Registration failed: Verification code not found

Using joomla 3 after a user registers and clicks on the url to activate the user gets this notice:
Registration failed: Verification code not found. The user does not get this notice if he copies and paste the url from the verification email into the same browser window that gives you the notice that you've been sent an email to activate. How can this be avoided, most people have a email client that will open their default browser window which may not be the same page as the notice.

Thanks in advance.