diff --git a/lib/cartodb/carto_data.js b/lib/cartodb/carto_data.js
index ead03b3a..538dd6f4 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/carto_data.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/carto_data.js
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ module.exports = function() {
         tagged_mapview_key: "user:<%= username %>:mapviews:stat_tag:<%= stat_tag %>"
     };
 
+    me.userFromHostname = function(hostname) {
+        return hostname.split('.')[0];
+    }
 
     /**
      * Get the database name for this particular subdomain/username
@@ -35,22 +38,18 @@ module.exports = function() {
      */
     me.getDatabase = function(req, callback) {
         // strip subdomain from header host
-        var username = req.headers.host.split('.')[0]
+        var username = me.userFromHostname(req.headers.host);
         var redisKey = _.template(this.user_key, {username: username});
 
         this.retrieve(this.user_metadata_db, redisKey, 'database_name', function(err, dbname) {
           if ( err ) callback(err, null);
           else if ( dbname === null ) {
-            callback(new Error("missing " + username + "'s dbname in redis (try CARTODB/script/restore_redis)"), null);
+            callback(new Error("missing " + username + "'s database_name in redis (try CARTODB/script/restore_redis)"), null);
           }
           else callback(err, dbname);
         });
     };
 
-    me.userFromHostname = function(hostname) {
-        return hostname.split('.')[0];
-    }
-
     /**
      * Increment mapview count for a user
      *
@@ -88,13 +87,13 @@ module.exports = function() {
      */
     me.getId= function(req, callback) {
         // strip subdomain from header host
-        var username = req.headers.host.split('.')[0];
+        var username = me.userFromHostname(req.headers.host);
         var redisKey = _.template(this.user_key, {username: username});
 
         this.retrieve(this.user_metadata_db, redisKey, 'id', function(err, dbname) {
           if ( err ) callback(err, null);
           else if ( dbname === null ) {
-            callback(new Error("missing " + username + "'s dbuser in redis (try CARTODB/script/restore_redis)"), null);
+            callback(new Error("missing " + username + "'s id in redis (try CARTODB/script/restore_redis)"), null);
           }
           else callback(err, dbname);
         });
@@ -108,13 +107,13 @@ module.exports = function() {
      */
     me.getDatabaseHost= function(req, callback) {
         // strip subdomain from header host
-        var username = req.headers.host.split('.')[0];
+        var username = me.userFromHostname(req.headers.host);
         var redisKey = _.template(this.user_key, {username: username});
 
         this.retrieve(this.user_metadata_db, redisKey, 'database_host', function(err, dbname) {
           if ( err ) callback(err, null);
           else if ( dbname === null ) {
-            callback(new Error("missing " + username + "'s dbuser in redis (try CARTODB/script/restore_redis)"), null);
+            callback(new Error("missing " + username + "'s database_host in redis (try CARTODB/script/restore_redis)"), null);
           }
           else callback(err, dbname);
         });
@@ -128,7 +127,7 @@ module.exports = function() {
      */
     me.checkMapKey = function(req, callback) {
         // strip subdomain from header host
-        var username = req.headers.host.split('.')[0];
+        var username = me.userFromHostname(req.headers.host);
         var redisKey = "rails:users:" + username; 
         this.retrieve(this.user_metadata_db, redisKey, "map_key", function(err, val) {
             var valid = 0;
diff --git a/test/acceptance/server.js b/test/acceptance/server.js
index fdfa2c50..465d6774 100644
--- a/test/acceptance/server.js
+++ b/test/acceptance/server.js
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ suite('server', function() {
           // FIXME: should be 401 Unauthorized
           assert.equal(res.statusCode, 400, res.statusCode + ': ' + res.body);
           assert.deepEqual(JSON.parse(res.body),
-            {error:"missing unknown_user's dbname in redis (try CARTODB/script/restore_redis)"});
+            {error:"missing unknown_user's database_name in redis (try CARTODB/script/restore_redis)"});
           done();
         });
     });
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ suite('server', function() {
           // FIXME: should be 401 Unauthorized
           assert.equal(res.statusCode, 500, res.statusCode + ': ' + res.body);
           assert.deepEqual(JSON.parse(res.body),
-            {error:"missing unknown_user's dbname in redis (try CARTODB/script/restore_redis)"});
+            {error:"missing unknown_user's database_name in redis (try CARTODB/script/restore_redis)"});
           done();
         });
     });
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ suite('server', function() {
           // FIXME: should be 401 Unauthorized
           assert.equal(res.statusCode, 400, res.statusCode + ': ' + res.body);
           assert.deepEqual(JSON.parse(res.body),
-            {error:"missing unknown_user's dbname in redis (try CARTODB/script/restore_redis)"});
+            {error:"missing unknown_user's database_name in redis (try CARTODB/script/restore_redis)"});
           done();
         });
     });
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ suite('server', function() {
           // FIXME: should be 401 Unauthorized
           assert.equal(res.statusCode, 400, res.statusCode + ': ' + res.body);
           assert.deepEqual(JSON.parse(res.body),
-            {error:"missing unknown_user's dbname in redis (try CARTODB/script/restore_redis)"});
+            {error:"missing unknown_user's database_name in redis (try CARTODB/script/restore_redis)"});
           done();
         });
     });