diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/composer.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/composer.js
index 7e3c94369ac..1484dd173aa 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/composer.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/composer.js
@@ -125,7 +125,6 @@ Discourse.Composer = Discourse.Model.extend({
                            Discourse.Utilities.tinyAvatar(replyUsername) + " " + replyUsername;
       }
 
-
     }
 
     switch (this.get('action')) {
@@ -155,14 +154,20 @@ Discourse.Composer = Discourse.Model.extend({
     // Can't submit while loading
     if (this.get('loading')) return true;
 
-    // Title is required on new posts
-    if (this.get('creatingTopic') && this.get('titleLength') < Discourse.SiteSettings.min_topic_title_length) return true;
+    // Title is required when:
+    //    - creating a new topic
+    //    - editing the 1st post
+    //    - creating a private message
+    if (this.get('editTitle') && this.get('titleLength') < Discourse.SiteSettings.min_topic_title_length) return true;
 
-    // Otherwise just reply is required
+    // Need at least one user when sending a private message
+    if (this.get('creatingPrivateMessage') && (this.get('targetUsernames').trim() + ',').indexOf(',') === 0) return true;
+
+    // reply is always required
     if (this.get('replyLength') < Discourse.SiteSettings.min_post_length) return true;
 
     return false;
-  }).property('reply', 'title', 'creatingTopic', 'loading'),
+  }).property('loading', 'editTitle', 'titleLength', 'targetUsernames', 'replyLength'),
 
   // The text for the save button
   saveText: (function() {
@@ -179,8 +184,7 @@ Discourse.Composer = Discourse.Model.extend({
   }).property('action'),
 
   hasMetaData: (function() {
-    var metaData;
-    metaData = this.get('metaData');
+    var metaData = this.get('metaData');
     if (!this.get('metaData')) {
       return false;
     }
@@ -430,8 +434,6 @@ Discourse.Composer = Discourse.Model.extend({
     if (this.get('disableDrafts')) return;
     // Do not save when there is no reply
     if (!this.get('reply')) return;
-    // Do not save when the title's length is too small (only when creating a new post)
-    if (this.get('creatingTopic') && this.get('titleLength') < Discourse.SiteSettings.min_topic_title_length) return;
     // Do not save when the reply's length is too small
     if (this.get('replyLength') < Discourse.SiteSettings.min_post_length) return;
 
@@ -473,7 +475,7 @@ Discourse.Composer = Discourse.Model.extend({
     // hide the counters if the currently focused text field is OK
     this.set('draftStatus', null);
 
-  }).observes('reply', 'title'),
+  }).observes('replyLength', 'titleLength'),
 
   /**
     Computes the length of the title minus non-significant whitespaces
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer.js.handlebars b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer.js.handlebars
index e9aece095c8..317b739f7d0 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer.js.handlebars
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer.js.handlebars
@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@
           {{#if content.editTitle}}
             <div class='form-element clearfix'>
                 {{#if content.creatingPrivateMessage}}
-                  {{view Discourse.TextField id="private-message-users" class="span8" placeholderKey="composer.users_placeholder"}}
+                  {{view Discourse.TextField id="private-message-users" class="span8" placeholderKey="composer.users_placeholder" tabindex="1"}}
                 {{/if}}
-                {{view Discourse.TextField valueBinding="content.title" tabindex="1" id="reply-title" maxlength="255" class="span8" placeholderKey="composer.title_placeholder"}}
+                {{view Discourse.TextField valueBinding="content.title" tabindex="2" id="reply-title" maxlength="255" class="span8" placeholderKey="composer.title_placeholder"}}
                 {{#unless content.creatingPrivateMessage}}
                   {{view Discourse.ComboboxViewCategory valueAttribute="name" contentBinding="Discourse.site.categories" valueBinding="content.categoryName"}}
                   {{#if content.archetype.hasOptions}}
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
           <div class='wmd-controls'>
             <div class='textarea-wrapper'>
               <div class='wmd-button-bar' id='wmd-button-bar'></div>
-              {{view Discourse.NotifyingTextArea parentBinding="view" tabindex="2" valueBinding="content.reply" id="wmd-input" placeholderKey="composer.reply_placeholder"}}
+              {{view Discourse.NotifyingTextArea parentBinding="view" tabindex="3" valueBinding="content.reply" id="wmd-input" placeholderKey="composer.reply_placeholder"}}
             </div>
             <div class='preview-wrapper'>
               <div id='wmd-preview' {{bindAttr class="controller.hidePreview:hidden"}}></div>
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
 
           {{#if Discourse.currentUser}}
             <div class='submit-panel'>
-              <button {{action save target="controller"}} tabindex="3" {{bindAttr disabled="content.cantSubmitPost"}} class='btn btn-primary create'>{{view.content.saveText}}</button>
+              <button {{action save target="controller"}} tabindex="4" {{bindAttr disabled="content.cantSubmitPost"}} class='btn btn-primary create'>{{view.content.saveText}}</button>
               <a href='#' {{action cancel target="controller"}} class='cancel' tabindex="4">{{i18n cancel}}</a>
               {{#if view.loadingImage}}
                 <div id="image-uploading">
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/topic.js.handlebars b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/topic.js.handlebars
index cc163274e52..de7bbb5f133 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/topic.js.handlebars
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/topic.js.handlebars
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
             <a {{bindAttr class=":star view.topic.starred:starred"}} {{action toggleStar target="controller"}} href='#' title="{{i18n favorite.help}}"></a>
           {{/if}}
           {{#if view.editingTopic}}
-            <input id='edit-title' type='text' {{bindAttr value="view.topic.title"}}>
+            <input id='edit-title' type='text' {{bindAttr value="view.topic.title"}} autofocus>
             {{view Discourse.ComboboxViewCategory valueAttribute="name" contentBinding="Discourse.site.categories" sourceBinding="view.topic.categoryName"}}
             <button class='btn btn-primary btn-small' {{action finishedEdit target="view"}}><i class='icon-ok'></i></button>
             <button class='btn btn-small' {{action cancelEdit target="view"}}><i class='icon-remove'></i></button>