diff --git a/ckan/logic/schema.py b/ckan/logic/schema.py
index fe8e05c38fc..34a62c63824 100644
--- a/ckan/logic/schema.py
+++ b/ckan/logic/schema.py
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ def default_user_schema():
         'password': [user_password_validator, user_password_not_empty,
                      ignore_missing, unicode],
         'password_hash': [ignore_missing, ignore_not_sysadmin, unicode],
-        'email': [not_empty, unicode],
+        'email': [not_empty, unicode, email_validator],
         'about': [ignore_missing, user_about_validator, unicode],
         'created': [ignore],
         'openid': [ignore_missing],