diff --git a/installer/installer.php b/installer/installer.php
index 7fed25c7..4480e35e 100644
--- a/installer/installer.php
+++ b/installer/installer.php
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ class installer {
   }
 
   static function unpack_var() {
+    if (!file_exists(VARPATH)) {
+      mkdir(VARPATH);
+      chmod(VARPATH, 0777);
+    }
+
     include(DOCROOT . "installer/init_var.php");
     return true;
   }
diff --git a/modules/gallery/controllers/after_install.php b/modules/gallery/controllers/welcome_message.php
similarity index 91%
rename from modules/gallery/controllers/after_install.php
rename to modules/gallery/controllers/welcome_message.php
index b640092f..a4b690e3 100644
--- a/modules/gallery/controllers/after_install.php
+++ b/modules/gallery/controllers/welcome_message.php
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@
  * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
  * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street - Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
  */
-class After_Install_Controller extends Controller {
+class Welcome_Message_Controller extends Controller {
   public function index() {
     if (!user::active()->admin) {
       url::redirect(item::root()->url());
     }
 
-    $v = new View("after_install.html");
+    $v = new View("welcome_message.html");
     $v->user = user::active();
     print $v;
   }
diff --git a/modules/gallery/helpers/gallery_theme.php b/modules/gallery/helpers/gallery_theme.php
index 69c5a091..8c97f124 100644
--- a/modules/gallery/helpers/gallery_theme.php
+++ b/modules/gallery/helpers/gallery_theme.php
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ class gallery_theme_Core {
       return L10n_Client_Controller::l10n_form();
     }
 
-    if ($session->get("after_install")) {
+    if (true || $session->get("after_install")) {
       $session->delete("after_install");
-      return new View("after_install_loader.html");
+      return new View("welcome_message_loader.html");
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/modules/gallery/views/after_install.html.php b/modules/gallery/views/after_install.html.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 897946a2..00000000
--- a/modules/gallery/views/after_install.html.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
-<?php defined("SYSPATH") or die("No direct script access.") ?>
-<h1 style="display: none">
-  <?= t("Welcome to Gallery 3!") ?>
-</h1>
-
-<p>
-  <?= t("Congratulations on choosing Gallery to host your photos.  We're confident that you're going to have a great experience.") ?>
-</p>
-
-<p>
-  <?= t("You're logged in to the <b>%user_name</b> account.  The very first thing you should do is to change your password to something that you'll remember.", array("user_name" => $user->name)) ?>
-</p>
-
-<p>
-  <a href="<?= url::site("form/edit/users/{$user->id}") ?>"
-    title="<?= t("Edit Your Profile")->for_html_attr() ?>"
-    id="gAfterInstallChangePasswordLink" class="gButtonLink ui-state-default ui-corners-all"><?= t("Change Password Now") ?></a>
-  <script>
-    $("#gAfterInstallChangePasswordLink").gallery_dialog();
-  </script>
-</p>
-
-<p>
-  <?= t("Want to learn more? The <a href=\"%url\">Gallery website</a> has news and information about the Gallery project and community.", array("url" => "http://gallery.menalto.com")) ?>
-</p>
-
-<p>
-  <?= t("Having problems? There's lots of information in our <a href=\"%codex_url\">documentation site</a> or you can <a href=\"%forum_url\">ask for help in the forums!</a>", array("codex_url" => "http://codex.gallery2.org/Main_Page", "forum_url" => "http://gallery.menalto.com/forum")) ?>
-</ul>
diff --git a/modules/gallery/views/after_install_loader.html.php b/modules/gallery/views/after_install_loader.html.php
deleted file mode 100644
index c2e3e1d9..00000000
--- a/modules/gallery/views/after_install_loader.html.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-<?php defined("SYSPATH") or die("No direct script access.") ?>
-<span id="gAfterInstall"
-      title="<?= t("Welcome to Gallery 3")->for_html_attr() ?>"
-      href="<?= url::site("after_install") ?>"/>
-<script type="text/javascript">
-  $(document).ready(function(){$("#gAfterInstall").gallery_dialog({immediate: true});});
-</script>
diff --git a/modules/gallery/views/welcome_message.html.php b/modules/gallery/views/welcome_message.html.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5515c3dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/gallery/views/welcome_message.html.php
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+<?php defined("SYSPATH") or die("No direct script access.") ?>
+<div id="gWelcomeMessage">
+  <h1 style="display: none">
+    <?= t("Welcome to Gallery 3!") ?>
+  </h1>
+
+  <p>
+    <h2>
+      <?= t("Congratulations on choosing Gallery to host your photos.  You're going to have a great experience!") ?>
+    </h2>
+  </p>
+
+  <p>
+    <?= t("First things first.  You're logged in to the <b>%user_name</b> account.  You should change your password to something that you'll remember.", array("user_name" => $user->name)) ?>
+  </p>
+
+  <p>
+    <a href="<?= url::site("form/edit/users/{$user->id}") ?>"
+      title="<?= t("Edit Your Profile")->for_html_attr() ?>"
+      id="gAfterInstallChangePasswordLink"
+      class="gButtonLink ui-state-default ui-corners-all">
+      <?= t("Change Password Now") ?>
+    </a>
+    <script>
+      $("#gAfterInstallChangePasswordLink").gallery_dialog();
+    </script>
+  </p>
+
+  <p>
+    <?= t("Want to learn more? The <a href=\"%url\">Gallery website</a> has news and information about the Gallery project and community.", array("url" => "http://gallery.menalto.com")) ?>
+  </p>
+
+  <p>
+    <?= t("Having problems? There's lots of information in our <a href=\"%codex_url\">documentation site</a> or you can <a href=\"%forum_url\">ask for help in the forums!</a>", array("codex_url" => "http://codex.gallery2.org/Main_Page", "forum_url" => "http://gallery.menalto.com/forum")) ?>
+  </p>
+</div>
diff --git a/modules/gallery/views/welcome_message_loader.html.php b/modules/gallery/views/welcome_message_loader.html.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2c6bffca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/gallery/views/welcome_message_loader.html.php
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<?php defined("SYSPATH") or die("No direct script access.") ?>
+<span id="gWelcomeMessageLink"
+      title="<?= t("Welcome to Gallery 3")->for_html_attr() ?>"
+      href="<?= url::site("welcome_message") ?>"/>
+<script type="text/javascript">
+  $(document).ready(function(){$("#gWelcomeMessageLink").gallery_dialog({immediate: true});});
+</script>
diff --git a/themes/default/css/screen.css b/themes/default/css/screen.css
index fec618e6..d4c23155 100644
--- a/themes/default/css/screen.css
+++ b/themes/default/css/screen.css
@@ -773,6 +773,10 @@ form .gError,
   text-decoration: underline;
 }
 
+#gWelcomeMessage p {
+  padding-bottom: 1em;
+}
+
 /* Pagination ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ */
 
 .gPager {