diff --git a/refstack-ui/app/components/vendors/vendor.html b/refstack-ui/app/components/vendors/vendor.html
index ad8f5f9a..3c3d504c 100644
--- a/refstack-ui/app/components/vendors/vendor.html
+++ b/refstack-ui/app/components/vendors/vendor.html
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="row">
-        <div ng-if="ctrl.vendorProperties.reason">
+        <div ng-if="ctrl.vendorProperties.registration_decline_reason">
             <hr />
-            <strong>Decline reason:</strong> {{ctrl.vendorProperties.reason}}<br />
+            <strong>Registration decline reason:</strong> {{ctrl.vendorProperties.registration_decline_reason}}<br />
         </div>
     </div>
 
@@ -65,10 +65,10 @@
                 </tr>
             </tbody>
         </table>
-        
+
         <div class="row form-group">
             <div class="col-md-6">
-                <label for="new_user">Add user to vendor:</label> 
+                <label for="new_user">Add user to vendor:</label>
                 <input type="text"
                        class="form-control"
                        id="new_user"
diff --git a/refstack-ui/app/components/vendors/vendorController.js b/refstack-ui/app/components/vendors/vendorController.js
index 621bf430..ee0f507f 100644
--- a/refstack-ui/app/components/vendors/vendorController.js
+++ b/refstack-ui/app/components/vendors/vendorController.js
@@ -112,7 +112,8 @@
             confirmModal('Please input decline reason', function(reason) {
                 var url = [refstackApiUrl, '/vendors/', ctrl.vendorId,
                            '/action'].join('');
-                $http.post(url, {deny: null, reason: reason}).success(
+                var content = {deny: null, registration_decline_reason: reason};
+                $http.post(url, content).success(
                     function() {
                         ctrl.getVendor();
                     }).error(function(error) {
diff --git a/refstack/api/controllers/vendors.py b/refstack/api/controllers/vendors.py
index 8b554f96..f86b4000 100644
--- a/refstack/api/controllers/vendors.py
+++ b/refstack/api/controllers/vendors.py
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ class VendorsController(validation.BaseRestControllerWithValidation):
         elif 'cancel' in params:
             self.cancel(vendor)
         else:
-            self.deny(vendor, kw.get('reason'))
+            self.deny(vendor, kw.get('registration_decline_reason'))
 
     def register(self, vendor):
         """Handler for applying for registration with Foundation."""
@@ -290,14 +290,15 @@ class VendorsController(validation.BaseRestControllerWithValidation):
         _check_is_not_foundation(vendor['id'])
 
         if not reason:
-            raise api_exc.ValidationError('Param "reason" can not be empty')
+            raise api_exc.ValidationError(
+                'The decline reason can not be empty')
         if vendor['type'] != const.PENDING_VENDOR:
             raise api_exc.ValidationError(
                 'Invalid organization state for this action.')
 
         props = vendor.get('properties')
         props = json.loads(props) if props else {}
-        props['reason'] = reason
+        props['registration_decline_reason'] = reason
 
         # change vendor type back to private
         org_info = {