diff --git a/app/controllers/preferences_controller.rb b/app/controllers/preferences_controller.rb
index 36ba8342..40f9c26f 100644
--- a/app/controllers/preferences_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/preferences_controller.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class PreferencesController < ApplicationController
     user_updated = current_user.update_attributes(user_params)
     prefs_updated = current_user.preference.update_attributes(prefs_params)
     if (user_updated && prefs_updated)
-      if !params['user']['password'].blank? # password updated?
+      if params['user']['password'].present? # password updated?
         logout_user t('preferences.password_changed')
       else
         preference_updated
diff --git a/app/controllers/recurring_todos_controller.rb b/app/controllers/recurring_todos_controller.rb
index 854b20b4..011ff3fc 100644
--- a/app/controllers/recurring_todos_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/recurring_todos_controller.rb
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class RecurringTodosController < ApplicationController
     end
 
     # update context
-    if params['recurring_todo']['context_id'].blank? && !params['context_name'].blank?
+    if params['recurring_todo']['context_id'].blank? && params['context_name'].present?
       context = current_user.contexts.where(:name => params['context_name'].strip).first
       unless context
         context = current_user.contexts.build
diff --git a/app/controllers/todos/todo_create_params_helper.rb b/app/controllers/todos/todo_create_params_helper.rb
index 22cf6274..91a2d7c9 100644
--- a/app/controllers/todos/todo_create_params_helper.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/todos/todo_create_params_helper.rb
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ module Todos
     end
 
     def sequential?
-      return !@params[:todos_sequential].blank? && @params[:todos_sequential]=='true'
+      return @params[:todos_sequential].present? && @params[:todos_sequential]=='true'
     end
 
     def specified_by_name?(group_type)
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ module Todos
 
     def specified_by_id?(group_type)
       group_id = send("#{group_type}_id")
-      !group_id.blank?
+      group_id.present?
     end
 
     def project_specified_by_name?
diff --git a/app/controllers/todos_controller.rb b/app/controllers/todos_controller.rb
index b3439136..bcca1d2a 100644
--- a/app/controllers/todos_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/todos_controller.rb
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class TodosController < ApplicationController
       if @todo.errors.empty?
         @todo.add_predecessor_list(p.predecessor_list)
         @saved = @todo.save
-        @todo.tag_with(tag_list) if @saved && !tag_list.blank?
+        @todo.tag_with(tag_list) if @saved && tag_list.present?
         @todo.update_state_from_project if @saved
         @todo.block! if @todo.should_be_blocked?
       else
@@ -174,8 +174,8 @@ class TodosController < ApplicationController
           todo.add_predecessor(@predecessor)
           todo.block!
         end
-        
-        todo.tag_with(tag_list) unless (@saved == false) || tag_list.blank?
+
+        todo.tag_with(tag_list) if @saved && tag_list.present?
 
         @todos << todo
         @not_done_todos << todo if p.new_context_created || p.new_project_created
@@ -1162,7 +1162,7 @@ end
 
   def update_context
     @context_changed = false
-    if params['todo']['context_id'].blank? && !params['context_name'].blank?
+    if params['todo']['context_id'].blank? && params['context_name'].present?
       context = current_user.contexts.where(:name => params['context_name'].strip).first
       unless context
         @new_context = current_user.contexts.build
diff --git a/app/models/todo.rb b/app/models/todo.rb
index 5602fdc5..eda36ed9 100644
--- a/app/models/todo.rb
+++ b/app/models/todo.rb
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class Todo < ActiveRecord::Base
     end
 
     event :unhide do
-      transitions :to => :deferred, :from => [:project_hidden], :guard => Proc.new{|t| !t.show_from.blank? }
+      transitions :to => :deferred, :from => [:project_hidden], :guard => Proc.new{|t| t.show_from.present? }
       transitions :to => :pending, :from => [:project_hidden], :guard => :uncompleted_predecessors?
       transitions :to => :active, :from => [:project_hidden]
     end
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class Todo < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   def check_show_from_in_future
     if show_from_changed? # only check on change of show_from
-      if !show_from.blank? && (show_from < user.date)
+      if show_from.present? && (show_from < user.date)
         errors.add("show_from", I18n.t('models.todo.error_date_must_be_future'))
       end
     end
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ class Todo < ActiveRecord::Base
       # (see http://stackoverflow.com/questions/682920/persisting-the-state-column-on-transition-using-rubyist-aasm-acts-as-state-machi)
       self[:show_from] = date
 
-      defer if active? && !date.blank? && show_from > user.date
+      defer if active? && date.present? && show_from > user.date
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 87726741..90f59d16 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ protected
   end
 
   def password_required?
-    auth_type == 'database' && crypted_password.blank? || !password.blank?
+    auth_type == 'database' && crypted_password.blank? || password.present?
   end
 
 end