diff --git a/.github/CHANGELOG.md b/.github/CHANGELOG.md
index f58a2e7a..7a253d96 100644
--- a/.github/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/.github/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Fixed
+
+-   Change the attribute used to check already exisiting emails when updating one's account
+
 ## [2.0.0](https://github.com/hackmcgill/hackerapi/tree/2.0.0) - 2019-12-17
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/middlewares/account.middleware.js b/middlewares/account.middleware.js
index 38b14170..3c4ef751 100644
--- a/middlewares/account.middleware.js
+++ b/middlewares/account.middleware.js
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ async function updateAccount(req, res, next) {
     // TODO: When pull request for parse patch refactor #546 hits, req.body.email will not be present.
     if (req.body.email && account.email != req.body.email) {
         const existingAccount = await Services.Account.findByEmail(
-            account.email
+            req.body.email
         );
         if (existingAccount) {
             return next({
diff --git a/tests/account.test.js b/tests/account.test.js
index 467f4101..ca456296 100644
--- a/tests/account.test.js
+++ b/tests/account.test.js
@@ -287,13 +287,15 @@ describe("PATCH update account", function() {
     const updatedInfo = {
         _id: teamHackerAccount0._id,
         firstName: "new",
-        lastName: "name"
+        lastName: "name",
+        email: "newUpdatedEmail@mail.com"
     };
 
     const failUpdatedInfo = {
         _id: Admin0._id,
         firstName: "fail",
-        lastName: "fail"
+        lastName: "fail",
+        email: storedAccount1.email
     };
 
     // fail on authentication
@@ -358,6 +360,7 @@ describe("PATCH update account", function() {
                     // Is this correct matching of data?
                     res.body.data.firstName.should.equal(updatedInfo.firstName);
                     res.body.data.lastName.should.equal(updatedInfo.lastName);
+                    res.body.data.email.should.equal(updatedInfo.email);
                     done();
                 });
         });
@@ -387,6 +390,29 @@ describe("PATCH update account", function() {
                 });
         });
     });
+
+    // fail due to attempt to update account email to one that already exists in DB
+    it("should FAIL to update email to one that already exists", function(done) {
+        util.auth.login(agent, Admin0, (error) => {
+            if (error) {
+                agent.close();
+                return done(error);
+            }
+            agent
+                .patch(`/api/account/${failUpdatedInfo._id}`)
+                .type("application/json")
+                .send(failUpdatedInfo)
+                .end(function(err, res) {
+                    res.should.have.status(409);
+                    res.should.be.json;
+                    res.body.should.have.property("message");
+                    res.body.message.should.equal(
+                        Constants.Error.ACCOUNT_EMAIL_409_MESSAGE
+                    );
+                    done();
+                });
+        });
+    });
 });
 
 describe("POST reset password", function() {