diff --git a/mod/install.php b/mod/install.php
index b9deb6114f..301630528b 100644
--- a/mod/install.php
+++ b/mod/install.php
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ function install_post(&$a) {
 	$dbdata = notags(trim($_POST['dbdata']));
 	$timezone = notags(trim($_POST['timezone']));
 	$phpath = notags(trim($_POST['phpath']));
+	$adminmail = notags(trim($_POST['adminmail']));
 
 	require_once("dba.php");
 	unset($db);
@@ -45,8 +46,10 @@ function install_post(&$a) {
 		'$dbdata' => $dbdata,
 		'$timezone' => $timezone,
 		'$urlpath' => $urlpath,
-		'$phpath' => $phpath
+		'$phpath' => $phpath,
+		'$adminmail' => $adminmail
 	));
+
 	$result = file_put_contents('.htconfig.php', $txt);
 	if(! $result) {
 		$a->data = $txt;
@@ -128,6 +131,7 @@ function install_content(&$a) {
 		'$lbl_08' => t('Database Login Password'),
 		'$lbl_09' => t('Database Name'),
 		'$lbl_10' => t('Please select a default timezone for your website'),
+		'$lbl_11' => t('Site administrator email address. Your account email address will need match this.'), 
 		'$baseurl' => $a->get_baseurl(),
 		'$tzselect' => ((x($_POST,'timezone')) ? select_timezone($_POST['timezone']) : select_timezone()),
 		'$submit' => t('Submit'),
@@ -135,7 +139,8 @@ function install_content(&$a) {
 		'$dbuser' => notags(trim($_POST['dbuser'])),
 		'$dbpass' => notags(trim($_POST['dbpass'])),
 		'$dbdata' => notags(trim($_POST['dbdata'])),
-		'$phpath' => $phpath
+		'$phpath' => $phpath,
+		'$adminemail' => notags(trim($_POST['adminemail']))
 	));
 
 	return $o;
diff --git a/mod/register.php b/mod/register.php
index 7aaf747925..5fac9d79ce 100644
--- a/mod/register.php
+++ b/mod/register.php
@@ -103,10 +103,15 @@ function register_post(&$a) {
 		$err .= t('Not a valid email address.') . EOL;
 
 	// Disallow somebody creating an account using openid that uses the admin email address,
-	// since openid bypasses email verification.
+	// since openid bypasses email verification. We'll allow it if there is not yet an admin account.
 
-	if((x($a->config,'admin_email')) && (strcasecmp($email,$a->config['admin_email']) == 0) && strlen($openid_url))
-		$err .= t('Cannot use that email.') . EOL;
+	if((x($a->config,'admin_email')) && (strcasecmp($email,$a->config['admin_email']) == 0) && strlen($openid_url)) {
+		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `user` WHERE `email` = '%s' LIMIT 1",
+			dbesc($email)
+		);
+		if(count($r))
+			$err .= t('Cannot use that email.') . EOL;
+	}
 
 	$nickname = $_POST['nickname'] = strtolower($nickname);
 
diff --git a/view/de/htconfig.tpl b/view/de/htconfig.tpl
index 0ce28b4a06..6eb9501309 100644
--- a/view/de/htconfig.tpl
+++ b/view/de/htconfig.tpl
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ $a->config['sitename'] = "My Friend Network";
 
 $a->config['register_policy'] = REGISTER_OPEN;
 $a->config['register_text'] = '';
-$a->config['admin_email'] = '';
+$a->config['admin_email'] = '$adminmail';
 
 // Maximum size of an imported message, 0 is unlimited
 
diff --git a/view/en/htconfig.tpl b/view/en/htconfig.tpl
index 0ce28b4a06..6eb9501309 100644
--- a/view/en/htconfig.tpl
+++ b/view/en/htconfig.tpl
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ $a->config['sitename'] = "My Friend Network";
 
 $a->config['register_policy'] = REGISTER_OPEN;
 $a->config['register_text'] = '';
-$a->config['admin_email'] = '';
+$a->config['admin_email'] = '$adminmail';
 
 // Maximum size of an imported message, 0 is unlimited
 
diff --git a/view/es/htconfig.tpl b/view/es/htconfig.tpl
index 4de2661129..ea8439ebb4 100644
--- a/view/es/htconfig.tpl
+++ b/view/es/htconfig.tpl
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ $a->config['sitename'] = "La Mia Rete di Amici";
 
 $a->config['register_policy'] = REGISTER_OPEN;
 $a->config['register_text'] = '';
-$a->config['admin_email'] = '';
+$a->config['admin_email'] = '$adminmail';
 
 // Maximum size of an imported message, 0 is unlimited
 
diff --git a/view/fr/htconfig.tpl b/view/fr/htconfig.tpl
index c65114a68a..13ddab07ff 100644
--- a/view/fr/htconfig.tpl
+++ b/view/fr/htconfig.tpl
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ $a->config['sitename'] = "My Friend Network";
 
 $a->config['register_policy'] = REGISTER_OPEN;
 $a->config['register_text'] = '';
-$a->config['admin_email'] = '';
+$a->config['admin_email'] = '$adminmail';
 
 // Maximum size of an imported message, 0 is unlimited
 
diff --git a/view/install_db.tpl b/view/install_db.tpl
index 1c59dbdb9d..6a4d1e2a24 100644
--- a/view/install_db.tpl
+++ b/view/install_db.tpl
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ $lbl_03 $lbl_04 $lbl_05
 <input type="text" name="dbdata" id="install-dbdata"  value="$dbdata" />
 <div id="install-dbdata-end"></div>
 
+<label for="install-admin" id="install-admin-label">$lbl_11</label>
+<input type="text" name="adminemail" id="install-admin"  value="$adminemail" />
+<div id="install-admin-end"></div>
+
 <div id="install-tz-desc">
 $lbl_10
 </div>
diff --git a/view/it/htconfig.tpl b/view/it/htconfig.tpl
index 4de2661129..ea8439ebb4 100644
--- a/view/it/htconfig.tpl
+++ b/view/it/htconfig.tpl
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ $a->config['sitename'] = "La Mia Rete di Amici";
 
 $a->config['register_policy'] = REGISTER_OPEN;
 $a->config['register_text'] = '';
-$a->config['admin_email'] = '';
+$a->config['admin_email'] = '$adminmail';
 
 // Maximum size of an imported message, 0 is unlimited
 
diff --git a/view/sv/htconfig.tpl b/view/sv/htconfig.tpl
index 0ce28b4a06..6eb9501309 100644
--- a/view/sv/htconfig.tpl
+++ b/view/sv/htconfig.tpl
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ $a->config['sitename'] = "My Friend Network";
 
 $a->config['register_policy'] = REGISTER_OPEN;
 $a->config['register_text'] = '';
-$a->config['admin_email'] = '';
+$a->config['admin_email'] = '$adminmail';
 
 // Maximum size of an imported message, 0 is unlimited
 
diff --git a/view/theme/duepuntozero/style.css b/view/theme/duepuntozero/style.css
index fccbe16d97..bbaa43b57b 100644
--- a/view/theme/duepuntozero/style.css
+++ b/view/theme/duepuntozero/style.css
@@ -1943,6 +1943,7 @@ a.mail-list-link {
 #install-dbuser-label,
 #install-dbpass-label,
 #install-dbdata-label,
+#install-admin-label,
 #install-tz-desc {
        float: left;
        width: 250px;
@@ -1954,7 +1955,8 @@ a.mail-list-link {
 #install-dbhost,
 #install-dbuser,
 #install-dbpass,
-#install-dbdata {
+#install-dbdata,
+#install-admin {
        float: left;
        width: 200px;
        margin-left: 20px;
@@ -1964,6 +1966,7 @@ a.mail-list-link {
 #install-dbuser-end,
 #install-dbpass-end,
 #install-dbdata-end,
+#install-admin-end,
 #install-tz-end {
        clear: both;
 }
diff --git a/view/theme/loozah/style.css b/view/theme/loozah/style.css
index d905b988bd..11ccab8ff9 100644
--- a/view/theme/loozah/style.css
+++ b/view/theme/loozah/style.css
@@ -1979,6 +1979,7 @@ a.mail-list-link {
 #install-dbuser-label,
 #install-dbpass-label,
 #install-dbdata-label,
+#install-admin-label,
 #install-tz-desc {
        float: left;
        width: 250px;
@@ -1990,7 +1991,8 @@ a.mail-list-link {
 #install-dbhost,
 #install-dbuser,
 #install-dbpass,
-#install-dbdata {
+#install-dbdata,
+#install-admin {
        float: left;
        width: 200px;
        margin-left: 20px;
@@ -2000,6 +2002,7 @@ a.mail-list-link {
 #install-dbuser-end,
 #install-dbpass-end,
 #install-dbdata-end,
+#install-admin-end,
 #install-tz-end {
        clear: both;
 }