diff --git a/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml b/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
index 78cb65882..a2c6a657e 100644
--- a/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ en:
                   attributes:
                       username:
                           taken: "is already taken."
+                      email:
+                          taken: "is already taken."
   hello: "Hello world"
   application:
       helper:
diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
index 561da2076..14a387a7e 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -47,6 +47,18 @@ describe User do
         user.username.should == "someuppercase"
       end
     end
+
+    describe "of email" do
+      it "requires email address" do
+        user = Factory.build(:user, :email => nil)
+        user.should_not be_valid
+      end
+
+      it "requires a unique email address" do
+        duplicate_user = Factory.build(:user, :email => user.email)
+        duplicate_user.should_not be_valid
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   describe '#diaspora_handle' do