diff --git a/src/components/views/dialogs/AddressPickerDialog.js b/src/components/views/dialogs/AddressPickerDialog.js
index abc52f7b1d..cbe80763a6 100644
--- a/src/components/views/dialogs/AddressPickerDialog.js
+++ b/src/components/views/dialogs/AddressPickerDialog.js
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import MatrixClientPeg from '../../../MatrixClientPeg';
 import Promise from 'bluebird';
 import { addressTypes, getAddressType } from '../../../UserAddress.js';
 import GroupStore from '../../../stores/GroupStore';
+import * as Email from "../../../email";
 
 const TRUNCATE_QUERY_LIST = 40;
 const QUERY_USER_DIRECTORY_DEBOUNCE_MS = 200;
@@ -419,6 +420,10 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         // a perfectly valid address if there are close matches.
         const addrType = getAddressType(query);
         if (this.props.validAddressTypes.includes(addrType)) {
+            if (addrType === 'email' && !Email.looksValid(query)) {
+                this.setState({searchError: _t("That doesn't look like a valid email address")});
+                return;
+            }
             suggestedList.unshift({
                 addressType: addrType,
                 address: query,
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index 7165539347..c103a63a4c 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -874,6 +874,7 @@
     "Matrix ID": "Matrix ID",
     "Matrix Room ID": "Matrix Room ID",
     "email address": "email address",
+    "That doesn't look like a valid email address": "That doesn't look like a valid email address",
     "You have entered an invalid address.": "You have entered an invalid address.",
     "Try using one of the following valid address types: %(validTypesList)s.": "Try using one of the following valid address types: %(validTypesList)s.",
     "Preparing to send logs": "Preparing to send logs",