diff --git a/app/models/application_model.rb b/app/models/application_model.rb
index e3c32b104..14c418d82 100644
--- a/app/models/application_model.rb
+++ b/app/models/application_model.rb
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ returns
 
 =begin
 
-create model if not exists (check exists based on id, name, login or locale)
+create model if not exists (check exists based on id, name, login, email or locale)
 
   result = Model.create_if_not_exists( attributes )
 
@@ -359,6 +359,13 @@ returns
       records.each {|loop_record|
         return loop_record if loop_record.login == data[:login]
       }
+    elsif data[:email]
+
+      # do lookup with == to handle case insensitive databases
+      records = where( email: data[:email] )
+      records.each {|loop_record|
+        return loop_record if loop_record.email == data[:email]
+      }
     elsif data[:locale] && data[:source]
 
       # do lookup with == to handle case insensitive databases
@@ -372,7 +379,7 @@ returns
 
 =begin
 
-create or update model (check exists based on id, name, login or locale)
+create or update model (check exists based on id, name, login, email or locale)
 
   result = Model.create_or_update( attributes )
 
@@ -418,6 +425,19 @@ returns
       record = new( data )
       record.save
       return record
+    elsif data[:email]
+
+      # do lookup with == to handle case insensitive databases
+      records = where( email: data[:email] )
+      records.each {|loop_record|
+        if loop_record.email.downcase == data[:email].downcase
+          loop_record.update_attributes( data )
+          return loop_record
+        end
+      }
+      record = new( data )
+      record.save
+      return record
     elsif data[:locale]
 
       # do lookup with == to handle case insensitive databases
diff --git a/test/unit/email_address_test.rb b/test/unit/email_address_test.rb
index ac8af3f93..9741b00d2 100644
--- a/test/unit/email_address_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/email_address_test.rb
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@ require 'test_helper'
 class EmailAddressTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
   test 'basic tests' do
 
-    EmailAddress.delete_all
-    email_address1 = EmailAddress.create(
+    email_address1 = EmailAddress.create_or_update(
       realname: 'address #1',
       email: 'address1@example.com',
       active: true,
@@ -22,8 +21,7 @@ class EmailAddressTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
 
   test 'group tests' do
 
-    EmailAddress.delete_all
-    email_address1 = EmailAddress.create(
+    email_address1 = EmailAddress.create_or_update(
       realname: 'address #1',
       email: 'address1@example.com',
       active: true,
@@ -55,8 +53,7 @@ class EmailAddressTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
       created_by_id: 1,
     )
 
-    EmailAddress.delete_all
-    email_address1 = EmailAddress.create(
+    email_address1 = EmailAddress.create_or_update(
       realname: 'address #1',
       email: 'address1@example.com',
       active: true,
@@ -64,7 +61,7 @@ class EmailAddressTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
       updated_by_id: 1,
       created_by_id: 1,
     )
-    email_address2 = EmailAddress.create(
+    email_address2 = EmailAddress.create_or_update(
       realname: 'address #2',
       email: 'address2@example.com',
       active: true,