diff --git a/tailbone/forms/alchemy.py b/tailbone/forms/alchemy.py
index 9f8eede4..40fc4057 100644
--- a/tailbone/forms/alchemy.py
+++ b/tailbone/forms/alchemy.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 ################################################################################
 #
 #  Rattail -- Retail Software Framework
-#  Copyright © 2010-2014 Lance Edgar
+#  Copyright © 2010-2016 Lance Edgar
 #
 #  This file is part of Rattail.
 #
@@ -24,18 +24,20 @@
 FormAlchemy Forms
 """
 
-from __future__ import unicode_literals
+from __future__ import unicode_literals, absolute_import
 
 from rattail.core import Object
+
 from pyramid.renderers import render
-from ..db import Session
+
+from tailbone.db import Session
 
 
 class AlchemyForm(Object):
     """
     Form to contain a :class:`formalchemy.FieldSet` instance.
     """
-
+    id = None
     create_label = "Create"
     update_label = "Save"
 
diff --git a/tailbone/templates/forms/form.mako b/tailbone/templates/forms/form.mako
index 2f082043..bf68a515 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/forms/form.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/forms/form.mako
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ## -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 <div class="form">
-  ${h.form(form.action_url, id=form_id or None, method='post', enctype='multipart/form-data')}
+  ${h.form(form.action_url, id=form.id or None, method='post', enctype='multipart/form-data')}
 
   ${form.render_fields()|n}
 
diff --git a/tailbone/templates/messages/create.mako b/tailbone/templates/messages/create.mako
index 04d53c11..4b78e71c 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/messages/create.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/messages/create.mako
@@ -59,7 +59,25 @@
         // 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>
   <style type="text/css">
 
diff --git a/tailbone/views/messages.py b/tailbone/views/messages.py
index c27be2c9..79ae7a70 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/messages.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/messages.py
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ class MessagesView(MasterView):
     def make_form(self, instance, **kwargs):
         form = super(MessagesView, self).make_form(instance, **kwargs)
         if self.creating:
+            form.id = 'new-message'
             form.cancel_url = self.request.get_referrer(default=self.request.route_url('messages.inbox'))
         return form