diff --git a/public/include/classes/user.class.php b/public/include/classes/user.class.php
index b4627729..7f919502 100644
--- a/public/include/classes/user.class.php
+++ b/public/include/classes/user.class.php
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ class User {
       $this->setErrorMessage( 'Password do not match' );
       return false;
     }
-    if (!empty($email1) && !filter_var($email1, FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
+    if (empty($email1) || !filter_var($email1, FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
       $this->setErrorMessage( 'Invalid e-mail address' );
       return false;
     }
diff --git a/public/templates/mmcFE/register/default.tpl b/public/templates/mmcFE/register/default.tpl
index 93289d32..d4440f1c 100644
--- a/public/templates/mmcFE/register/default.tpl
+++ b/public/templates/mmcFE/register/default.tpl
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
     <tbody><tr><td>Username:</td><td><input type="text" class="text tiny" name="username" value="{$smarty.post.username|escape}" size="15" maxlength="20"></td></tr>
     <tr><td>Password:</td><td><input type="password" class="text tiny" name="password1" value="" size="15" maxlength="20"></td></tr>
     <tr><td>Repeat Password:</td><td><input type="password" class="text tiny" name="password2" value="" size="15" maxlength="20"></td></tr>
-    <tr><td>Email:</td><td><input type="text" name="email1" class="text small" value="{$smarty.post.email1|escape}" size="15"><font size="1"> (Optional) </font></td></tr>
-    <tr><td>Email Repeat:</td><td><input type="text" class="text small" name="email2" value="{$smarty.post.email2|escape}" size="15"><font size="1"> (Optional) </font></td></tr>
+    <tr><td>Email:</td><td><input type="text" name="email1" class="text small" value="{$smarty.post.email1|escape}" size="15"></td></tr>
+    <tr><td>Email Repeat:</td><td><input type="text" class="text small" name="email2" value="{$smarty.post.email2|escape}" size="15"></td></tr>
     <tr><td>PIN:</td><td><input type="password" class="text pin" name="pin" value="" size="4" maxlength="4"><font size="1"> (4 digit number. <b>Remember this pin!</b>)</font></td></tr>
   </tbody></table>
   <input type="submit" class="submit small" value="Register">