diff --git a/app/controllers/users_controller.rb b/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
index 945d50a5a51..006fb58b7f2 100644
--- a/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
@@ -283,17 +283,14 @@ class UsersController < ApplicationController
     user = fetch_user_from_params
     guardian.ensure_can_edit!(user)
 
-    user_email = user.user_emails.find_by(email: params[:email])
-    if user_email&.primary
-      return render json: failed_json, status: 428
-    end
-
     ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
-      if user_email
-        user_email.destroy
+      if email = user.user_emails.find_by(email: params[:email], primary: false)
+        email.destroy
         DiscourseEvent.trigger(:user_updated, user)
-      elsif
-        user.email_change_requests.where(new_email: params[:email]).destroy_all
+      elsif change_requests = user.email_change_requests.where(new_email: params[:email]).presence
+        change_requests.destroy_all
+      else
+        return render json: failed_json, status: 428
       end
 
       if current_user.staff? && current_user != user
diff --git a/lib/email_updater.rb b/lib/email_updater.rb
index 5b7b0aec950..68724a908d2 100644
--- a/lib/email_updater.rb
+++ b/lib/email_updater.rb
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ class EmailUpdater
       UserHistory.create!(action: UserHistory.actions[:add_email], acting_user_id: @user.id)
     end
 
-    change_req = EmailChangeRequest.find_or_initialize_by(
-      user_id: @user.id, new_email: email, requested_by: @guardian.user
-    )
+    change_req = EmailChangeRequest.find_or_initialize_by(user_id: @user.id, new_email: email)
+
     if change_req.new_record?
+      change_req.requested_by = @guardian.user
       change_req.old_email = old_email
       change_req.new_email = email
     end
diff --git a/spec/components/email_updater_spec.rb b/spec/components/email_updater_spec.rb
index 31dbe7af9db..d10ec0b8bd7 100644
--- a/spec/components/email_updater_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/email_updater_spec.rb
@@ -17,6 +17,15 @@ describe EmailUpdater do
     expect(updater.errors.messages[:base].first).to be I18n.t("change_email.error_staged")
   end
 
+  it "does not create multiple email change requests" do
+    user = Fabricate(:user)
+
+    EmailUpdater.new(guardian: Fabricate(:admin).guardian, user: user).change_to(new_email)
+    EmailUpdater.new(guardian: Fabricate(:admin).guardian, user: user).change_to(new_email)
+
+    expect(user.email_change_requests.count).to eq(1)
+  end
+
   context "when an admin is changing the email of another user" do
     let(:admin) { Fabricate(:admin) }
     let(:updater) { EmailUpdater.new(guardian: admin.guardian, user: user) }
diff --git a/spec/requests/users_controller_spec.rb b/spec/requests/users_controller_spec.rb
index a4a948aced8..ce974f3e1dd 100644
--- a/spec/requests/users_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/users_controller_spec.rb
@@ -2852,6 +2852,18 @@ describe UsersController do
       expect(event[:event_name]).to eq(:user_updated)
       expect(event[:params].first).to eq(user)
     end
+
+    it "can destroy duplicate emails" do
+      EmailChangeRequest.create!(
+        user: user,
+        new_email: user.email,
+        change_state: EmailChangeRequest.states[:authorizing_new]
+      )
+
+      delete "/u/#{user.username}/preferences/email.json", params: { email: user_email.email }
+
+      expect(user.email_change_requests).to be_empty
+    end
   end
 
   describe '#is_local_username' do