diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 5c62268..cf605ca 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
     roles.include?(role)
   end
 
+  # try keeping the email field in DB clear and consistent, without empty strings (NULLs instead)
+  def email=(other)
+    super(other.blank? ? nil : other)
+  end
+
 ### TODO methods below probably belong somewhere else
 
   def completed_build_bikes
diff --git a/db/migrate/20170131164224_user_email_can_be_null.rb b/db/migrate/20170131164224_user_email_can_be_null.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..19625be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20170131164224_user_email_can_be_null.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+class UserEmailCanBeNull < ActiveRecord::Migration
+  def up
+    change_table :users do |t|
+      t.change :email, :string, default: nil, null: true
+    end
+
+    User.where(email: '').update_all(email: nil)
+  end
+
+  def down
+    change_table :users do |t|
+      t.change :email, :string, default: '', null: false
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index c001ecc..b405966 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #
 # It's strongly recommended to check this file into your version control system.
 
-ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20170118112258) do
+ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20170131164224) do
 
   create_table "bike_actions", :force => true do |t|
     t.string   "action",     :limit => 128, :null => false
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20170118112258) do
   end
 
   create_table "users", :force => true do |t|
-    t.string   "email",                  :default => "", :null => false
+    t.string   "email"
     t.string   "encrypted_password",     :default => "", :null => false
     t.string   "reset_password_token"
     t.datetime "reset_password_sent_at"