diff --git a/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/admin/auth.js b/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/admin/auth.js
index c565974d28..386b1f4a88 100644
--- a/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/admin/auth.js
+++ b/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/admin/auth.js
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ exports.reset = async ctx => {
   const { email } = ctx.request.body
   const configured = await isEmailConfigured()
   if (!configured) {
-    throw "Please contact your platform administrator, SMTP is not configured."
+    ctx.throw(400, "Please contact your platform administrator, SMTP is not configured.")
   }
   try {
     const user = await getGlobalUserByEmail(email)
@@ -65,16 +65,17 @@ exports.reset = async ctx => {
  */
 exports.resetUpdate = async ctx => {
   const { resetCode, password } = ctx.request.body
-  const userId = await checkResetPasswordCode(resetCode)
-  if (!userId) {
-    throw "Cannot reset password."
-  }
-  const db = new CouchDB(GLOBAL_DB)
-  const user = await db.get(userId)
-  user.password = await hash(password)
-  await db.put(user)
-  ctx.body = {
-    message: "password reset successfully.",
+  try {
+    const userId = await checkResetPasswordCode(resetCode)
+    const db = new CouchDB(GLOBAL_DB)
+    const user = await db.get(userId)
+    user.password = await hash(password)
+    await db.put(user)
+    ctx.body = {
+      message: "password reset successfully.",
+    }
+  } catch (err) {
+    ctx.throw(400, "Cannot reset password.")
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/admin/users.js b/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/admin/users.js
index d141ca88e9..48a20141a3 100644
--- a/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/admin/users.js
+++ b/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/admin/users.js
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ const {
   StaticDatabases,
 } = require("@budibase/auth").db
 const { hash, getGlobalUserByEmail } = require("@budibase/auth").utils
-const { UserStatus } = require("../../../constants")
-const { checkResetPasswordCode, checkInviteCode } = require("../../../utilities/redis")
+const { UserStatus, EmailTemplatePurpose } = require("../../../constants")
+const { checkInviteCode } = require("../../../utilities/redis")
+const { sendEmail } = require("../../../utilities/email")
 
 const FIRST_USER_EMAIL = "test@test.com"
 const FIRST_USER_PASSWORD = "test"
@@ -124,18 +125,27 @@ exports.find = async ctx => {
 }
 
 exports.invite = async ctx => {
-
+  const { email } = ctx.request.body
+  const existing = await getGlobalUserByEmail(FIRST_USER_EMAIL)
+  if (existing) {
+    ctx.throw(400, "Email address already in use.")
+  }
+  await sendEmail(email, EmailTemplatePurpose.INVITATION)
+  ctx.body = {
+    message: "Invitation has been sent."
+  }
 }
 
 exports.inviteAccept = async ctx => {
   const { inviteCode } = ctx.request.body
-  const email = await checkInviteCode(inviteCode)
-  if (!email) {
-    throw "Unable to create new user, invitation invalid."
+  try {
+    const email = await checkInviteCode(inviteCode)
+    // redirect the request
+    delete ctx.request.body.inviteCode
+    ctx.request.body.email = email
+    // this will flesh out the body response
+    await exports.save(ctx)
+  } catch (err) {
+    ctx.throw(400, "Unable to create new user, invitation invalid.")
   }
-  // redirect the request
-  delete ctx.request.body.inviteCode
-  ctx.request.body.email = email
-  // this will flesh out the body response
-  await exports.save(ctx)
 }
diff --git a/packages/worker/src/utilities/email.js b/packages/worker/src/utilities/email.js
index 745abdf7a2..f7b9284402 100644
--- a/packages/worker/src/utilities/email.js
+++ b/packages/worker/src/utilities/email.js
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ exports.isEmailConfigured = async (groupId = null) => {
  * @return {Promise<object>} returns details about the attempt to send email, e.g. if it is successful; based on
  * nodemailer response.
  */
-exports.sendEmail = async (email, purpose, { groupId, user }) => {
+exports.sendEmail = async (email, purpose, { groupId, user } = {}) => {
   const db = new CouchDB(GLOBAL_DB)
   const config = await getSmtpConfiguration(db, groupId)
   if (!config) {