diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/preferences.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/preferences.js.es6
index 7b5810ff3..ecd9033de 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/preferences.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/preferences.js.es6
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import ObjectController from 'discourse/controllers/object';
 import CanCheckEmails from 'discourse/mixins/can-check-emails';
+import { popupAjaxError } from 'discourse/lib/ajax-error';
 
 export default ObjectController.extend(CanCheckEmails, {
 
@@ -10,8 +11,10 @@ export default ObjectController.extend(CanCheckEmails, {
   editHistoryVisible: Discourse.computed.setting('edit_history_visible_to_public'),
 
   selectedCategories: function(){
-    return [].concat(this.get("watchedCategories"), this.get("trackedCategories"), this.get("mutedCategories"));
-  }.property("watchedCategories", "trackedCategories", "mutedCategories"),
+    return [].concat(this.get("model.watchedCategories"),
+                     this.get("model.trackedCategories"),
+                     this.get("model.mutedCategories"));
+  }.property("model.watchedCategories", "model.trackedCategories", "model.mutedCategories"),
 
   // By default we haven't saved anything
   saved: false,
@@ -21,7 +24,7 @@ export default ObjectController.extend(CanCheckEmails, {
   userFields: function() {
     let siteUserFields = this.site.get('user_fields');
     if (!Ember.isEmpty(siteUserFields)) {
-      const userFields = this.get('user_fields');
+      const userFields = this.get('model.user_fields');
 
       // Staff can edit fields that are not `editable`
       if (!this.get('currentUser.staff')) {
@@ -32,7 +35,7 @@ export default ObjectController.extend(CanCheckEmails, {
         return Ember.Object.create({ value, field });
       });
     }
-  }.property('user_fields.@each.value'),
+  }.property('model.user_fields.@each.value'),
 
   cannotDeleteAccount: Em.computed.not('can_delete_account'),
   deleteDisabled: Em.computed.or('saving', 'deleting', 'cannotDeleteAccount'),
@@ -84,19 +87,20 @@ export default ObjectController.extend(CanCheckEmails, {
                             { name: I18n.t('user.new_topic_duration.last_here'), value: -2 }],
 
   saveButtonText: function() {
-    return this.get('saving') ? I18n.t('saving') : I18n.t('save');
-  }.property('saving'),
+    return this.get('model.isSaving') ? I18n.t('saving') : I18n.t('save');
+  }.property('model.isSaving'),
 
-  imageUploadUrl: Discourse.computed.url('username', '/users/%@/preferences/user_image'),
+  passwordProgress: null,
+  imageUploadUrl: Discourse.computed.url('model.username', '/users/%@/preferences/user_image'),
 
   actions: {
 
     save() {
       const self = this;
-      this.setProperties({ saving: true, saved: false });
+      this.set('saved', false);
 
-      const model = this.get('model'),
-          userFields = this.get('userFields');
+      const model = this.get('model');
+      const userFields = this.get('userFields');
 
       // Update the user fields
       if (!Ember.isEmpty(userFields)) {
@@ -111,22 +115,12 @@ export default ObjectController.extend(CanCheckEmails, {
       // Cook the bio for preview
       model.set('name', this.get('newNameInput'));
       return model.save().then(function() {
-        // model was saved
-        self.set('saving', false);
         if (Discourse.User.currentProp('id') === model.get('id')) {
           Discourse.User.currentProp('name', model.get('name'));
         }
-        self.set('bio_cooked', Discourse.Markdown.cook(Discourse.Markdown.sanitize(self.get('bio_raw'))));
+        model.set('bio_cooked', Discourse.Markdown.cook(Discourse.Markdown.sanitize(model.get('bio_raw'))));
         self.set('saved', true);
-      }, function(error) {
-        // model failed to save
-        self.set('saving', false);
-        if (error && error.responseText) {
-          alert($.parseJSON(error.responseText).errors[0]);
-        } else {
-          alert(I18n.t('generic_error'));
-        }
-      });
+      }).catch(popupAjaxError);
     },
 
     changePassword() {
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/user.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/user.js.es6
index d03ca5b00..fea4ec5ca 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/user.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/models/user.js.es6
@@ -204,6 +204,8 @@ const User = RestModel.extend({
       data['edit_history_public'] = this.get('edit_history_public');
     }
 
+    // TODO: We can remove this when migrated fully to rest model.
+    this.set('isSaving', true);
     return Discourse.ajax("/users/" + this.get('username_lower'), {
       data: data,
       type: 'PUT'
@@ -212,6 +214,8 @@ const User = RestModel.extend({
 
       var userProps = self.getProperties('enable_quoting', 'external_links_in_new_tab', 'dynamic_favicon');
       Discourse.User.current().setProperties(userProps);
+    }).finally(() => {
+      this.set('isSaving', false);
     });
   },
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/preferences.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/preferences.hbs
index 9d653754b..324d977bc 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/preferences.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/preferences.hbs
@@ -4,20 +4,20 @@
 
     <div class="control-group save-button" id='save-button-top'>
       <div class="controls">
-        {{partial 'user/preferences/saveButton'}}
+        {{partial 'user/preferences/save-button'}}
       </div>
     </div>
 
     <div class="control-group pref-username">
       <label class="control-label">{{i18n 'user.username.title'}}</label>
       <div class="controls">
-        <span class='static'>{{username}}</span>
-        {{#if can_edit_username}}
+        <span class='static'>{{model.username}}</span>
+        {{#if model.can_edit_username}}
           {{#link-to "preferences.username" class="btn btn-small pad-left no-text"}}<i class="fa fa-pencil"></i>{{/link-to}}
         {{/if}}
       </div>
       <div class='instructions'>
-        {{{i18n 'user.username.short_instructions' username=username}}}
+        {{{i18n 'user.username.short_instructions' username=model.username}}}
       </div>
     </div>
 
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
       <div class="control-group pref-name">
         <label class="control-label">{{i18n 'user.name.title'}}</label>
         <div class="controls">
-          {{#if can_edit_name}}
+          {{#if model.can_edit_name}}
             {{text-field value=newNameInput classNames="input-xxlarge"}}
           {{else}}
             <span class='static'>{{name}}</span>
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
       <div class="control-group pref-title">
         <label class="control-label">{{i18n 'user.title.title'}}</label>
         <div class="controls">
-          <span class="static">{{title}}</span>
+          <span class="static">{{model.title}}</span>
           {{#link-to "preferences.badgeTitle" class="btn btn-small pad-left no-text"}}{{fa-icon "pencil"}}{{/link-to}}
         </div>
       </div>
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
         {{#if model.email}}
           <div class="controls">
             <span class='static'>{{model.email}}</span>
-            {{#if can_edit_email}}
+            {{#if model.can_edit_email}}
               {{#link-to "preferences.email" class="btn btn-small pad-left no-text"}}{{fa-icon "pencil"}}{{/link-to}}
             {{/if}}
           </div>
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
       <div class="controls">
         <a href="#" {{action "changePassword"}} class='btn'>
           {{fa-icon "envelope"}}
-          {{#if no_password}}
+          {{#if model.no_password}}
             {{i18n 'user.change_password.set_password'}}
           {{else}}
             {{i18n 'user.change_password.action'}}
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@
         <label class="control-label">{{i18n 'user.change_profile_background.title'}}</label>
         <div class="controls">
           {{image-uploader uploadUrl=imageUploadUrl
-                           imageUrl=profile_background
+                           imageUrl=model.profile_background
                            instantDelete="true"
                            type="profile_background"}}
         </div>
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@
         <label class="control-label">{{i18n 'user.change_card_background.title'}}</label>
         <div class="controls">
           {{image-uploader uploadUrl=imageUploadUrl
-                           imageUrl=card_background
+                           imageUrl=model.card_background
                            instantDelete="true"
                            type="card_background"}}
         </div>
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@
       <div class="control-group pref-locale">
         <label class="control-label">{{i18n 'user.locale.title'}}</label>
         <div class="controls">
-          {{combo-box valueAttribute="value" content=availableLocales value=locale none="user.locale.default"}}
+          {{combo-box valueAttribute="value" content=availableLocales value=model.locale none="user.locale.default"}}
         </div>
         <div class='instructions'>
           {{i18n 'user.locale.instructions'}}
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@
     <div class="control-group pref-bio">
       <label class="control-label">{{i18n 'user.bio'}}</label>
       <div class="controls bio-composer">
-        {{pagedown-editor value=bio_raw}}
+        {{pagedown-editor value=model.bio_raw}}
       </div>
     </div>
 
@@ -154,22 +154,22 @@
     <div class="control-group pref-location">
       <label class="control-label">{{i18n 'user.location'}}</label>
       <div class="controls">
-        {{input type="text" value=location class="input-xxlarge" id='edit-location'}}
+        {{input type="text" value=model.location class="input-xxlarge" id='edit-location'}}
       </div>
     </div>
 
     <div class="control-group pref-website">
       <label class="control-label">{{i18n 'user.website'}}</label>
       <div class="controls">
-        {{input type="text" value=website class="input-xxlarge"}}
+        {{input type="text" value=model.website class="input-xxlarge"}}
       </div>
     </div>
 
     <div class="control-group pref-card-badge">
       <label class="control-label">{{i18n 'user.card_badge.title'}}</label>
       <div class="controls">
-        {{#if card_image_badge}}
-          {{icon-or-image card_image_badge}}
+        {{#if model.card_image_badge}}
+          {{icon-or-image model.card_image_badge}}
         {{/if}}
         {{#link-to "preferences.card-badge" class="btn btn-small pad-left no-text"}}{{fa-icon "pencil"}}{{/link-to}}
       </div>
@@ -178,17 +178,17 @@
     <div class="control-group pref-email-settings">
       <label class="control-label">{{i18n 'user.email_settings'}}</label>
       {{#if canReceiveDigest}}
-        {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.email_digests.title" checked=email_digests}}
-        {{#if email_digests}}
+        {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.email_digests.title" checked=model.email_digests}}
+        {{#if model.email_digests}}
           <div class='controls controls-dropdown'>
-            {{combo-box valueAttribute="value" content=digestFrequencies value=digest_after_days}}
+            {{combo-box valueAttribute="value" content=digestFrequencies value=model.digest_after_days}}
           </div>
         {{/if}}
       {{/if}}
-      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.email_private_messages" checked=email_private_messages}}
-      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.email_direct" checked=email_direct}}
-      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.mailing_list_mode" checked=mailing_list_mode}}
-      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.email_always" checked=email_always}}
+      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.email_private_messages" checked=model.email_private_messages}}
+      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.email_direct" checked=model.email_direct}}
+      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.mailing_list_mode" checked=model.mailing_list_mode}}
+      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.email_always" checked=model.email_always}}
 
       <div class='instructions'>
         {{i18n 'user.email.frequency' count=siteSettings.email_time_window_mins}}
@@ -200,20 +200,20 @@
 
       <div class="controls controls-dropdown">
         <label>{{i18n 'user.new_topic_duration.label'}}</label>
-        {{combo-box valueAttribute="value" content=considerNewTopicOptions value=new_topic_duration_minutes}}
+        {{combo-box valueAttribute="value" content=considerNewTopicOptions value=model.new_topic_duration_minutes}}
       </div>
 
       <div class="controls controls-dropdown">
         <label>{{i18n 'user.auto_track_topics'}}</label>
-        {{combo-box valueAttribute="value" content=autoTrackDurations value=auto_track_topics_after_msecs}}
+        {{combo-box valueAttribute="value" content=autoTrackDurations value=model.auto_track_topics_after_msecs}}
       </div>
 
-      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.external_links_in_new_tab" checked=external_links_in_new_tab}}
-      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.enable_quoting" checked=enable_quoting}}
-      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.dynamic_favicon" checked=dynamic_favicon}}
-      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.disable_jump_reply" checked=disable_jump_reply}}
+      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.external_links_in_new_tab" checked=model.external_links_in_new_tab}}
+      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.enable_quoting" checked=model.enable_quoting}}
+      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.dynamic_favicon" checked=model.dynamic_favicon}}
+      {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.disable_jump_reply" checked=model.disable_jump_reply}}
       {{#unless editHistoryVisible}}
-        {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.edit_history_public" checked=edit_history_public}}
+        {{preference-checkbox labelKey="user.edit_history_public" checked=model.edit_history_public}}
       {{/unless}}
 
       {{plugin-outlet "user_custom_preferences"}}
@@ -223,17 +223,17 @@
       <label class="control-label">{{i18n 'user.categories_settings'}}</label>
       <div class="controls category-controls">
         <label>{{i18n 'user.watched_categories'}}</label>
-        {{category-group categories=watchedCategories blacklist=selectedCategories}}
+        {{category-group categories=model.watchedCategories blacklist=selectedCategories}}
       </div>
       <div class="instructions">{{i18n 'user.watched_categories_instructions'}}</div>
       <div class="controls category-controls">
         <label>{{i18n 'user.tracked_categories'}}</label>
-        {{category-group categories=trackedCategories blacklist=selectedCategories}}
+        {{category-group categories=model.trackedCategories blacklist=selectedCategories}}
       </div>
       <div class="instructions">{{i18n 'user.tracked_categories_instructions'}}</div>
       <div class="controls category-controls">
         <label>{{i18n 'user.muted_categories'}}</label>
-        {{category-group categories=mutedCategories blacklist=selectedCategories}}
+        {{category-group categories=model.mutedCategories blacklist=selectedCategories}}
       </div>
       <div class="instructions">{{i18n 'user.muted_categories_instructions'}}</div>
     </div>
@@ -242,17 +242,17 @@
       <label class="control-label">{{i18n 'user.users'}}</label>
       <div class="controls category-controls">
         <label>{{i18n 'user.muted_users'}}</label>
-        {{user-selector excludeCurrentUser=true usernames=muted_usernames class="user-selector"}}
+        {{user-selector excludeCurrentUser=true usernames=model.muted_usernames class="user-selector"}}
       </div>
       <div class="instructions">{{i18n 'user.muted_users_instructions'}}</div>
     </div>
     <div class="control-group">
       <div class="controls">
-        {{partial 'user/preferences/saveButton'}}
+        {{partial 'user/preferences/save-button'}}
       </div>
     </div>
 
-    {{#if canDeleteAccount}}
+    {{#if model.canDeleteAccount}}
       <div class="control-group delete-account">
         <hr/>
         <div class="controls">
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/preferences/_save-button.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/preferences/_save-button.hbs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bd933d084
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/preferences/_save-button.hbs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{{#d-button action="save" disabled=model.isSaving class="btn btn-primary save-user"}}
+  {{saveButtonText}}
+{{/d-button}}
+
+{{#if saved}}
+  <span class='saved-user'>{{i18n 'saved'}}</span>
+{{/if}}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/preferences/_save_button.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/preferences/_save_button.hbs
deleted file mode 100644
index b5a7d9a41..000000000
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/user/preferences/_save_button.hbs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-<button {{action "save"}} {{bind-attr disabled="saving"}} class="btn btn-primary save-user">{{saveButtonText}}</button>
-{{#if saved}}
-  <span class='saved-user'>{{i18n 'saved'}}</span>
-{{/if}}