diff --git a/src/Core/Search/User/Gambit/EmailGambit.php b/src/Core/Search/User/Gambit/EmailGambit.php
index 8d14fd921..b175b6193 100644
--- a/src/Core/Search/User/Gambit/EmailGambit.php
+++ b/src/Core/Search/User/Gambit/EmailGambit.php
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@ class EmailGambit extends AbstractRegexGambit
 
         $email = trim($matches[1], '"');
 
-        $user = $this->users->findByEmail($email);
-
-        $search->getQuery()->where('id', $negate ? '!=' : '=', $user->id);
+        $search->getQuery()->where('email', $negate ? '!=' : '=', $email);
     }
 }