diff --git a/lib/validators/email_validator.rb b/lib/validators/email_validator.rb
index 6f3e8872e09..e0e759571fa 100644
--- a/lib/validators/email_validator.rb
+++ b/lib/validators/email_validator.rb
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@ class EmailValidator < ActiveModel::EachValidator
 
   def validate_each(record, attribute, value)
     if (setting = SiteSetting.email_domains_whitelist).present?
-      unless email_in_restriction_setting?(setting, value)
+      unless email_in_restriction_setting?(setting, value) || is_developer?(value)
         record.errors.add(attribute, I18n.t(:'user.email.not_allowed'))
       end
     elsif (setting = SiteSetting.email_domains_blacklist).present?
-      if email_in_restriction_setting?(setting, value)
+      if email_in_restriction_setting?(setting, value) && !is_developer?(value)
         record.errors.add(attribute, I18n.t(:'user.email.not_allowed'))
       end
     end
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ class EmailValidator < ActiveModel::EachValidator
     value =~ regexp
   end
 
+  def is_developer?(value)
+    Rails.configuration.respond_to?(:developer_emails) && Rails.configuration.developer_emails.include?(value)
+  end
+
   def self.email_regex
     /^[a-zA-Z0-9!#\$%&'*+\/=?\^_`{|}~\-]+(?:\.[a-zA-Z0-9!#\$%&'\*+\/=?\^_`{|}~\-]+)*@(?:[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9\-]*[a-zA-Z0-9])?\.)+[a-zA-Z0-9](?:[a-zA-Z0-9\-]*[a-zA-Z0-9])?$/
   end
diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
index b918d44467e..a13dc476f32 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -534,6 +534,12 @@ describe User do
       expect(Fabricate.build(:user, email: 'notgood@TRASHMAIL.NET')).not_to be_valid
     end
 
+    it 'blacklist should not reject developer emails' do
+      Rails.configuration.stubs(:developer_emails).returns('developer@discourse.org')
+      SiteSetting.stubs(:email_domains_blacklist).returns('discourse.org')
+      expect(Fabricate.build(:user, email: 'developer@discourse.org')).to be_valid
+    end
+
     it 'should not interpret a period as a wildcard' do
       SiteSetting.stubs(:email_domains_blacklist).returns('trashmail.net')
       expect(Fabricate.build(:user, email: 'good@trashmailinet.com')).to be_valid
@@ -571,6 +577,12 @@ describe User do
       expect(Fabricate.build(:user, email: 'good@VAYNERMEDIA.COM')).to be_valid
     end
 
+    it 'whitelist should accept developer emails' do
+      Rails.configuration.stubs(:developer_emails).returns('developer@discourse.org')
+      SiteSetting.stubs(:email_domains_whitelist).returns('awesome.org')
+      expect(Fabricate.build(:user, email: 'developer@discourse.org')).to be_valid
+    end
+
     it 'email whitelist should not be used to validate existing records' do
       u = Fabricate(:user, email: 'in_before_whitelisted@fakemail.com')
       SiteSetting.stubs(:email_domains_blacklist).returns('vaynermedia.com')