diff --git a/core/server/models/user.js b/core/server/models/user.js
index cab11ec44c..16cdefc725 100644
--- a/core/server/models/user.js
+++ b/core/server/models/user.js
@@ -368,11 +368,10 @@ User = ghostBookshelf.Model.extend({
         options = options || {};
         options.withRelated = _.union(options.withRelated, options.include);
 
-        if (data.email && data.id) {
+        if (data.email) {
             ops.push(function checkForDuplicateEmail() {
                 return self.getByEmail(data.email).then(function then(user) {
-                    // don't allow update if another user already uses this email
-                    if (user && user.id !== data.id) {
+                    if (user && user.id !== options.id) {
                         return Promise.reject(new errors.ValidationError({message: i18n.t('errors.models.user.userUpdateError.emailIsAlreadyInUse')}));
                     }
                 });
diff --git a/core/test/integration/model/model_users_spec.js b/core/test/integration/model/model_users_spec.js
index e3bf7d396d..bff73cf454 100644
--- a/core/test/integration/model/model_users_spec.js
+++ b/core/test/integration/model/model_users_spec.js
@@ -416,16 +416,17 @@ describe('User Model', function run() {
         });
 
         it('can NOT set an already existing email address', function (done) {
-            var firstUser = testUtils.DataGenerator.Content.users[0].id,
-                secondEmail = testUtils.DataGenerator.Content.users[1].email;
+            var firstUser = testUtils.DataGenerator.Content.users[0],
+                secondUser = testUtils.DataGenerator.Content.users[1];
 
-            UserModel.findOne({id: firstUser}).then(function (user) {
-                return user.edit({email: secondEmail});
-            }).then(function () {
-                done(new Error('Already existing email address was accepted'));
-            }).catch(function () {
-                done();
-            });
+            UserModel.edit({email: secondUser.email}, {id: firstUser.id})
+                .then(function () {
+                    done(new Error('Already existing email address was accepted'));
+                })
+                .catch(function (err) {
+                    (err instanceof errors.ValidationError).should.eql(true);
+                    done();
+                });
         });
 
         it('can edit invited user', function (done) {