diff --git a/src/lib/strings/handles.ts b/src/lib/strings/handles.ts
index bc07b32ec6..052dab3774 100644
--- a/src/lib/strings/handles.ts
+++ b/src/lib/strings/handles.ts
@@ -25,28 +25,32 @@ export function sanitizeHandle(handle: string, prefix = ''): string {
   return isInvalidHandle(handle) ? '⚠Invalid Handle' : `${prefix}${handle}`
 }
 
-export interface IsValidHandle {
-  handleChars: boolean
-  hyphenStartOrEnd: boolean
-  frontLength: boolean
-  totalLength: boolean
-  overall: boolean
-}
+type ValidHandleResult =
+  | 'charsError'
+  | 'hyphenError'
+  | 'frontLengthError'
+  | 'totalLengthError'
+  | 'valid'
 
 // More checks from https://github.com/bluesky-social/atproto/blob/main/packages/pds/src/handle/index.ts#L72
-export function validateHandle(str: string, userDomain: string): IsValidHandle {
+export function validateHandle(
+  str: string,
+  userDomain: string,
+): ValidHandleResult {
   const fullHandle = createFullHandle(str, userDomain)
 
-  const results = {
-    handleChars:
-      !str || (VALIDATE_REGEX.test(fullHandle) && !str.includes('.')),
-    hyphenStartOrEnd: !str.startsWith('-') && !str.endsWith('-'),
-    frontLength: str.length >= 3,
-    totalLength: fullHandle.length <= 253,
+  if (str.length < 3) {
+    return 'frontLengthError'
+  }
+  if (fullHandle.length > 253) {
+    return 'totalLengthError'
+  }
+  if (str.startsWith('-') || str.endsWith('-')) {
+    return 'hyphenError'
+  }
+  if (!str || !VALIDATE_REGEX.test(fullHandle) || str.includes('.')) {
+    return 'charsError'
   }
 
-  return {
-    ...results,
-    overall: !Object.values(results).includes(false),
-  }
+  return 'valid'
 }
diff --git a/src/screens/Signup/StepHandle.tsx b/src/screens/Signup/StepHandle.tsx
index 2266f43879..f7d097848f 100644
--- a/src/screens/Signup/StepHandle.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Signup/StepHandle.tsx
@@ -2,41 +2,20 @@ import React from 'react'
 import {View} from 'react-native'
 import {msg, Trans} from '@lingui/macro'
 import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react'
-import {useFocusEffect} from '@react-navigation/native'
 
-import {
-  createFullHandle,
-  IsValidHandle,
-  validateHandle,
-} from '#/lib/strings/handles'
+import {createFullHandle} from '#/lib/strings/handles'
 import {ScreenTransition} from '#/screens/Login/ScreenTransition'
 import {useSignupContext} from '#/screens/Signup/state'
-import {atoms as a, useTheme} from '#/alf'
+import {atoms as a} from '#/alf'
+import {FormError} from '#/components/forms/FormError'
 import * as TextField from '#/components/forms/TextField'
 import {At_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as At} from '#/components/icons/At'
-import {Check_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as Check} from '#/components/icons/Check'
-import {TimesLarge_Stroke2_Corner0_Rounded as Times} from '#/components/icons/Times'
 import {Text} from '#/components/Typography'
 
 export function StepHandle() {
   const {_} = useLingui()
-  const t = useTheme()
   const {state, dispatch} = useSignupContext()
 
-  const [validCheck, setValidCheck] = React.useState<IsValidHandle>({
-    handleChars: false,
-    hyphenStartOrEnd: false,
-    frontLength: false,
-    totalLength: true,
-    overall: false,
-  })
-
-  useFocusEffect(
-    React.useCallback(() => {
-      setValidCheck(validateHandle(state.handle, state.userDomain))
-    }, [state.handle, state.userDomain]),
-  )
-
   const onHandleChange = React.useCallback(
     (value: string) => {
       if (state.error) {
@@ -75,61 +54,8 @@ export function StepHandle() {
             @{createFullHandle(state.handle, state.userDomain)}
           </Text>
         </Text>
-
-        <View
-          style={[
-            a.w_full,
-            a.rounded_sm,
-            a.border,
-            a.p_md,
-            a.gap_sm,
-            t.atoms.border_contrast_low,
-          ]}>
-          {state.error ? (
-            <View style={[a.w_full, a.flex_row, a.align_center, a.gap_sm]}>
-              <IsValidIcon valid={false} />
-              <Text style={[a.text_md, a.flex_1]}>{state.error}</Text>
-            </View>
-          ) : undefined}
-          {validCheck.hyphenStartOrEnd ? (
-            <View style={[a.w_full, a.flex_row, a.align_center, a.gap_sm]}>
-              <IsValidIcon valid={validCheck.handleChars} />
-              <Text style={[a.text_md, a.flex_1]}>
-                <Trans>Only contains letters, numbers, and hyphens</Trans>
-              </Text>
-            </View>
-          ) : (
-            <View style={[a.w_full, a.flex_row, a.align_center, a.gap_sm]}>
-              <IsValidIcon valid={validCheck.hyphenStartOrEnd} />
-              <Text style={[a.text_md, a.flex_1]}>
-                <Trans>Doesn't begin or end with a hyphen</Trans>
-              </Text>
-            </View>
-          )}
-          <View style={[a.w_full, a.flex_row, a.align_center, a.gap_sm]}>
-            <IsValidIcon
-              valid={validCheck.frontLength && validCheck.totalLength}
-            />
-            {!validCheck.totalLength ? (
-              <Text style={[a.text_md, a.flex_1]}>
-                <Trans>No longer than 253 characters</Trans>
-              </Text>
-            ) : (
-              <Text style={[a.text_md, a.flex_1]}>
-                <Trans>At least 3 characters</Trans>
-              </Text>
-            )}
-          </View>
-        </View>
+        <FormError error={state.error} />
       </View>
     </ScreenTransition>
   )
 }
-
-function IsValidIcon({valid}: {valid: boolean}) {
-  const t = useTheme()
-  if (!valid) {
-    return <Times size="md" style={{color: t.palette.negative_500}} />
-  }
-  return <Check size="md" style={{color: t.palette.positive_700}} />
-}
diff --git a/src/screens/Signup/index.tsx b/src/screens/Signup/index.tsx
index 6758f7fa14..8bfc32fb5c 100644
--- a/src/screens/Signup/index.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Signup/index.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react'
 import {useAnalytics} from '#/lib/analytics/analytics'
 import {FEEDBACK_FORM_URL} from '#/lib/constants'
 import {logEvent} from '#/lib/statsig/statsig'
-import {createFullHandle} from '#/lib/strings/handles'
+import {createFullHandle, validateHandle} from '#/lib/strings/handles'
 import {useServiceQuery} from '#/state/queries/service'
 import {useAgent} from '#/state/session'
 import {LoggedOutLayout} from '#/view/com/util/layouts/LoggedOutLayout'
@@ -74,6 +74,39 @@ export function Signup({onPressBack}: {onPressBack: () => void}) {
   const onNextPress = React.useCallback(async () => {
     if (state.activeStep === SignupStep.HANDLE) {
       try {
+        const isValidHandle = validateHandle(state.handle, state.userDomain)
+
+        switch (isValidHandle) {
+          case 'charsError':
+            dispatch({
+              type: 'setError',
+              value: _(
+                msg`Handle may only contain letters, numbers, and hyphens`,
+              ),
+            })
+            return
+          case 'totalLengthError':
+            dispatch({
+              type: 'setError',
+              value: _(msg`Handle may not be longer than 253 characters`),
+            })
+            return
+          case 'frontLengthError':
+            dispatch({
+              type: 'setError',
+              value: _(msg`Handle should be at least 3 characters`),
+            })
+            return
+          case 'hyphenError':
+            dispatch({
+              type: 'setError',
+              value: _(msg`Handle may not begin or end with a hyphen`),
+            })
+            return
+          case 'valid':
+            break
+        }
+
         dispatch({type: 'setIsLoading', value: true})
 
         const res = await getAgent().resolveHandle({
diff --git a/src/screens/Signup/state.ts b/src/screens/Signup/state.ts
index 86a144368f..dc6509d9a7 100644
--- a/src/screens/Signup/state.ts
+++ b/src/screens/Signup/state.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import * as EmailValidator from 'email-validator'
 
 import {DEFAULT_SERVICE, IS_PROD_SERVICE} from '#/lib/constants'
 import {cleanError} from '#/lib/strings/errors'
-import {createFullHandle, validateHandle} from '#/lib/strings/handles'
+import {createFullHandle} from '#/lib/strings/handles'
 import {getAge} from '#/lib/strings/time'
 import {logger} from '#/logger'
 import {
@@ -175,11 +175,8 @@ export function reducer(s: SignupState, a: SignupAction): SignupState {
         isValidEmail
       break
     }
-    case SignupStep.HANDLE: {
-      next.canNext =
-        !!next.handle && validateHandle(next.handle, next.userDomain).overall
-      break
-    }
+    default:
+      next.canNext = true
   }
 
   logger.debug('signup', next)