diff --git a/keyserver/src/responders/user-responders.js b/keyserver/src/responders/user-responders.js
--- a/keyserver/src/responders/user-responders.js
+++ b/keyserver/src/responders/user-responders.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import t from 'tcomb';
 import bcrypt from 'twin-bcrypt';
 
+import { hasMinCodeVersion } from 'lib/shared/version-utils';
 import type {
   ResetPasswordRequest,
   LogOutResponse,
@@ -227,7 +228,11 @@
   }
   const userRow = userResult[0];
   if (!userRow.hash || !bcrypt.compareSync(request.password, userRow.hash)) {
-    throw new ServerError('invalid_credentials');
+    if (hasMinCodeVersion(viewer.platformDetails, 99999)) {
+      throw new ServerError('invalid_parameters');
+    } else {
+      throw new ServerError('invalid_credentials');
+    }
   }
   const id = userRow.id.toString();
 
diff --git a/native/account/log-in-panel.react.js b/native/account/log-in-panel.react.js
--- a/native/account/log-in-panel.react.js
+++ b/native/account/log-in-panel.react.js
@@ -237,16 +237,6 @@
     );
   };
 
-  onUsernameAlertAcknowledged: () => void = () => {
-    this.props.setActiveAlert(false);
-    this.props.logInState.setState(
-      {
-        usernameInputText: '',
-      },
-      this.focusUsernameInput,
-    );
-  };
-
   async logInAction(extraInfo: LogInExtraInfo): Promise<LogInResult> {
     try {
       const result = await this.props.logIn({
@@ -262,18 +252,11 @@
       });
       return result;
     } catch (e) {
-      if (e.message === 'invalid_parameters') {
-        Alert.alert(
-          'Invalid username',
-          'User doesn’t exist',
-          [{ text: 'OK', onPress: this.onUsernameAlertAcknowledged }],
-          { cancelable: false },
-        );
-      } else if (e.message === 'invalid_credentials') {
+      if (e.message === 'invalid_credentials') {
         Alert.alert(
-          'Incorrect password',
-          'The password you entered is incorrect',
-          [{ text: 'OK', onPress: this.onPasswordAlertAcknowledged }],
+          'Incorrect username or password',
+          "Either that user doesn't exist, or the password is incorrect",
+          [{ text: 'OK', onPress: this.onUnsuccessfulLoginAlertAckowledged }],
           { cancelable: false },
         );
       } else if (e.message === 'client_version_unsupported') {
@@ -300,6 +283,27 @@
     }
   }
 
+  onUnsuccessfulLoginAlertAckowledged: () => void = () => {
+    this.props.setActiveAlert(false);
+    this.props.logInState.setState(
+      {
+        usernameInputText: '',
+        passwordInputText: '',
+      },
+      this.focusUsernameInput,
+    );
+  };
+
+  onUsernameAlertAcknowledged: () => void = () => {
+    this.props.setActiveAlert(false);
+    this.props.logInState.setState(
+      {
+        usernameInputText: '',
+      },
+      this.focusUsernameInput,
+    );
+  };
+
   onPasswordAlertAcknowledged: () => void = () => {
     this.props.setActiveAlert(false);
     this.props.logInState.setState(
diff --git a/web/account/log-in-form.react.js b/web/account/log-in-form.react.js
--- a/web/account/log-in-form.react.js
+++ b/web/account/log-in-form.react.js
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@
   const [errorMessage, setErrorMessage] = React.useState<string>('');
 
   const usernameInputRef = React.useRef();
-  const passwordInputRef = React.useRef();
 
   React.useEffect(() => {
     usernameInputRef.current?.focus();
@@ -72,20 +71,14 @@
         modalContext.popModal();
         return result;
       } catch (e) {
-        if (e.message === 'invalid_parameters') {
-          setUsername('');
-          setErrorMessage(`user doesn't exist`);
-          usernameInputRef.current?.focus();
-        } else if (e.message === 'invalid_credentials') {
-          setPassword('');
-          setErrorMessage('wrong password');
-          passwordInputRef.current?.focus();
+        setUsername('');
+        setPassword('');
+        if (e.message === 'invalid_credentials') {
+          setErrorMessage('incorrect username or password');
         } else {
-          setUsername('');
-          setPassword('');
           setErrorMessage('unknown error');
-          usernameInputRef.current?.focus();
         }
+        usernameInputRef.current?.focus();
         throw e;
       }
     },
@@ -151,7 +144,6 @@
               placeholder="Password"
               value={password}
               onChange={onPasswordChange}
-              ref={passwordInputRef}
               disabled={inputDisabled}
             />
           </div>