diff --git a/settings/ajax/createuser.php b/settings/ajax/createuser.php
index ccc2a5d402..915fcaf2d4 100644
--- a/settings/ajax/createuser.php
+++ b/settings/ajax/createuser.php
@@ -38,8 +38,15 @@ try {
 		}
 		OC_Group::addToGroup( $username, $i );
 	}
+
+	// check whether the user's files home exists
+	$userDirectory = OC_User::getHome($username) . '/files/';
+	$homeExists = file_exists($userDirectory);
+
 	OC_JSON::success(array("data" =>
 				array(
+					// returns whether the home already existed
+					"homeExists" => $homeExists,
 					"username" => $username,
 					"groups" => OC_Group::getUserGroups( $username ))));
 } catch (Exception $exception) {
diff --git a/settings/js/users.js b/settings/js/users.js
index 5b7802c1e3..4c2ad5417c 100644
--- a/settings/js/users.js
+++ b/settings/js/users.js
@@ -467,6 +467,18 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
 						var addedGroups = result.data.groups;
 						UserList.availableGroups = $.unique($.merge(UserList.availableGroups, addedGroups));
 					}
+					if (result.data.homeExists){
+						OC.Notification.hide();
+						OC.Notification.show(t('settings', 'Warning: Home directory for user "{user}" already exists', {user: result.data.username}));
+						if (UserList.notificationTimeout){
+							window.clearTimeout(UserList.notificationTimeout);
+						}
+						UserList.notificationTimeout = window.setTimeout(
+							function(){
+								OC.Notification.hide();
+								UserList.notificationTimeout = null;
+							}, 10000);
+					}
 					if($('tr[data-uid="' + username + '"]').length === 0) {
 						UserList.add(username, username, result.data.groups, null, 'default', true);
 					}