diff --git a/app/models/event.rb b/app/models/event.rb
index 2bb526b9..e0d72f03 100644
--- a/app/models/event.rb
+++ b/app/models/event.rb
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ class Event < ActiveRecord::Base
   validate :before_end_of_conference, on: :create
   validates :title, presence: true
   validates :abstract, presence: true
+  validates_length_of :abstract, minimum: 20
   validates :event_type, presence: true
   validates :program, presence: true
   validates :speakers, presence: true
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 5f41e693..6d8b88fe 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def confirmed?
-    !confirmed_at.nil?
+    confirmed_at.present?
   end
 
   def proposals(conference)
diff --git a/spec/models/event_spec.rb b/spec/models/event_spec.rb
index e1c2297c..1d1964a1 100644
--- a/spec/models/event_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/event_spec.rb
@@ -22,9 +22,11 @@ describe Event do
 
     it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:title) }
     it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:abstract) }
+    it { should validate_length_of(:abstract).is_at_least(20) }
     it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:program) }
     it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:event_type) }
 
+
     describe 'max_attendees_no_more_than_room_size' do
       before :each do
         unless (venue = event.program.conference.venue)