diff --git a/account.php b/account.php
index 412f790..3f474b1 100644
--- a/account.php
+++ b/account.php
@@ -119,14 +119,13 @@ function cmd_do_new()
  */
 function cmd_send_passwd()
 {
-    $user = new User();
-    
-    $userid = $user->lookup_userid($_POST['ext_email']);
+   
+    $userid = user_exists($_POST['ext_email']);
     $passwd = generate_passwd();
-    
+    $user = new User($userid);
     if ($userid)
     {
-        if ($user->update($userid, $passwd))
+        if ($user->update(null, $passwd))
         {
             $sSubject =  "Application DB Lost Password";
             $sMsg  = "We have received a request that you lost your password.\r\n";
@@ -135,7 +134,7 @@ function cmd_send_passwd()
             $sMsg .= "Your new password is: ".$passwd."\r\n";
             
 
-            if (mail_appdb($user->lookup_email($userid), $sSubject ,$sMsg))
+            if (mail_appdb($user->sEmail, $sSubject ,$sMsg))
             {
                 addmsg("Your new password has been emailed to you.", "green");
             }
diff --git a/include/user.php b/include/user.php
index eeee064..c537989 100644
--- a/include/user.php
+++ b/include/user.php
@@ -409,13 +409,17 @@ function get_active_users_within_days($days)
 
 /**
  * Check if a user exists.
- * returns TRUE if the user exists
+ * returns the userid if the user exists
  */
 function user_exists($sEmail)
 {
-    $result = query_appdb("SELECT * FROM user_list WHERE email = '$sEmail'");
+    $result = query_appdb("SELECT userid FROM user_list WHERE email = '$sEmail'");
     if(!$result || mysql_num_rows($result) != 1)
         return 0;
-    return 1;
+    else
+    {
+        $oRow = mysql_fetch_object($result);
+        return $oRow->userid;
+    }
 }
 ?>