diff --git a/lib/db/mysql.js b/lib/db/mysql.js
index 5e5dcf98eb4b624678322afe74ab29a0a645bcba..b2e123ae6667e7c150963f627f0af30ba9c491bc 100644
--- a/lib/db/mysql.js
+++ b/lib/db/mysql.js
@@ -355,32 +355,26 @@ exports.gotVerificationSecret = function(secret, cb) {
               addEmailToUser(info.insertId, o.email, 'secondary', cb);
             });
         } else {
-          // we need a userid.  the old schema had an 'existing' field which was an email
-          // address.  the new schema has an 'existing_user' field which is a userid.
-          // this is transitional code so outstanding verification links continue working
-          // and can be removed in feb 2012 some time.  maybe for valentines day?
-          if (typeof o.existing_user === 'number') doAddEmailSetPassword(o.existing_user);
-          else if (typeof o.existing === 'string') {
-            exports.emailToUID(o.existing, function(uid) {
-              if (err || uid === undefined) return cb('acct associated with staged email doesn\'t exist');
-              doAddEmailSetPassword(uid);
-            });
+          // ensure the expected existing_user field is populated, which it must always be when
+          // new_acct is false
+          if (typeof o.existing_user !== 'number') {
+            return cb("data inconsistency, no numeric existing user associated with staged email address");
           }
-          function doAddEmailSetPassword(uid) {
-            // we're adding an email address to an existing user account.  add appropriate entries into
-            // email table
-            var hash = o.passwd;
-            if (hash) {
-              exports.updatePassword(uid, hash, function(err) {
-                if (err) return cb('could not set user\'s password');
-                addEmailToUser(uid, o.email, 'secondary', cb);
-              });
-            } else {
+
+          // we're adding an email address to an existing user account.  add appropriate entries into
+          // email table
+          var hash = o.passwd;
+          var uid = o.existing_user;
+          if (hash) {
+            exports.updatePassword(uid, hash, function(err) {
+              if (err) return cb('could not set user\'s password');
               addEmailToUser(uid, o.email, 'secondary', cb);
-            }
+            });
+          } else {
+            addEmailToUser(uid, o.email, 'secondary', cb);
           }
-        };
-      }
+        }
+      };
     }
   );
 }