diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index eb7fdc5ab..e63d9f4d7 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   has_many :comments, -> { with_hidden }
   has_many :failed_census_calls
 
-  validates :username, presence: true, unless: :organization?
-  validates :username, uniqueness: true, unless: :organization?
+  validates :username, presence: true, if: :username_required?
+  validates :username, uniqueness: true, if: :username_required?
   validates :document_number, uniqueness: { scope: :document_type }, allow_nil: true
 
   validate :validate_username_length
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def erase(erase_reason = nil)
+    self.hide
     self.update(
       erase_reason: erase_reason,
       username: nil,
@@ -159,8 +160,6 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
       reset_password_token: nil,
       email_verification_token: nil
     )
-
-    self.hide
   end
 
   def email_provided?
@@ -189,8 +188,15 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
     super
   end
 
-  private
+  def username_required?
+    !organization? && !hidden?
+  end
 
+  def email_required?
+    !hidden?
+  end
+
+  private
     def clean_document_number
       self.document_number = self.document_number.gsub(/[^a-z0-9]+/i, "").upcase unless self.document_number.blank?
     end