diff --git a/authentication/app/controllers/refinery/passwords_controller.rb b/authentication/app/controllers/refinery/passwords_controller.rb
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/authentication/app/controllers/refinery/passwords_controller.rb
+++ b/authentication/app/controllers/refinery/passwords_controller.rb
@@ -38,11 +38,10 @@ module Refinery
         redirect_to refinery.new_refinery_user_session_path,
                     :notice => t('email_reset_sent', :scope => 'refinery.users.forgot')
       else
-        @refinery_user = User.new(params[:refinery_user])
-        flash.now[:error] = if @refinery_user.email.blank?
+        flash.now[:error] = if (email = params[:refinery_user][:email]).blank?
           t('blank_email', :scope => 'refinery.users.forgot')
         else
-          t('email_not_associated_with_account_html', :email => ERB::Util.html_escape(@refinery_user.email), :scope => 'refinery.users.forgot').html_safe
+          t('email_not_associated_with_account_html', :email => ERB::Util.html_escape(email), :scope => 'refinery.users.forgot').html_safe
         end
         render :new
       end
No need to instantiate new user object when email param is blank or email is not associated with any user account.