diff --git a/addressbook/inc/class.addressbook_ui.inc.php b/addressbook/inc/class.addressbook_ui.inc.php
index 9e099b28a7..1a23911055 100644
--- a/addressbook/inc/class.addressbook_ui.inc.php
+++ b/addressbook/inc/class.addressbook_ui.inc.php
@@ -2471,7 +2471,7 @@ window.egw_LAB.wait(function() {
 		// if email changed, check for doublicates
 		if (in_array($name, array('email', 'email_home')))
 		{
-			if (preg_match('/^'.Etemplate\Widget\Url::EMAIL_PREG.'$/i', $values[$name]))	// only search for real email addresses, to not return to many contacts
+			if (preg_match(Etemplate\Widget\Url::EMAIL_PREG, $values[$name]))	// only search for real email addresses, to not return to many contacts
 			{
 				$contacts = parent::search(array(
 					'email' => $values[$name],