diff --git a/pkg/user/user.go b/pkg/user/user.go
index 5b9084f8f..a73d64cb9 100644
--- a/pkg/user/user.go
+++ b/pkg/user/user.go
@@ -265,6 +265,10 @@ func CreateUser(user *User) (newUser *User, err error) {
 		Subject: newUser.Subject,
 	}
 
+	if newUser.Issuer != "local" {
+		userToCheck.Email = ""
+	}
+
 	_, err = GetUser(userToCheck)
 	if err != nil {
 		if IsErrUserDoesNotExist(err) {
@@ -273,7 +277,7 @@ func CreateUser(user *User) (newUser *User, err error) {
 			return &User{}, err
 		}
 	}
-	if exists {
+	if exists && newUser.Issuer == "local" {
 		return &User{}, ErrUserEmailExists{newUser.ID, newUser.Email}
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/user/user_test.go b/pkg/user/user_test.go
index 17f5de48b..09aae3e12 100644
--- a/pkg/user/user_test.go
+++ b/pkg/user/user_test.go
@@ -108,22 +108,6 @@ func TestCreateUser(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 	})
-	t.Run("existing user but changed email", func(t *testing.T) {
-		// User changed their email in third party service, should update here
-		db.LoadAndAssertFixtures(t)
-		n, err := CreateUser(&User{
-			Username: "somenewuser",
-			Email:    "somenewuser@example.com",
-			Issuer:   "https://some.service.com",
-			Subject:  "12345",
-		})
-		assert.NoError(t, err)
-
-		nu := &User{ID: n.ID}
-		_, err = x.Get(nu)
-		assert.NoError(t, err)
-		assert.Equal(t, "somenewuser@example.com", nu.Email)
-	})
 }
 
 func TestGetUser(t *testing.T) {