diff --git a/api/helpers/passport.js b/api/helpers/passport.js
index 0879682..7b5381f 100644
--- a/api/helpers/passport.js
+++ b/api/helpers/passport.js
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ function PassportHelper () {
 
     // if the profile object from passport has an email, use it
     if (profile.emails && profile.emails[0]) userAttrs.email = profile.emails[0].value
-    if (!userAttrs.email) return next(new Error('No email available'))
+    // if (!userAttrs.email) return next(new Error('No email available'))
 
     const pass = await Passport.findOne({
       provider,
@@ -128,7 +128,9 @@ function PassportHelper () {
 
     if (!req.user) {
       if (!pass) { // new user signing up, create a new user and/or passport
-        user = await User.findOne({ email: userAttrs.email })
+        if (userAttrs.email) {
+          user = await User.findOne({ email: userAttrs.email })
+        }
         if (!user) {
           user = await User.create(userAttrs).fetch()
         }
diff --git a/api/models/User.js b/api/models/User.js
index 480dfe2..c8e0292 100644
--- a/api/models/User.js
+++ b/api/models/User.js
@@ -17,9 +17,7 @@ module.exports = {
       autoIncrement: true
     },
     email: {
-      type: 'string',
-      unique: true,
-      required: true
+      type: 'string'
     }
 
     //  ╔═╗╔╦╗╔╗ ╔═╗╔╦╗╔═╗
diff --git a/assets/js/actions/index.js b/assets/js/actions/index.js
index 8f1f566..fa57a66 100644
--- a/assets/js/actions/index.js
+++ b/assets/js/actions/index.js
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ export const editUser = (user) => async (dispatch, getState) => {
   dispatch(setWorking(true))
 
   try {
-    if (!user.currentPassword) throw new Error('Please enter your current password.')
+    // if (!user.currentPassword) throw new Error('Please enter your current password.')
     await Ajax.patch({
       url: '/api/me',
       data: {
diff --git a/config/protocols.js b/config/protocols.js
index aed2dbe..a4ae57c 100644
--- a/config/protocols.js
+++ b/config/protocols.js
@@ -70,17 +70,19 @@ module.exports.protocols = {
         const dbUser = await User.findOne({
           id: user.id
         })
-        if (!dbUser) throw new Error('an account with that id was not found')
+        if (!dbUser) throw new Error('An account with that id was not found.')
 
         const passport = await Passport.findOne({
           protocol: 'local',
           user: user.id
         })
-        if (!user.currentPassword && passport) throw new Error('Missing current password')
+        if (!user.currentPassword && passport) throw new Error('Please enter your current password.')
         if (passport) {
           const res = await Passport.validatePassword(user.currentPassword, passport)
           if (!res) throw new Error('incorrect password')
 
+          const otherUser = await User.findOne({ email: user.email })
+          if (otherUser && otherUser.id !== dbUser.id) throw new Error('There is already an account with that email.')
           await User.update({ id: user.id }, {
             email: user.email
           })
@@ -90,6 +92,8 @@ module.exports.protocols = {
             })
           }
         } else { // no password yet, add one
+          const otherUser = await User.findOne({ email: user.email })
+          if (otherUser && otherUser.id !== dbUser.id) throw new Error('There is already an account with that email.')
           await User.update({ id: user.id }, {
             email: user.email
           })