diff --git a/.vscode/launch.json b/.vscode/launch.json
index d6b9b242..27336ed7 100644
--- a/.vscode/launch.json
+++ b/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
             "type": "dart-cli",
             "request": "launch",
             "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
-            "debugSettings": "${command.debugSettings}",
+            "debugSettings": "${command:debugSettings}",
             "program": "${workspaceRoot}/bin/server.dart",
             "args": []
         },
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
             "type": "dart-cli",
             "request": "launch",
             "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
-            "debugSettings": "${command.debugSettings}",
+            "debugSettings": "${command:debugSettings}",
             "program": "${workspaceRoot}/bin/multi_server.dart",
             "args": []
         }
diff --git a/lib/src/models/user.dart b/lib/src/models/user.dart
index f7d4621d..2008f63d 100644
--- a/lib/src/models/user.dart
+++ b/lib/src/models/user.dart
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ library angel.models.user;
 import 'package:angel_framework/common.dart';
 
 class User extends Model {
-  String email, username, password;
+  String email, username, password, salt;
   final List<String> roles = [];
 
   User(
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ class User extends Model {
       this.email,
       this.username,
       this.password,
+      this.salt,
       Iterable<String> roles: const []}) {
     this.id = id;
     this.roles.addAll(roles ?? []);
diff --git a/lib/src/routes/controllers/auth.dart b/lib/src/routes/controllers/auth.dart
index 81645c1e..2221f30d 100644
--- a/lib/src/routes/controllers/auth.dart
+++ b/lib/src/routes/controllers/auth.dart
@@ -13,12 +13,15 @@ class AuthController extends Controller {
   /// Attempt to log a user in
   LocalAuthVerifier localVerifier(UserService userService) {
     return (String username, String password) async {
-      List<User> users = await userService.index({'query':{'username': username}});
+      List<User> users = await userService.index({
+        'query': {'username': username}
+      });
 
       if (users.isNotEmpty) {
-        var hash = hashPassword(password);
-        return users.firstWhere((user) => user.password == hash,
-            orElse: () => null);
+        return users.firstWhere((user) {
+          var hash = hashPassword(password, user.salt, app.jwt_secret);
+          return user.username == username && user.password == hash;
+        }, orElse: () => null);
       }
     };
   }
@@ -29,8 +32,8 @@ class AuthController extends Controller {
     auth = new AngelAuth(jwtKey: app.jwt_secret)
       ..serializer = serializer
       ..deserializer = deserializer
-      ..strategies.add(
-          new LocalAuthStrategy(localVerifier(app.container.make(UserService))));
+      ..strategies.add(new LocalAuthStrategy(
+          localVerifier(app.container.make(UserService))));
 
     await super.call(app);
     await app.configure(auth);
diff --git a/lib/src/services/user.dart b/lib/src/services/user.dart
index 27169829..79d31fc4 100644
--- a/lib/src/services/user.dart
+++ b/lib/src/services/user.dart
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import 'package:angel_common/angel_common.dart';
 import 'package:crypto/crypto.dart' show sha256;
 import 'package:mongo_dart/mongo_dart.dart';
+import 'package:random_string/random_string.dart' as rs;
 import '../models/user.dart';
 import '../validators/user.dart';
 export '../models/user.dart';
@@ -15,14 +16,18 @@ configureServer(Db db) {
     service.beforeCreated
       ..listen(validateEvent(CREATE_USER))
       ..listen((e) {
-        e.data['password'] = hashPassword(e.data['password']);
+        var salt = rs.randomAlphaNumeric(12);
+        e.data
+          ..['password'] =
+              hashPassword(e.data['password'], salt, app.jwt_secret)
+          ..['salt'] = salt;
       });
   };
 }
 
 /// SHA-256 hash any string, particularly a password.
-String hashPassword(String password) =>
-    sha256.convert(password.codeUnits).toString();
+String hashPassword(String password, String salt, String pepper) =>
+    sha256.convert(('$salt:$password:$pepper').codeUnits).toString();
 
 /// Manages users.
 ///
diff --git a/lib/src/validators/user.dart b/lib/src/validators/user.dart
index e094496b..1d8bf2fd 100644
--- a/lib/src/validators/user.dart
+++ b/lib/src/validators/user.dart
@@ -7,4 +7,5 @@ final Validator USER = new Validator({
 });
 
 final Validator CREATE_USER = USER.extend({})
-  ..requiredFields.addAll(['email', 'username', 'password']);
+  ..requiredFields.addAll(['email', 'username', 'password'])
+  ..forbiddenFields.addAll(['salt', 'roles']);