diff --git a/handlers/user-init-password-change.go b/handlers/user-init-password-change.go
index e86a179..f2dd596 100644
--- a/handlers/user-init-password-change.go
+++ b/handlers/user-init-password-change.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package handlers
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"net/http"
 
 	moduser "git.dotya.ml/mirre-mt/pcmt/modules/user"
@@ -70,6 +71,24 @@ func InitialPasswordChange() echo.HandlerFunc {
 			if err != nil {
 				c.Logger().Errorf("error changing initial user password: %q", err)
 
+				switch {
+				case errors.Is(err, moduser.ErrPasswordEmpty):
+					return renderErrorPage(
+						c,
+						http.StatusBadRequest,
+						http.StatusText(http.StatusBadRequest),
+						err.Error(),
+					)
+
+				case errors.Is(err, moduser.ErrNewPasswordCannotEqual):
+					return renderErrorPage(
+						c,
+						http.StatusBadRequest,
+						http.StatusText(http.StatusBadRequest)+" - the new password needs to be different from the original",
+						err.Error(),
+					)
+				}
+
 				return renderErrorPage(
 					c,
 					http.StatusInternalServerError,
diff --git a/modules/user/error.go b/modules/user/error.go
index 2df3fc9..d811f81 100644
--- a/modules/user/error.go
+++ b/modules/user/error.go
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@ package user
 import "errors"
 
 var (
-	ErrUsersAlreadyPresent = errors.New("don't call CreateFirst when there already are another users")
-	ErrUserNotFound        = errors.New("user not found")
-	ErrFailedToQueryUser   = errors.New("failed to query user")
-	ErrBadUUID             = errors.New("invalid uuid")
+	ErrUsersAlreadyPresent    = errors.New("don't call CreateFirst when there already are another users")
+	ErrUserNotFound           = errors.New("user not found")
+	ErrFailedToQueryUser      = errors.New("failed to query user")
+	ErrBadUUID                = errors.New("invalid uuid")
+	ErrPasswordEmpty          = errors.New("password was empty")
+	ErrNewPasswordCannotEqual = errors.New("the new password cannot be the same as the old one")
 )
diff --git a/modules/user/user.go b/modules/user/user.go
index 47eaf60..f314cef 100644
--- a/modules/user/user.go
+++ b/modules/user/user.go
@@ -120,6 +120,19 @@ func QueryUserByID(ctx context.Context, client *ent.Client, strID string) (*ent.
 		return nil, ErrBadUUID
 	}
 
+	return QueryUserByUUID(ctx, client, id)
+}
+
+// QueryUserByUUID returns user for the provided ID, and nil if err == nil, nil
+// and err otherwise.
+func QueryUserByUUID(ctx context.Context, client *ent.Client, id uuid.UUID) (*ent.User, error) {
+	slogger := ctx.Value(CtxKey{}).(*slogging.Slogger)
+	log := *slogger
+
+	log.Logger = log.Logger.With(
+		slog.Group("pcmt extra", slog.String("module", "modules/user")),
+	)
+
 	u, err := client.User.
 		Query().
 		Where(user.IDEQ(id)).
@@ -171,6 +184,22 @@ func ChangePassFirstLogin(ctx context.Context, client *ent.Client, id uuid.UUID,
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	if password == "" {
+		return ErrPasswordEmpty
+	}
+
+	{
+		u, err := QueryUserByUUID(ctx, client, id)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		equal := passwd.Compare(u.Password, password)
+		if equal {
+			return ErrNewPasswordCannotEqual
+		}
+	}
+
 	var digest []byte
 
 	digest, err = passwd.GetHash(password)