diff --git a/frappe/utils/__init__.py b/frappe/utils/__init__.py
index d3bf1dd10c..9640bcd394 100644
--- a/frappe/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/frappe/utils/__init__.py
@@ -66,9 +66,14 @@ def get_email_address(user=None):
 def get_formatted_email(user, mail=None):
 	"""get Email Address of user formatted as: `John Doe <johndoe@example.com>`"""
 	fullname = get_fullname(user)
+
 	if not mail:
-		mail = get_email_address(user)
-	return cstr(make_header(decode_header(formataddr((fullname, mail)))))
+		mail = get_email_address(user) or validate_email_address(user)
+
+	if not mail:
+		return ''
+	else:
+		return cstr(make_header(decode_header(formataddr((fullname, mail)))))
 
 def extract_email_id(email):
 	"""fetch only the email part of the Email Address"""