diff --git a/tailbone/templates/master/create.mako b/tailbone/templates/master/create.mako
index 4ea7cadb..76bee07c 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/master/create.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/master/create.mako
@@ -3,8 +3,12 @@
 
 <%def name="title()">New ${model_title}</%def>
 
-<%def name="head_tags()">
-  ${parent.head_tags()}
+<%def name="extra_javascript()">
+  ${parent.extra_javascript()}
+  ${self.disable_button_js()}
+</%def>
+
+<%def name="disable_button_js()">
   <script type="text/javascript">
 
     $(function() {
diff --git a/tailbone/templates/messages/create.mako b/tailbone/templates/messages/create.mako
index ba955dd4..5846ebfa 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/messages/create.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/messages/create.mako
@@ -13,6 +13,25 @@
         % endfor
     ]);
 
+    // validate message before sending
+    function validate_message_form() {
+        var form = $('#new-message');
+
+        if (! form.find('input[name="Message--recipients"]').val()) {
+            alert("You must specify some recipient(s) for the message.");
+            $('.recipients input').data('ui-tagit').tagInput.focus();
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        if (! form.find('input[name="Message--subject"]').val()) {
+            alert("You must provide a subject for the message.");
+            form.find('input[name="Message--subject"]').focus();
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
     $(function() {
 
         var recipients = $('.recipients input');
@@ -57,27 +76,20 @@
 
         // set focus to recipients field
         recipients.data('ui-tagit').tagInput.focus();
-
-        // validate message before sending
-        $('#new-message').submit(function() {
-            var form = $(this);
-
-            if (! form.find('input[name="Message--recipients"]').val()) {
-                alert("You must specify some recipient(s) for the message.");
-                recipients.data('ui-tagit').tagInput.focus();
-                return false;
-            }
-
-            if (! form.find('input[name="Message--subject"]').val()) {
-                alert("You must provide a subject for the message.");
-                form.find('input[name="Message--subject"]').focus();
-                return false;
-            }
-        });
-
     });
 
   </script>
+  ${self.validate_message_js()}
+</%def>
+
+<%def name="validate_message_js()">
+  <script type="text/javascript">
+    $(function() {
+        $('#new-message').submit(function() {
+            return validate_message_form();
+        });
+    });
+  </script>
 </%def>
 
 <%def name="extra_styles()">
diff --git a/tailbone/views/master.py b/tailbone/views/master.py
index 5990ddee..6338f07d 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/master.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/master.py
@@ -132,11 +132,14 @@ class MasterView(View):
                 # let save_create_form() return alternate object if necessary
                 obj = self.save_create_form(form) or form.fieldset.model
                 self.after_create(obj)
-                self.request.session.flash("{} has been created: {}".format(
-                    self.get_model_title(), self.get_instance_title(obj)))
+                self.flash_after_create(obj)
                 return self.redirect_after_create(obj)
         return self.render_to_response('create', {'form': form})
 
+    def flash_after_create(self, obj):
+        self.request.session.flash("{} has been created: {}".format(
+            self.get_model_title(), self.get_instance_title(obj)))
+
     def save_create_form(self, form):
         self.before_create(form)
         form.save()
diff --git a/tailbone/views/messages.py b/tailbone/views/messages.py
index 79ae7a70..2b3d556d 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/messages.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/messages.py
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ class MessagesView(MasterView):
         if self.creating:
             form.id = 'new-message'
             form.cancel_url = self.request.get_referrer(default=self.request.route_url('messages.inbox'))
+            form.create_label = "Send Message"
         return form
 
     def configure_fieldset(self, fs):
@@ -288,6 +289,10 @@ class MessagesView(MasterView):
         message = form.fieldset.model
         message.sender = self.request.user
 
+    def flash_after_create(self, obj):
+        self.request.session.flash("Message has been sent: {}".format(
+            self.get_instance_title(obj)))
+
     def filter_reply_recipient(self, user):
         return user.active