diff --git a/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Configurator/Configurator.php b/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Configurator/Configurator.php
index 71eee940642..5f11b14e6f6 100644
--- a/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Configurator/Configurator.php
+++ b/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Configurator/Configurator.php
@@ -80,6 +80,16 @@ public function isFileWritable()
      */
     public function addStep(StepInterface $step)
     {
+        //merge existing settings
+        $properties = get_object_vars($step);
+
+        $existing = $this->getParameters();
+        foreach ($properties as $p => $v) {
+            if (isset($existing[$p])) {
+                $step->$p = $existing[$p];
+            }
+        }
+
         $this->steps[] = $step;
     }
 
diff --git a/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Controller/InstallController.php b/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Controller/InstallController.php
index 9a4a7cfd4a8..0f3e8a714e7 100644
--- a/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Controller/InstallController.php
+++ b/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Controller/InstallController.php
@@ -365,7 +365,10 @@ private function performDatabaseInstallation ($dbParams)
 
             return array(
                 'type' => 'error',
-                'msg'  => 'mautic.installer.error.connecting.database'
+                'msg'  => 'mautic.installer.error.connecting.database',
+                'msgVars' => array(
+                    '%exception%' => $exception->getMessage()
+                )
             );
         }
 
diff --git a/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Views/Install/doctrine.html.php b/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Views/Install/doctrine.html.php
index 81fb82b1dca..aa2eb3ef38d 100644
--- a/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Views/Install/doctrine.html.php
+++ b/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Views/Install/doctrine.html.php
@@ -27,49 +27,54 @@
 <h2 class="page-header">
 	<?php echo $view['translator']->trans('mautic.install.heading.database.configuration'); ?>
 </h2>
-<p><?php echo $view['translator']->trans('mautic.install.database.introtext'); ?></p>
-
-
 <?php echo $view['form']->start($form); ?>
-<?php echo $view['form']->row($form['driver']); ?>
-
-<div class="row">
-    <div class="col-sm-6">
-        <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['host']); ?>
-    </div>
-    <div class="col-sm-6">
-        <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['port']); ?>
+<div class="panel panel-primary">
+    <div class="panel-heading pa-10">
+        <h6><?php echo $view['translator']->trans('mautic.install.database.introtext'); ?></h6>
     </div>
-</div>
+    <div class="panel-body">
+        <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['driver']); ?>
 
-<div class="row">
-    <div class="col-sm-6">
-        <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['name']); ?>
-    </div>
-    <div class="col-sm-6">
-        <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['table_prefix']); ?>
-    </div>
-</div>
+        <div class="row">
+            <div class="col-sm-6">
+                <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['host']); ?>
+            </div>
+            <div class="col-sm-6">
+                <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['port']); ?>
+            </div>
+        </div>
 
-<div class="row">
-    <div class="col-sm-6">
-        <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['user']); ?>
-    </div>
-    <div class="col-sm-6">
-        <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['password']); ?>
-    </div>
-</div>
+        <div class="row">
+            <div class="col-sm-6">
+                <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['name']); ?>
+            </div>
+            <div class="col-sm-6">
+                <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['table_prefix']); ?>
+            </div>
+        </div>
 
-<div class="row">
-    <div class="col-sm-6">
-        <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['backup_tables']); ?>
-    </div>
-    <?php $hide = (!$form['backup_tables']->vars['data']) ? ' hide' : ''; ?>
-    <div class="col-sm-6<?php echo $hide; ?>" id="backupPrefix">
-        <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['backup_prefix']); ?>
+        <div class="row">
+            <div class="col-sm-6">
+                <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['user']); ?>
+            </div>
+            <div class="col-sm-6">
+                <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['password']); ?>
+            </div>
+        </div>
+
+        <div class="row">
+            <div class="col-sm-6">
+                <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['backup_tables']); ?>
+            </div>
+            <?php $hide = (!$form['backup_tables']->vars['data']) ? ' hide' : ''; ?>
+            <div class="col-sm-6<?php echo $hide; ?>" id="backupPrefix">
+                <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['backup_prefix']); ?>
+            </div>
+        </div>
     </div>
 </div>
 
+
 <div class="row mt-20">
     <div class="col-sm-9">
         <div class="hide" id="waitMessage">
@@ -82,5 +87,4 @@
         <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['buttons']); ?>
     </div>
 </div>
-
 <?php echo $view['form']->end($form); ?>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Views/Install/user.html.php b/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Views/Install/user.html.php
index db1cae64c16..f07f60536a7 100644
--- a/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Views/Install/user.html.php
+++ b/app/bundles/InstallBundle/Views/Install/user.html.php
@@ -14,33 +14,40 @@
 <h2 class="page-header">
 	<?php echo $view['translator']->trans('mautic.install.heading.user.configuration'); ?>
 </h2>
-<p><?php echo $view['translator']->trans('mautic.install.user.introtext'); ?></p>
 
 <?php echo $view['form']->start($form); ?>
 
-<div class="row">
-    <div class="col-sm-6">
-        <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['username']); ?>
+<div class="panel panel-primary">
+    <div class="panel-heading pa-10">
+        <h6><?php echo $view['translator']->trans('mautic.install.user.introtext'); ?></h6>
     </div>
-    <div class="col-sm-6">
-        <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['password']); ?>
-    </div>
-</div>
-
-
-<div class="row">
-    <div class="col-sm-6">
-        <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['firstname']); ?>
-    </div>
-    <div class="col-sm-6">
-        <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['lastname']); ?>
-    </div>
-</div>
-
-
-<div class="row">
-    <div class="col-sm-12">
-        <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['email']); ?>
+    <div class="panel-body">
+
+        <div class="row">
+            <div class="col-sm-6">
+                <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['username']); ?>
+            </div>
+            <div class="col-sm-6">
+                <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['password']); ?>
+            </div>
+        </div>
+
+
+        <div class="row">
+            <div class="col-sm-6">
+                <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['firstname']); ?>
+            </div>
+            <div class="col-sm-6">
+                <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['lastname']); ?>
+            </div>
+        </div>
+
+
+        <div class="row">
+            <div class="col-sm-12">
+                <?php echo $view['form']->row($form['email']); ?>
+            </div>
+        </div>
     </div>
 </div>