diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 18d803aa7..37d2e86bb 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   protected
 
     def generate_password
-      self.password = self.password_confirmation = Digest::MD5.hexdigest(Date.today.to_s)[0..6]
+      if self.password.blank?
+        self.password = self.password_confirmation = Digest::MD5.hexdigest(Date.today.to_s)[0..6] 
+      end
     end
 
     def send_notification_email
diff --git a/db/seeds.rb b/db/seeds.rb
index d250f8187..496bd8f19 100644
--- a/db/seeds.rb
+++ b/db/seeds.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ TEST_USERS.each do |tuser|
   next if User.find_by_email(email)
   name = tuser[1]
   pass = Digest::MD5.hexdigest(name)[0..6]
-  User.create! :name => name, :email => email, :password => pass, :password_confirmation => pass
+  user = User.create! :name => name, :email => email, :password => pass, :password_confirmation => pass
   puts "Created user #{name} (#{email}) and password #{pass}"
 end