--- user.pages.inc	2010-06-02 13:03:07.000000000 +0100
+++ user.pages2.inc	2010-09-10 15:47:02.000000000 +0100
@@ -43,7 +43,12 @@ function user_pass() {
 
 function user_pass_validate($form, &$form_state) {
   $name = trim($form_state['values']['name']);
-  
+ 
+  // Blocked accounts cannot request a new password,
+  // check provided username and email against access rules.
+  if (drupal_is_denied('user', $name) || drupal_is_denied('mail', $name)) {
+    form_set_error('name', t('%name is not allowed to request a new password.', array('%name' => $name)));
+  }
 
   // Try to load by email.
   $account = user_load(array('mail' => $name, 'status' => 1));
@@ -51,16 +56,17 @@ function user_pass_validate($form, &$for
     // No success, try to load by name.
     $account = user_load(array('name' => $name, 'status' => 1));
   }
-  if ($account) {
-    // Blocked accounts cannot request a new password,
-    // check provided username and email against access rules.
-    if (drupal_is_denied('user', $account->name) || drupal_is_denied('mail', $account->mail)) {
-      form_set_error('name', t('%name is not allowed to request a new password.', array('%name' => $name)));
-    }
+
+  $name = $form_state['values']['name'];
+  // Check if the account name exists, and if the account status is '0'
+  if (db_result(db_query("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {users} WHERE name = '%s';", $name)) && $account->status == 0) {
+    form_set_error('name', t('The username %name has not been activated or is blocked.', array('%name' => $name)));
   }
+ 
   if (isset($account->uid)) {
     form_set_value(array('#parents' => array('account')), $account, $form_state);
   }
+   
   else {
     form_set_error('name', t('Sorry, %name is not recognized as a user name or an e-mail address.', array('%name' => $name)));
   }