diff --git a/app/controllers/public/account_controller.rb b/app/controllers/public/account_controller.rb
index b4b80a9..7f7fdea 100644
--- a/app/controllers/public/account_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/public/account_controller.rb
@@ -46,8 +46,12 @@ class AccountController < ApplicationController
 
     self.current_user = plugins_alternative_authentication
 
-    self.current_user ||= User.authenticate(params[:user][:login], params[:user][:password], environment) if params[:user]
-
+    begin
+      self.current_user ||= User.authenticate(params[:user][:login], params[:user][:password], environment) if params[:user]
+    rescue NoosferoExceptions::UserInactive => e
+      session[:notice] = e.message
+      return
+    end
     if logged_in?
       check_join_in_community(self.current_user)
 
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index e613513..db60060 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -120,11 +120,17 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   validates_inclusion_of :terms_accepted, :in => [ '1' ], :if => lambda { |u| ! u.terms_of_use.blank? }, :message => N_('{fn} must be checked in order to signup.').fix_i18n
 
+  scope :has_login?, lambda { |login,email,environment_id|
+    where('login = ? OR email = ?', login, email).
+    where(environment_id: environment_id)
+  }
+
   # Authenticates a user by their login name or email and unencrypted password.  Returns the user or nil.
   def self.authenticate(login, password, environment = nil)
     environment ||= Environment.default
-    u = self.first :conditions => ['(login = ? OR email = ?) AND environment_id = ? AND activated_at IS NOT NULL',
-                                   login, login, environment.id] # need to get the salt
+
+    u = self.has_login?(login, login, environment.id)
+    u = u.first if u.is_a?(ActiveRecord::Relation)
     u && u.authenticated?(password) ? u : nil
   end
 
@@ -237,6 +243,12 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def authenticated?(password)
+
+    unless self.activated?
+      message = _('The user "%{login}" is not active!') % {login: self.login}
+      raise NoosferoExceptions::UserInactive.new(message, self)
+    end
+
     result = (crypted_password == encrypt(password))
     if (encryption_method != User.system_encryption_method) && result
       self.password_type = User.system_encryption_method.to_s
@@ -275,8 +287,14 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   #   current password.
   # * Saves the record unless it is a new one.
   def change_password!(current, new, confirmation)
-    unless self.authenticated?(current)
-      self.errors.add(:current_password, _('does not match.'))
+
+    begin
+      unless self.authenticated?(current)
+        self.errors.add(:current_password, _('does not match.'))
+        raise IncorrectPassword
+      end
+    rescue NoosferoExceptions::UserInactive => e
+      self.errors.add(:current_password, e.message)
       raise IncorrectPassword
     end
     self.force_change_password!(new, confirmation)
@@ -393,3 +411,15 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
       Delayed::Job.enqueue(UserActivationJob.new(self.id), {:priority => 0, :run_at => (NOOSFERO_CONF['hours_until_user_activation_check'] || 72).hours.from_now})
     end
 end
+
+module NoosferoExceptions
+  class UserInactive < ActiveRecord::ActiveRecordError
+    attr_reader :user
+
+    def initialize(message, user = nil)
+      @user = user
+
+      super(message)
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/functional/account_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/account_controller_test.rb
index 19ebdce..4ea376d 100644
--- a/test/functional/account_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/account_controller_test.rb
@@ -40,6 +40,14 @@ class AccountControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     post :login, :user => { :login => 'fake', :password => 'fake' }
   end
 
+  should 'fail login if a user is inactive and show a warning message' do
+    user = User.create!(login: 'testuser', email: 'test@email.com', password:'test', password_confirmation:'test', activation_code: nil)
+    post :login, :user => { :login => 'testuser', :password => 'test' }
+
+    assert_match 'not active', session[:notice]
+    assert_nil session[:user]
+  end
+
   def test_should_fail_login_and_not_redirect
     @request.env["HTTP_REFERER"] = 'bli'
     post :login, :user => {:login => 'johndoe', :password => 'bad password'}
@@ -273,8 +281,9 @@ class AccountControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     assert_template 'invalid_change_password_code'
   end
 
-  should 'require password confirmation correctly to enter new pasword' do
+  should 'require password confirmation correctly to enter new password' do
     user = create_user('testuser', :email => 'testuser@example.com', :password => 'test', :password_confirmation => 'test')
+    user.activate
     change = ChangePassword.create!(:requestor => user.person)
 
     post :new_password, :code => change.code, :change_password => { :password => 'onepass', :password_confirmation => 'another_pass' }
@@ -749,6 +758,8 @@ class AccountControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     get :activate
     assert_nil assigns(:message)
     post :login, :user => {:login => 'testuser', :password => 'test123'}
+
+    assert_match 'not active', session[:notice]
     assert_nil session[:user]
   end
 
@@ -758,6 +769,8 @@ class AccountControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
     get :activate, :activation_code => 'wrongcode'
     assert_nil assigns(:message)
     post :login, :user => {:login => 'testuser', :password => 'test123'}
+
+    assert_match 'not active', session[:notice]
     assert_nil session[:user]
   end
 
--
libgit2 0.21.2