diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 50cadb44d..cf6dd679a 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
     invalid_config_navbar: "%<value>s is not a valid navbar value",
     invalid_config_theme: "%<value>s is not a valid theme",
     invalid_editor_version: "%<value>s must be either v1 or v2",
-    reserved_username: "username is reserved",
-    blank_email: "can't be blank. Your social account must have an email associated with it."
+    reserved_username: "username is reserved"
   }.freeze
 
   attr_accessor :scholar_email, :new_note, :note_for_current_role, :user_status, :pro, :merge_user_id,
@@ -124,7 +123,6 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
   validates :dribbble_url, length: { maximum: 100 }, allow_blank: true, format: DRIBBBLE_URL_REGEXP
   validates :editor_version, inclusion: { in: EDITORS, message: MESSAGES[:invalid_editor_version] }
   validates :email, length: { maximum: 50 }, email: true, allow_nil: true
-  validates :email, presence: { message: MESSAGES[:blank_email] }, unless: :persisted?
   validates :email, uniqueness: { allow_nil: true, case_sensitive: false }, if: :email_changed?
   validates :employer_name, :employer_url, length: { maximum: 100 }
   validates :employment_title, :education, :location, length: { maximum: 100 }
diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
index 048451694..3ed5e475d 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -165,15 +165,6 @@ RSpec.describe User, type: :model do
       it { is_expected.to validate_url_of(:website_url) }
     end
 
-    it "validates the presence of the email if the user has not persisted" do
-      user = build(:user, email: "")
-      user.valid?
-      expect(user.errors[:email][0]).to include("can't be blank")
-      user.email = nil
-      user.valid?
-      expect(user.errors[:email][0]).to include("can't be blank")
-    end
-
     it "validates username against reserved words" do
       user = build(:user, username: "readinglist")
       expect(user).not_to be_valid
@@ -284,7 +275,6 @@ RSpec.describe User, type: :model do
 
     describe "#email" do
       it "sets email to nil if empty" do
-        user.save
         user.email = ""
         user.validate!
         expect(user.email).to eq(nil)
@@ -600,6 +590,8 @@ RSpec.describe User, type: :model do
   end
 
   context "when callbacks are triggered before and after create" do
+    let(:user) { create(:user, email: nil) }
+
     describe "#language_settings" do
       it "sets correct language_settings by default" do
         expect(user.language_settings).to eq("preferred_languages" => %w[en])
diff --git a/spec/requests/user/user_destroy_spec.rb b/spec/requests/user/user_destroy_spec.rb
index 4f18992c5..dac459b89 100644
--- a/spec/requests/user/user_destroy_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/user/user_destroy_spec.rb
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ RSpec.describe "UserDestroy", type: :request do
     end
 
     it "offers to set an email when user doesn't have an email" do
-      shallow_user = create(:user)
-      shallow_user.update(email: nil)
+      shallow_user = create(:user, email: nil)
       sign_in shallow_user
       get "/settings/account"
       expect(response.body).not_to include("Deleting your account will")
@@ -45,11 +44,10 @@ RSpec.describe "UserDestroy", type: :request do
     end
 
     context "when user doesn't have an email" do
-      let!(:shallow_user) { create(:user) }
+      let!(:shallow_user) { create(:user, email: nil) }
 
       before do
         sign_in shallow_user
-        shallow_user.update(email: nil)
       end
 
       it "redirects to account page" do
@@ -99,10 +97,9 @@ RSpec.describe "UserDestroy", type: :request do
     end
 
     context "when user doesn't have an email" do
-      let!(:shallow_user) { create(:user) }
+      let!(:shallow_user) { create(:user, email: nil) }
 
       before do
-        shallow_user.update(email: nil)
         sign_in shallow_user
       end
 
diff --git a/spec/services/users/estimate_default_language_spec.rb b/spec/services/users/estimate_default_language_spec.rb
index c7ec096ff..5233c8410 100644
--- a/spec/services/users/estimate_default_language_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/users/estimate_default_language_spec.rb
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@ require "rails_helper"
 
 RSpec.describe Users::EstimateDefaultLanguage, type: :service do
   it "estimates default language when the email is nil" do
-    no_email_user = create(:user)
-    no_email_user.update(email: nil)
+    no_email_user = create(:user, email: nil)
     described_class.call(no_email_user)
     no_email_user.reload
     expect(no_email_user.estimated_default_language).to eq(nil)
@@ -61,8 +60,7 @@ RSpec.describe Users::EstimateDefaultLanguage, type: :service do
   end
 
   it "sets correct language_settings for no lang" do
-    user = create(:user)
-    user.update(email: nil)
+    user = create(:user, email: nil)
     described_class.call(user)
     expect(user.language_settings).to eq("preferred_languages" => %w[en], "estimated_default_language" => nil)
   end