\x5d\x7f-\xff]+|\x22([^\x0d\x22\x5c\x80-\xff]|\x5c[\x00-\x7f])*\x22)(\x2e([^\x00-\x20\x22\x28\x29\x2c\x2e\x3a-\x3c\x3e\x40\x5b-\x5d\x7f-\xff]+|\x22([^\x0d\x22\x5c\x80-\xff]|\x5c[\x00-\x7f])*\x22))*\x40([^\x00-\x20\x22\x28\x29\x2c\x2e\x3a-\x3c\x3e\x40\x5b-\x5d\x7f-\xff]+|\x5b([^\x0d\x5b-\x5d\x80-\xff]|\x5c[\x00-\x7f])*\x5d)(\x2e([^\x00-\x20\x22\x28\x29\x2c\x2e\x3a-\x3c\x3e\x40\x5b-\x5d\x7f-\xff]+|\x5b([^\x0d\x5b-\x5d\x80-\xff]|\x5c[\x00-\x7f])*\x5d))*$/;
+                var username_re = /^[a-z0-9._\-]{3,255}$/;
+                if (type === 'email') {
+                    return mail_re.test(test_string);
+                } else if (type === 'username'){
+                    return username_re.test(test_string);
+                }
+            }
 
-    		function renderError(message) {
-        		if (!$(".errormessage").size()) {
+            function renderError(message) {
+                if (!$(".errormessage").size()) {
                     $('<div/>').addClass('errormessage').insertBefore('#registrationForm');
                 }
                 console.debug( $( '#registrationForm' ) );
                 console.debug( '.errormessage:', $( '.errormessage' ) );
-    			$(".errormessage").html(message);
-    		}
+                $(".errormessage").html(message);
+            }
 
             $("[name='password']").complexify({'minimumChars':6}, function(valid, complexity){
                 var progressBar = $('.progress-bar');
@@ -95,35 +95,35 @@ def inherit(context):
             });
 
             $('#registration').bind('submit', function(e) {
-    			$('#send').attr('disabled', 'disabled');
-                
+                $('#send').attr('disabled', 'disabled');
+
                 // we need this value to detect submitting at backend
-    			var hidden_input = '<input type="hidden" id="create_user_button" name="create_user_button" value="Submit"/>';
-    			$("#email_input").before(hidden_input);
+                var hidden_input = '<input type="hidden" id="create_user_button" name="create_user_button" value="Submit"/>';
+                $("#email_input").before(hidden_input);
 
-    			var error_text_email= 'Please enter your valid email address';
-    			var error_text_email_long= 'Email cannot be more than 255 characters in length';
-    			var error_text_username_characters = 'Public name must contain only lowercase letters, numbers and "-". It also has to be shorter than 255 characters but longer than 2.';
-    			var error_text_password_short = 'Please use a password of at least 6 characters';
-    			var error_text_password_match = "Passwords don't match";
+                var error_text_email = 'The format of the email address is not correct.';
+                var error_text_email_long = 'Email address cannot be more than 255 characters in length.';
+                var error_text_username_characters = "Public name must contain only lowercase letters, numbers, '.', '_' and '-'. It also has to be between 3 and 255 characters in length.";
+                var error_text_password_short = 'Use a password of at least 6 characters';
+                var error_text_password_match = "Passwords don't match";
 
-    		    var validForm = true;
-    		    
-    		    var email = $('#email_input').val();
-    		    var name = $('#name_input').val();
-    		    if (email.length > 255){ renderError(error_text_email_long); validForm = false;}
-    		    else if (!validateString(email,"email")){ renderError(error_text_email); validForm = false;}
-    		    else if (!($('#password_input').val() === $('#password_check_input').val())){ renderError(error_text_password_match); validForm = false;}
-    		    else if ($('#password_input').val().length < 6 ){ renderError(error_text_password_short); validForm = false;}
-    		    else if (name && !(validateString(name,"username"))){ renderError(error_text_username_characters); validForm = false;}
+                var validForm = true;
 
-    	   		if (!validForm) { 
-    		        e.preventDefault();
-    		        // reactivate the button if the form wasn't submitted
-    		        $('#send').removeAttr('disabled');
-    		        }
-    			});
-    	});
+                var email = $('#email_input').val();
+                var name = $('#name_input').val();
+                if (email.length > 255){ renderError(error_text_email_long); validForm = false;}
+                else if (!validateString(email,"email")){ renderError(error_text_email); validForm = false;}
+                else if (!($('#password_input').val() === $('#password_check_input').val())){ renderError(error_text_password_match); validForm = false;}
+                else if ($('#password_input').val().length < 6 ){ renderError(error_text_password_short); validForm = false;}
+                else if (name && !(validateString(name,"username"))){ renderError(error_text_username_characters); validForm = false;}
+
+                   if (!validForm) {
+                    e.preventDefault();
+                    // reactivate the button if the form wasn't submitted
+                    $('#send').removeAttr('disabled');
+                    }
+                });
+        });
     </script>
 
     <div id="registrationForm" class="toolForm">
@@ -153,15 +153,15 @@ def inherit(context):
                 %if t.webapp.name == 'galaxy':
                     <div class="toolParamHelp" style="clear: both;">
                         Your public name is an identifier that will be used to generate addresses for information
-                        you share publicly. Public names must be at least three characters in length and contain only lower-case
-                        letters, numbers, and the '-' character.
+                        you share publicly. Public names must be at least three characters in length and contain only
+                        lower-case letters, numbers, dots, underscores, and dashes ('.', '_', '-').
                     </div>
                 %else:
                     <div class="toolParamHelp" style="clear: both;">
                         Your public name provides a means of identifying you publicly within this tool shed. Public
                         names must be at least three characters in length and contain only lower-case letters, numbers,
-                        and the '-' character.  You cannot change your public name after you have created a repository
-                        in this tool shed.
+                        dots, underscores, and dashes ('.', '_', '-'). You cannot change your public name after you have
+                        created a repository in this Tool Shed.
                     </div>
                 %endif
             </div>
@@ -195,10 +195,10 @@ def inherit(context):
                 %endfor
                 %if not user_type_fd_id_select_field:
                     <input type="hidden" name="user_type_fd_id" value="${trans.security.encode_id( user_type_form_definition.id )}"/>
-                %endif   
+                %endif
             %endif
             <div id="for_bears">
-            If you see this, please leave following field blank. 
+            If you see this, please leave following field blank.
             <input type="text" name="bear_field" size="1" value=""/>
             </div>
             <div class="form-row">
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ def inherit(context):
         </form>
         %if registration_warning_message:
         <div class="alert alert-danger" style="margin: 30px 12px 12px 12px;">
-            ${registration_warning_message}           
+            ${registration_warning_message}
         </div>
         %endif
     </div>
diff --git a/templates/user/username.mako b/templates/user/username.mako
index 118b2c6eb05..adb922f8545 100644
--- a/templates/user/username.mako
+++ b/templates/user/username.mako
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
             <div class="toolParamHelp" style="clear: both;">
                 Your public name is an identifier that will be used to generate addresses for information
                 you share publicly. Public names must be at least four characters in length and contain only lower-case
-                letters, numbers, and the '-' character.
+                letters, numbers, dots, underscores, and dashes ('.', '_', '-').
             </div>
         </div>
         <div class="form-row">
diff --git a/test/unit/managers/test_UserManager.py b/test/unit/managers/test_UserManager.py
index c3884d59be0..260a18a23bd 100644
--- a/test/unit/managers/test_UserManager.py
+++ b/test/unit/managers/test_UserManager.py
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ class UserDeserializerTestCase( BaseTestCase ):
             self.deserializer.deserialize, user, { 'username': 'ed' }, trans=self.trans )
         self.assertTrue( 'Public name must be at least' in str( exception ) )
         self.assertRaises( base_manager.ModelDeserializingError, self.deserializer.deserialize,
-            user, { 'username': 'f.d.r.' }, trans=self.trans )
+            user, { 'username': 'f,d,r,' }, trans=self.trans )
 
         self.log( "usernames must be unique" )
         self.user_manager.create( **user3_data )