diff --git a/src/user/digest.js b/src/user/digest.js
index 8b6d465c4f..c792ad8f83 100644
--- a/src/user/digest.js
+++ b/src/user/digest.js
@@ -14,182 +14,122 @@ var utils = require('../utils');
 
 var Digest = module.exports;
 
-Digest.execute = function (payload, callback) {
-	callback = callback || function () {};
-
-	var digestsDisabled = meta.config.disableEmailSubscriptions === 1;
+Digest.execute = async function (payload) {
+	const digestsDisabled = meta.config.disableEmailSubscriptions === 1;
 	if (digestsDisabled) {
 		winston.info('[user/jobs] Did not send digests (' + payload.interval + ') because subscription system is disabled.');
-		return callback();
+		return;
+	}
+	let subscribers = payload.subscribers;
+	if (!subscribers) {
+		subscribers = await Digest.getSubscribers(payload.interval);
+	}
+	if (!subscribers.length) {
+		return;
+	}
+	try {
+		const count = await Digest.send({
+			interval: payload.interval,
+			subscribers: subscribers,
+		});
+		winston.info('[user/jobs] Digest (' + payload.interval + ') scheduling completed. ' + count + ' email(s) sent.');
+	} catch (err) {
+		winston.error('[user/jobs] Could not send digests (' + payload.interval + ')', err);
+		throw err;
 	}
-
-	async.waterfall([
-		function (next) {
-			if (payload.subscribers) {
-				setImmediate(next, undefined, payload.subscribers);
-			} else {
-				Digest.getSubscribers(payload.interval, next);
-			}
-		},
-		function (subscribers, next) {
-			if (!subscribers.length) {
-				return callback();
-			}
-
-			var data = {
-				interval: payload.interval,
-				subscribers: subscribers,
-			};
-
-			Digest.send(data, next);
-		},
-	], function (err, count) {
-		if (err) {
-			winston.error('[user/jobs] Could not send digests (' + payload.interval + ')', err);
-		} else {
-			winston.info('[user/jobs] Digest (' + payload.interval + ') scheduling completed. ' + count + ' email(s) sent.');
-		}
-
-		callback(err);
-	});
 };
 
-Digest.getSubscribers = function (interval, callback) {
-	async.waterfall([
-		function (next) {
-			var subs = [];
+Digest.getSubscribers = async function (interval) {
+	var subscribers = [];
 
-			batch.processSortedSet('users:joindate', function (uids, next) {
-				async.waterfall([
-					function (next) {
-						user.getMultipleUserSettings(uids, next);
-					},
-					function (settings, next) {
-						const subUids = [];
-						settings.forEach(function (hash) {
-							if (hash.dailyDigestFreq === interval) {
-								subUids.push(hash.uid);
-							}
-						});
-						user.bans.filterBanned(subUids, next);
-					},
-					function (uids, next) {
-						subs = subs.concat(uids);
-						next();
-					},
-				], next);
-			}, { interval: 1000 }, function (err) {
-				next(err, subs);
-			});
-		},
-		function (subscribers, next) {
-			plugins.fireHook('filter:digest.subscribers', {
-				interval: interval,
-				subscribers: subscribers,
-			}, next);
-		},
-		function (results, next) {
-			next(null, results.subscribers);
-		},
-	], callback);
+	await batch.processSortedSet('users:joindate', async function (uids) {
+		const settings = await user.getMultipleUserSettings(uids);
+		let subUids = [];
+		settings.forEach(function (hash) {
+			if (hash.dailyDigestFreq === interval) {
+				subUids.push(hash.uid);
+			}
+		});
+		subUids = await user.bans.filterBanned(subUids);
+		subscribers = subscribers.concat(subUids);
+	}, { interval: 1000 });
+
+	const results = await plugins.fireHook('filter:digest.subscribers', {
+		interval: interval,
+		subscribers: subscribers,
+	});
+	return results.subscribers;
 };
 
-Digest.send = function (data, callback) {
+Digest.send = async function (data) {
 	var emailsSent = 0;
 	if (!data || !data.subscribers || !data.subscribers.length) {
-		return callback(null, emailsSent);
+		return emailsSent;
 	}
-	var now = new Date();
-
-	async.waterfall([
-		function (next) {
-			user.getUsersFields(data.subscribers, ['uid', 'username', 'userslug', 'lastonline'], next);
-		},
-		function (users, next) {
-			async.eachLimit(users, 100, function (userObj, next) {
-				async.waterfall([
-					function (next) {
-						async.parallel({
-							notifications: async.apply(user.notifications.getDailyUnread, userObj.uid),
-							topics: async.apply(getTermTopics, data.interval, userObj.uid, 0, 9),
-						}, next);
-					},
-					function (data, next) {
-						var notifications = data.notifications.filter(Boolean);
-
-						// If there are no notifications and no new topics, don't bother sending a digest
-						if (!notifications.length && !data.topics.length) {
-							return next();
-						}
-
-						notifications.forEach(function (notification) {
-							if (notification.image && !notification.image.startsWith('http')) {
-								notification.image = nconf.get('url') + notification.image;
-							}
-						});
+	const now = new Date();
+
+	const users = await user.getUsersFields(data.subscribers, ['uid', 'username', 'userslug', 'lastonline']);
+
+	async.eachLimit(users, 100, async function (userObj) {
+		let [notifications, topics] = await Promise.all([
+			user.notifications.getDailyUnread(userObj.uid),
+			getTermTopics(data.interval, userObj.uid, 0, 9),
+		]);
+		notifications = notifications.filter(Boolean);
+		// If there are no notifications and no new topics, don't bother sending a digest
+		if (!notifications.length && !topics.length) {
+			return;
+		}
 
-						// Fix relative paths in topic data
-						data.topics = data.topics.map(function (topicObj) {
-							var user = topicObj.hasOwnProperty('teaser') && topicObj.teaser !== undefined ? topicObj.teaser.user : topicObj.user;
-							if (user && user.picture && utils.isRelativeUrl(user.picture)) {
-								user.picture = nconf.get('base_url') + user.picture;
-							}
+		notifications.forEach(function (notification) {
+			if (notification.image && !notification.image.startsWith('http')) {
+				notification.image = nconf.get('url') + notification.image;
+			}
+		});
 
-							return topicObj;
-						});
-						emailsSent += 1;
-						emailer.send('digest', userObj.uid, {
-							subject: '[[email:digest.subject, ' + (now.getFullYear() + '/' + (now.getMonth() + 1) + '/' + now.getDate()) + ']]',
-							username: userObj.username,
-							userslug: userObj.userslug,
-							notifications: notifications,
-							recent: data.topics,
-							interval: data.interval,
-							showUnsubscribe: true,
-						}, function (err) {
-							if (err) {
-								winston.error('[user/jobs] Could not send digest email', err);
-							}
-						});
-						next();
-					},
-				], next);
-			}, next);
-		},
-	], function (err) {
-		callback(err, emailsSent);
+		// Fix relative paths in topic data
+		topics = topics.map(function (topicObj) {
+			const user = topicObj.hasOwnProperty('teaser') && topicObj.teaser !== undefined ? topicObj.teaser.user : topicObj.user;
+			if (user && user.picture && utils.isRelativeUrl(user.picture)) {
+				user.picture = nconf.get('base_url') + user.picture;
+			}
+			return topicObj;
+		});
+		emailsSent += 1;
+		emailer.send('digest', userObj.uid, {
+			subject: '[[email:digest.subject, ' + (now.getFullYear() + '/' + (now.getMonth() + 1) + '/' + now.getDate()) + ']]',
+			username: userObj.username,
+			userslug: userObj.userslug,
+			notifications: notifications,
+			recent: data.topics,
+			interval: data.interval,
+			showUnsubscribe: true,
+		}, function (err) {
+			if (err) {
+				winston.error('[user/jobs] Could not send digest email', err);
+			}
+		});
 	});
+	return emailsSent;
+};
 
-	function getTermTopics(term, uid, start, stop, callback) {
-		const options = {
-			uid: uid,
-			start: start,
-			stop: stop,
-			term: term,
-			sort: 'posts',
-			teaserPost: 'last-post',
-		};
-
-		async.waterfall([
-			function (next) {
-				topics.getSortedTopics(options, next);
-			},
-			function (data, next) {
-				if (!data.topics.length) {
-					topics.getLatestTopics(options, next);
-				} else {
-					next(null, data);
-				}
-			},
-			(data, next) => {
-				data.topics.forEach(function (topicObj) {
-					if (topicObj && topicObj.teaser && topicObj.teaser.content && topicObj.teaser.content.length > 255) {
-						topicObj.teaser.content = topicObj.teaser.content.slice(0, 255) + '...';
-					}
-				});
-
-				next(null, data.topics);
-			},
-		], callback);
+async function getTermTopics(term, uid, start, stop) {
+	const options = {
+		uid: uid,
+		start: start,
+		stop: stop,
+		term: term,
+		sort: 'posts',
+		teaserPost: 'last-post',
+	};
+	let data = await topics.getSortedTopics(options);
+	if (!data.topics.length) {
+		data = await topics.getLatestTopics(options);
 	}
-};
+	data.topics.forEach(function (topicObj) {
+		if (topicObj && topicObj.teaser && topicObj.teaser.content && topicObj.teaser.content.length > 255) {
+			topicObj.teaser.content = topicObj.teaser.content.slice(0, 255) + '...';
+		}
+	});
+	return data.topics;
+}
diff --git a/src/user/email.js b/src/user/email.js
index 99c267583b..1a76974c59 100644
--- a/src/user/email.js
+++ b/src/user/email.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var async = require('async');
 var nconf = require('nconf');
 
 var user = require('../user');
@@ -13,30 +12,24 @@ var emailer = require('../emailer');
 
 var UserEmail = module.exports;
 
-UserEmail.exists = function (email, callback) {
-	user.getUidByEmail(email.toLowerCase(), function (err, exists) {
-		callback(err, !!exists);
-	});
+UserEmail.exists = async function (email) {
+	const uid = await user.getUidByEmail(email.toLowerCase());
+	return !!uid;
 };
 
-UserEmail.available = function (email, callback) {
-	db.isSortedSetMember('email:uid', email.toLowerCase(), function (err, exists) {
-		callback(err, !exists);
-	});
+UserEmail.available = async function (email) {
+	const exists = await db.isSortedSetMember('email:uid', email.toLowerCase());
+	return !exists;
 };
 
-UserEmail.sendValidationEmail = function (uid, options, callback) {
+UserEmail.sendValidationEmail = async function (uid, options) {
 	/*
 	 * 	Options:
 	 * 		- email, overrides email retrieval
 	 * 		- force, sends email even if it is too soon to send another
 	 */
 
-	// Handling for 2 arguments
-	if (arguments.length === 2 && typeof options === 'function') {
-		callback = options;
-		options = {};
-	}
+	options = options || {};
 
 	// Fallback behaviour (email passed in as second argument)
 	if (typeof options === 'string') {
@@ -45,117 +38,66 @@ UserEmail.sendValidationEmail = function (uid, options, callback) {
 		};
 	}
 
-	callback = callback || function () {};
-	var confirm_code = utils.generateUUID();
-	var confirm_link = nconf.get('url') + '/confirm/' + confirm_code;
-
-	var emailInterval = meta.config.emailConfirmInterval;
-
-	async.waterfall([
-		function (next) {
-			// If no email passed in (default), retrieve email from uid
-			if (options.email && options.email.length) {
-				return setImmediate(next, null, options.email);
-			}
-
-			user.getUserField(uid, 'email', next);
-		},
-		function (email, next) {
-			options.email = email;
-			if (!options.email) {
-				return callback();
-			}
-
-			if (options.force) {
-				return setImmediate(next, null, false);
-			}
-
-			db.get('uid:' + uid + ':confirm:email:sent', next);
-		},
-		function (sent, next) {
-			if (sent) {
-				return next(new Error('[[error:confirm-email-already-sent, ' + emailInterval + ']]'));
-			}
-			db.set('uid:' + uid + ':confirm:email:sent', 1, next);
-		},
-		function (next) {
-			db.pexpireAt('uid:' + uid + ':confirm:email:sent', Date.now() + (emailInterval * 60 * 1000), next);
-		},
-		function (next) {
-			plugins.fireHook('filter:user.verify.code', confirm_code, next);
-		},
-		function (_confirm_code, next) {
-			confirm_code = _confirm_code;
-			db.setObject('confirm:' + confirm_code, {
-				email: options.email.toLowerCase(),
-				uid: uid,
-			}, next);
-		},
-		function (next) {
-			db.expireAt('confirm:' + confirm_code, Math.floor((Date.now() / 1000) + (60 * 60 * 24)), next);
-		},
-		function (next) {
-			user.getUserField(uid, 'username', next);
-		},
-		function (username, next) {
-			var title = meta.config.title || meta.config.browserTitle || 'NodeBB';
-			var template = options.template || 'welcome';
-
-			var data = {
-				username: username,
-				confirm_link: confirm_link,
-				confirm_code: confirm_code,
-
-				subject: options.subject || '[[email:welcome-to, ' + title + ']]',
-				template: template,
-				uid: uid,
-			};
-
-			if (plugins.hasListeners('action:user.verify')) {
-				plugins.fireHook('action:user.verify', { uid: uid, data: data });
-				next();
-			} else {
-				emailer.send(template, uid, data, next);
-			}
-		},
-		function (next) {
-			next(null, confirm_code);
-		},
-	], callback);
-};
+	let confirm_code = utils.generateUUID();
+	const confirm_link = nconf.get('url') + '/confirm/' + confirm_code;
 
-UserEmail.confirm = function (code, callback) {
-	var confirmObj;
-	async.waterfall([
-		function (next) {
-			db.getObject('confirm:' + code, next);
-		},
-		function (_confirmObj, next) {
-			confirmObj = _confirmObj;
-			if (!confirmObj || !confirmObj.uid || !confirmObj.email) {
-				return next(new Error('[[error:invalid-data]]'));
-			}
-
-			user.getUserField(confirmObj.uid, 'email', next);
-		},
-		function (currentEmail, next) {
-			if (!currentEmail || currentEmail.toLowerCase() !== confirmObj.email) {
-				return next(new Error('[[error:invalid-email]]'));
-			}
-
-			async.series([
-				async.apply(user.setUserField, confirmObj.uid, 'email:confirmed', 1),
-				async.apply(db.delete, 'confirm:' + code),
-				async.apply(db.delete, 'uid:' + confirmObj.uid + ':confirm:email:sent'),
-				function (next) {
-					db.sortedSetRemove('users:notvalidated', confirmObj.uid, next);
-				},
-				function (next) {
-					plugins.fireHook('action:user.email.confirmed', { uid: confirmObj.uid, email: confirmObj.email }, next);
-				},
-			], next);
-		},
-	], function (err) {
-		callback(err);
+	const emailInterval = meta.config.emailConfirmInterval;
+
+	// If no email passed in (default), retrieve email from uid
+	if (!options.email || !options.email.length) {
+		options.email = await user.getUserField(uid, 'email');
+	}
+	if (!options.email) {
+		return;
+	}
+	let sent = false;
+	if (!options.force) {
+		sent = await db.get('uid:' + uid + ':confirm:email:sent');
+	}
+	if (sent) {
+		throw new Error('[[error:confirm-email-already-sent, ' + emailInterval + ']]');
+	}
+	await db.set('uid:' + uid + ':confirm:email:sent', 1);
+	await db.pexpireAt('uid:' + uid + ':confirm:email:sent', Date.now() + (emailInterval * 60 * 1000));
+	confirm_code = await plugins.fireHook('filter:user.verify.code', confirm_code);
+
+	await db.setObject('confirm:' + confirm_code, {
+		email: options.email.toLowerCase(),
+		uid: uid,
 	});
+	await db.expireAt('confirm:' + confirm_code, Math.floor((Date.now() / 1000) + (60 * 60 * 24)));
+	const username = await user.getUserField(uid, 'username');
+
+	const data = {
+		username: username,
+		confirm_link: confirm_link,
+		confirm_code: confirm_code,
+
+		subject: options.subject || '[[email:welcome-to, ' + (meta.config.title || meta.config.browserTitle || 'NodeBB') + ']]',
+		template: options.template || 'welcome',
+		uid: uid,
+	};
+
+	if (plugins.hasListeners('action:user.verify')) {
+		plugins.fireHook('action:user.verify', { uid: uid, data: data });
+	} else {
+		await emailer.send(data.template, uid, data);
+	}
+	return confirm_code;
+};
+
+UserEmail.confirm = async function (code) {
+	const confirmObj = await db.getObject('confirm:' + code);
+	if (!confirmObj || !confirmObj.uid || !confirmObj.email) {
+		throw new Error('[[error:invalid-data]]');
+	}
+	const currentEmail = await user.getUserField(confirmObj.uid, 'email');
+	if (!currentEmail || currentEmail.toLowerCase() !== confirmObj.email) {
+		throw new Error('[[error:invalid-email]]');
+	}
+	await user.setUserField(confirmObj.uid, 'email:confirmed', 1);
+	await db.delete('confirm:' + code);
+	await db.delete('uid:' + confirmObj.uid + ':confirm:email:sent');
+	await db.sortedSetRemove('users:notvalidated', confirmObj.uid);
+	await plugins.fireHook('action:user.email.confirmed', { uid: confirmObj.uid, email: confirmObj.email });
 };
diff --git a/src/user/follow.js b/src/user/follow.js
index 50a011f111..9e37a62a8d 100644
--- a/src/user/follow.js
+++ b/src/user/follow.js
@@ -1,103 +1,85 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var async = require('async');
 var plugins = require('../plugins');
 var db = require('../database');
 
 module.exports = function (User) {
-	User.follow = function (uid, followuid, callback) {
-		toggleFollow('follow', uid, followuid, callback);
+	User.follow = async function (uid, followuid) {
+		await toggleFollow('follow', uid, followuid);
 	};
 
-	User.unfollow = function (uid, unfollowuid, callback) {
-		toggleFollow('unfollow', uid, unfollowuid, callback);
+	User.unfollow = async function (uid, unfollowuid) {
+		await toggleFollow('unfollow', uid, unfollowuid);
 	};
 
-	function toggleFollow(type, uid, theiruid, callback) {
+	async function toggleFollow(type, uid, theiruid) {
 		if (parseInt(uid, 10) <= 0 || parseInt(theiruid, 10) <= 0) {
-			return callback(new Error('[[error:invalid-uid]]'));
+			throw new Error('[[error:invalid-uid]]');
 		}
 
 		if (parseInt(uid, 10) === parseInt(theiruid, 10)) {
-			return callback(new Error('[[error:you-cant-follow-yourself]]'));
+			throw new Error('[[error:you-cant-follow-yourself]]');
+		}
+		const exists = await User.exists(theiruid);
+		if (!exists) {
+			throw new Error('[[error:no-user]]');
+		}
+		const isFollowing = await User.isFollowing(uid, theiruid);
+		if (type === 'follow') {
+			if (isFollowing) {
+				throw new Error('[[error:already-following]]');
+			}
+			const now = Date.now();
+			await Promise.all([
+				db.sortedSetAddBulk([
+					['following:' + uid, now, theiruid],
+					['followers:' + theiruid, now, uid],
+				]),
+				User.incrementUserFieldBy(uid, 'followingCount', 1),
+				User.incrementUserFieldBy(theiruid, 'followerCount', 1),
+			]);
+		} else {
+			if (!isFollowing) {
+				throw new Error('[[error:not-following]]');
+			}
+			await Promise.all([
+				db.sortedSetRemoveBulk([
+					['following:' + uid, theiruid],
+					['followers:' + theiruid, uid],
+				]),
+				User.decrementUserFieldBy(uid, 'followingCount', 1),
+				User.decrementUserFieldBy(theiruid, 'followerCount', 1),
+			]);
 		}
-
-		async.waterfall([
-			function (next) {
-				User.exists(theiruid, next);
-			},
-			function (exists, next) {
-				if (!exists) {
-					return next(new Error('[[error:no-user]]'));
-				}
-				User.isFollowing(uid, theiruid, next);
-			},
-			function (isFollowing, next) {
-				if (type === 'follow') {
-					if (isFollowing) {
-						return next(new Error('[[error:already-following]]'));
-					}
-					var now = Date.now();
-					async.parallel([
-						async.apply(db.sortedSetAddBulk, [
-							['following:' + uid, now, theiruid],
-							['followers:' + theiruid, now, uid],
-						]),
-						async.apply(User.incrementUserFieldBy, uid, 'followingCount', 1),
-						async.apply(User.incrementUserFieldBy, theiruid, 'followerCount', 1),
-					], next);
-				} else {
-					if (!isFollowing) {
-						return next(new Error('[[error:not-following]]'));
-					}
-					async.parallel([
-						async.apply(db.sortedSetRemove, 'following:' + uid, theiruid),
-						async.apply(db.sortedSetRemove, 'followers:' + theiruid, uid),
-						async.apply(User.decrementUserFieldBy, uid, 'followingCount', 1),
-						async.apply(User.decrementUserFieldBy, theiruid, 'followerCount', 1),
-					], next);
-				}
-			},
-		], function (err) {
-			callback(err);
-		});
 	}
 
-	User.getFollowing = function (uid, start, stop, callback) {
-		getFollow(uid, 'following', start, stop, callback);
+	User.getFollowing = async function (uid, start, stop) {
+		return await getFollow(uid, 'following', start, stop);
 	};
 
-	User.getFollowers = function (uid, start, stop, callback) {
-		getFollow(uid, 'followers', start, stop, callback);
+	User.getFollowers = async function (uid, start, stop) {
+		return await getFollow(uid, 'followers', start, stop);
 	};
 
-	function getFollow(uid, type, start, stop, callback) {
+	async function getFollow(uid, type, start, stop) {
 		if (parseInt(uid, 10) <= 0) {
-			return setImmediate(callback, null, []);
+			return [];
 		}
-		async.waterfall([
-			function (next) {
-				db.getSortedSetRevRange(type + ':' + uid, start, stop, next);
-			},
-			function (uids, next) {
-				plugins.fireHook('filter:user.' + type, {
-					uids: uids,
-					uid: uid,
-					start: start,
-					stop: stop,
-				}, next);
-			},
-			function (data, next) {
-				User.getUsers(data.uids, uid, next);
-			},
-		], callback);
+		const uids = await db.getSortedSetRevRange(type + ':' + uid, start, stop);
+		const data = await plugins.fireHook('filter:user.' + type, {
+			uids: uids,
+			uid: uid,
+			start: start,
+			stop: stop,
+		});
+		return await User.getUsers(data.uids, uid);
 	}
 
-	User.isFollowing = function (uid, theirid, callback) {
+	User.isFollowing = async function (uid, theirid) {
 		if (parseInt(uid, 10) <= 0 || parseInt(theirid, 10) <= 0) {
-			return setImmediate(callback, null, false);
+			return false;
 		}
-		db.isSortedSetMember('following:' + uid, theirid, callback);
+		return await db.isSortedSetMember('following:' + uid, theirid);
 	};
 };