diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index a0ebe0f16..b4f23e03f 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ var express         = require('express');
 var bodyParser      = require('body-parser');
 var methodOverride  = require('method-override');
 var morgan          = require('morgan');
-var cookieParser    = require('cookie-parser');
 
 var mongoose        = require('mongoose');
 var port            = process.env.PORT || 3000;
@@ -22,7 +21,6 @@ var app             = express();
 mongoose.connect(database);
 
 app.use(morgan('dev'));
-app.use(cookieParser());
 
 app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({
   extended: true
diff --git a/app/client/src/routes.js b/app/client/src/routes.js
index 402bf1fdc..4619e9540 100644
--- a/app/client/src/routes.js
+++ b/app/client/src/routes.js
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ angular.module('reg')
         url: "/application",
         templateUrl: "views/application/application.html",
         controller: 'ApplicationCtrl',
+        data: {
+          requireVerified: true
+        },
         resolve: {
           currentUser: function(UserService){
             return UserService.getCurrentUser();
diff --git a/app/server/controllers/UserController.js b/app/server/controllers/UserController.js
index 4dac18817..38ec5717b 100644
--- a/app/server/controllers/UserController.js
+++ b/app/server/controllers/UserController.js
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ UserController.declineById = function (id, callback){
 UserController.verifyByToken = function(token, callback){
   User.verifyEmailVerificationToken(token, function(err, email){
     User.findOneAndUpdate({
-      email: new RegExp('^' + email + '$', 'i')
+      email: email.toLowerCase()
     },{
       $set: {
         'verified': true
@@ -715,4 +715,4 @@ UserController.getStats = function(callback){
   return callback(null, Stats.getUserStats());
 };
 
-module.exports = UserController;
\ No newline at end of file
+module.exports = UserController;
diff --git a/app/server/models/User.js b/app/server/models/User.js
index bc8d4eb94..4cc5d86bc 100644
--- a/app/server/models/User.js
+++ b/app/server/models/User.js
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ schema.statics.verifyTempAuthToken = function(token, callback){
 
 schema.statics.findOneByEmail = function(email){
   return this.findOne({
-    email: new RegExp('^' + email + '$', 'i')
+    email: email.toLowerCase()
   });
 };
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8c2ba41b5..4358af629 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
     "bcrypt-nodejs": "0.0.3",
     "body-parser": "^1.8.4",
     "bower": "^1.8.0",
-    "cookie-parser": "~1.3.2",
     "dotenv": "^1.2.0",
     "email-templates": "^2.0.1",
     "express": "^4.9.8",
@@ -20,7 +19,7 @@
     "gulp-sass": "^2.3.2",
     "gulp-sourcemaps": "^1.12.0",
     "gulp-uglify": "^1.5.4",
-    "handlebars": "^3.0.3",
+    "handlebars": "^4.0.11",
     "jsonwebtoken": "5.0.4",
     "method-override": "^2.3.5",
     "moment": "^2.10.3",