diff --git a/emails.go b/emails.go
index d228083..139498a 100644
--- a/emails.go
+++ b/emails.go
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ func SendAlert(u int64, subject, body string) error {
 	if !ok {
 		return fmt.Errorf("scsusers.SendAlert: User %d not found", u)
 	}
-	email, ok := user.Get("email")
+	email, ok := user.GetEmail()
 	if !ok {
 		return fmt.Errorf("scsusers.SendAlert: User %d has no email", u)
 	}
diff --git a/meta.go b/meta.go
index 14ae305..7614910 100644
--- a/meta.go
+++ b/meta.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"database/sql"
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
+	"net/mail"
 )
 
 type Metadata struct {
@@ -11,6 +12,24 @@ type Metadata struct {
 	MetaValue string `db:"meta_value"`
 }
 
+func (u *UserData) GetEmail() (string, bool) {
+	_, err := mail.ParseAddress(u.Username)
+
+	if err == nil {
+		return u.Username, true
+	}
+
+	e, ok := u.Get("email")
+	if !ok {
+		return "", false
+	}
+	_, err = mail.ParseAddress(e)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", false
+	}
+	return e, true
+}
+
 func (u *UserData) LoadMeta() bool {
 	q := fmt.Sprintf("select meta_key, meta_value, id from %s_meta where user=?", c.TablePrefix)
 	rows, err := c.db.Query(q, u.UserID)