diff --git a/kallithea/controllers/admin/my_account.py b/kallithea/controllers/admin/my_account.py
--- a/kallithea/controllers/admin/my_account.py
+++ b/kallithea/controllers/admin/my_account.py
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ class MyAccountController(BaseController
         if request.POST.get('del_api_key_builtin'):
             user = User.get(user_id)
             if user:
-                user.api_key = generate_api_key(user.username)
+                user.api_key = generate_api_key()
                 Session().add(user)
                 Session().commit()
                 h.flash(_("Api key successfully reset"), category='success')
diff --git a/kallithea/controllers/admin/users.py b/kallithea/controllers/admin/users.py
--- a/kallithea/controllers/admin/users.py
+++ b/kallithea/controllers/admin/users.py
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ class UsersController(BaseController):
         if request.POST.get('del_api_key_builtin'):
             user = User.get(c.user.user_id)
             if user:
-                user.api_key = generate_api_key(user.username)
+                user.api_key = generate_api_key()
                 Session().add(user)
                 Session().commit()
                 h.flash(_("Api key successfully reset"), category='success')
diff --git a/kallithea/lib/dbmigrate/schema/db_1_2_0.py b/kallithea/lib/dbmigrate/schema/db_1_2_0.py
--- a/kallithea/lib/dbmigrate/schema/db_1_2_0.py
+++ b/kallithea/lib/dbmigrate/schema/db_1_2_0.py
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ class User(Base, BaseModel):
                     v = get_crypt_password(v)
                 setattr(new_user, k, v)
 
-            new_user.api_key = generate_api_key(form_data['username'])
+            new_user.api_key = generate_api_key()
             Session.add(new_user)
             Session.commit()
             return new_user
diff --git a/kallithea/lib/utils2.py b/kallithea/lib/utils2.py
--- a/kallithea/lib/utils2.py
+++ b/kallithea/lib/utils2.py
@@ -32,8 +32,10 @@ import sys
 import time
 import uuid
 import datetime
+import urllib
+import binascii
+
 import webob
-import urllib
 import urlobject
 
 from pylons.i18n.translation import _, ungettext
@@ -161,23 +163,11 @@ def detect_mode(line, default):
         return default
 
 
-def generate_api_key(username, salt=None):
+def generate_api_key():
     """
-    Generates unique API key for given username, if salt is not given
-    it'll be generated from some random string
-
-    :param username: username as string
-    :param salt: salt to hash generate KEY
-    :rtype: str
-    :returns: sha1 hash from username+salt
+    Generates a random (presumably unique) API key.
     """
-    from tempfile import _RandomNameSequence
-    import hashlib
-
-    if salt is None:
-        salt = _RandomNameSequence().next()
-
-    return hashlib.sha1(username + salt).hexdigest()
+    return binascii.hexlify(os.urandom(20))
 
 
 def safe_int(val, default=None):
diff --git a/kallithea/model/api_key.py b/kallithea/model/api_key.py
--- a/kallithea/model/api_key.py
+++ b/kallithea/model/api_key.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class ApiKeyModel(BaseModel):
         user = self._get_user(user)
 
         new_api_key = UserApiKeys()
-        new_api_key.api_key = generate_api_key(user.username)
+        new_api_key.api_key = generate_api_key()
         new_api_key.user_id = user.user_id
         new_api_key.description = description
         new_api_key.expires = time.time() + (lifetime * 60) if lifetime != -1 else -1
diff --git a/kallithea/model/user.py b/kallithea/model/user.py
--- a/kallithea/model/user.py
+++ b/kallithea/model/user.py
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class UserModel(BaseModel):
                 k = 'name'
             setattr(new_user, k, v)
 
-        new_user.api_key = generate_api_key(form_data['username'])
+        new_user.api_key = generate_api_key()
         self.sa.add(new_user)
 
         log_create_user(new_user.get_dict(), cur_user)
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ class UserModel(BaseModel):
             new_user.lastname = lastname
 
             if not edit:
-                new_user.api_key = generate_api_key(username)
+                new_user.api_key = generate_api_key()
 
             # set password only if creating an user or password is changed
             password_change = new_user.password and not check_password(password,
diff --git a/kallithea/tests/functional/test_login.py b/kallithea/tests/functional/test_login.py
--- a/kallithea/tests/functional/test_login.py
+++ b/kallithea/tests/functional/test_login.py
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ class TestLoginController(TestController
         new.email = email
         new.name = name
         new.lastname = lastname
-        new.api_key = generate_api_key(username)
+        new.api_key = generate_api_key()
         Session().add(new)
         Session().commit()