diff --git a/app/controllers/account_controller.rb b/app/controllers/account_controller.rb
index 18fb632..7268a8a 100644
--- a/app/controllers/account_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/account_controller.rb
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class AccountController < ApplicationController
   def signup
     begin
       @terms_of_use = virtual_community.terms_of_use
-      terms_accepted = params[:user].delete(:terms_accepted)
+      terms_accepted = params[:user] ? params[:user].delete(:terms_accepted) : false
       @user = User.new(params[:user])
       return unless request.post?
       if @terms_of_use and !terms_accepted 
diff --git a/app/views/account/signup.rhtml b/app/views/account/signup.rhtml
index 54e9825..5a07b58 100644
--- a/app/views/account/signup.rhtml
+++ b/app/views/account/signup.rhtml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 <% if @terms_of_use %>
   <p>  <%= @terms_of_use %> </p>
-  <p> <%= check_box 'user', 'terms_accepted' %>
+  <p> <%= check_box_tag 'user[terms_accepted]' %>
   <label for="terms_accepted">I accept the terms of use</label> </p>
 <% end %>
 
--
libgit2 0.21.2