diff --git a/ipa-server/ipa-gui/ipagui/forms/user.py b/ipa-server/ipa-gui/ipagui/forms/user.py
index b426f8e91..7cc150eff 100644
--- a/ipa-server/ipa-gui/ipagui/forms/user.py
+++ b/ipa-server/ipa-gui/ipagui/forms/user.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class UserNewValidator(validators.Schema):
     userpassword_confirm = validators.String(not_empty=False)
     givenname = validators.String(not_empty=True)
     sn = validators.String(not_empty=True)
-    mail = validators.Email(not_empty=True)
+    mail = validators.Email(not_empty=False)
 
     chained_validators = [
       validators.FieldsMatch('userpassword', 'userpassword_confirm')