diff --git a/src/Model/User.php b/src/Model/User.php
index 125b722bcf..bebfce3e00 100644
--- a/src/Model/User.php
+++ b/src/Model/User.php
@@ -314,16 +314,19 @@ class User
 	public static function isNicknameBlocked($nickname)
 	{
 		$forbidden_nicknames = Config::get('system', 'forbidden_nicknames', '');
+
 		// if the config variable is empty return false
-		if (!x($forbidden_nicknames)) {
+		if (empty($forbidden_nicknames)) {
 			return false;
 		}
+
 		// check if the nickname is in the list of blocked nicknames
 		$forbidden = explode(',', $forbidden_nicknames);
 		$forbidden = array_map('trim', $forbidden);
 		if (in_array(strtolower($nickname), $forbidden)) {
 			return true;
 		}
+
 		// else return false
 		return false;
 	}
@@ -352,20 +355,20 @@ class User
 		$using_invites = Config::get('system', 'invitation_only');
 		$num_invites   = Config::get('system', 'number_invites');
 
-		$invite_id  = x($data, 'invite_id')  ? notags(trim($data['invite_id']))  : '';
-		$username   = x($data, 'username')   ? notags(trim($data['username']))   : '';
-		$nickname   = x($data, 'nickname')   ? notags(trim($data['nickname']))   : '';
-		$email      = x($data, 'email')      ? notags(trim($data['email']))      : '';
-		$openid_url = x($data, 'openid_url') ? notags(trim($data['openid_url'])) : '';
-		$photo      = x($data, 'photo')      ? notags(trim($data['photo']))      : '';
-		$password   = x($data, 'password')   ? trim($data['password'])           : '';
-		$password1  = x($data, 'password1')  ? trim($data['password1'])          : '';
-		$confirm    = x($data, 'confirm')    ? trim($data['confirm'])            : '';
-		$blocked    = x($data, 'blocked')    ? intval($data['blocked'])          : 0;
-		$verified   = x($data, 'verified')   ? intval($data['verified'])         : 0;
-		$language   = x($data, 'language')   ? notags(trim($data['language'])) : 'en';
+		$invite_id  = !empty($data['invite_id'])  ? notags(trim($data['invite_id']))  : '';
+		$username   = !empty($data['username'])   ? notags(trim($data['username']))   : '';
+		$nickname   = !empty($data['nickname'])   ? notags(trim($data['nickname']))   : '';
+		$email      = !empty($data['email'])      ? notags(trim($data['email']))      : '';
+		$openid_url = !empty($data['openid_url']) ? notags(trim($data['openid_url'])) : '';
+		$photo      = !empty($data['photo'])      ? notags(trim($data['photo']))      : '';
+		$password   = !empty($data['password'])   ? trim($data['password'])           : '';
+		$password1  = !empty($data['password1'])  ? trim($data['password1'])          : '';
+		$confirm    = !empty($data['confirm'])    ? trim($data['confirm'])            : '';
+		$blocked    = !empty($data['blocked'])    ? intval($data['blocked'])          : 0;
+		$verified   = !empty($data['verified'])   ? intval($data['verified'])         : 0;
+		$language   = !empty($data['language'])   ? notags(trim($data['language']))   : 'en';
 
-		$publish = x($data, 'profile_publish_reg') && intval($data['profile_publish_reg']) ? 1 : 0;
+		$publish = !empty($data['profile_publish_reg']) && intval($data['profile_publish_reg']) ? 1 : 0;
 		$netpublish = strlen(Config::get('system', 'directory')) ? $publish : 0;
 
 		if ($password1 != $confirm) {
@@ -384,7 +387,7 @@ class User
 			}
 		}
 
-		if (!x($username) || !x($email) || !x($nickname)) {
+		if (empty($username) || empty($email) || empty($nickname)) {
 			if ($openid_url) {
 				if (!Network::isUrlValid($openid_url)) {
 					throw new Exception(L10n::t('Invalid OpenID url'));