diff --git a/app/controllers/GroupController.scala b/app/controllers/GroupController.scala
index 5329de315..abb43306e 100644
--- a/app/controllers/GroupController.scala
+++ b/app/controllers/GroupController.scala
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ case class GroupController @Inject() (
           },
           data =>
             userService
-              .byEmailFuture(data.email)
+              .byEmailFuture(data.email, includeDisabled = true)
               .zip(userService.byGroupIdsFuture(List(groupId), includeDisabled = true))
               .flatMap {
                 case (None, _) =>
diff --git a/app/services/UserService.scala b/app/services/UserService.scala
index 01848876b..1046c3bc7 100644
--- a/app/services/UserService.scala
+++ b/app/services/UserService.scala
@@ -168,17 +168,24 @@ class UserService @Inject() (
         .as(simpleUser.singleOpt)
     }.map(_.toUser)
 
-  def byEmail(email: String): Option[User] =
+  def byEmail(email: String, includeDisabled: Boolean = false): Option[User] =
     db.withConnection { implicit connection =>
+      val disabledSQL: String = if (includeDisabled) {
+        ""
+      } else {
+        " AND disabled = false"
+      }
       SQL(s"""SELECT $fieldsInSelect
               FROM "user"
               WHERE lower(email) = {email}
-              AND disabled = false""")
+              $disabledSQL""")
         .on("email" -> email.toLowerCase)
         .as(simpleUser.singleOpt)
     }.map(_.toUser)
 
-  def byEmailFuture(email: String): Future[Option[User]] = Future(byEmail(email))
+  def byEmailFuture(email: String, includeDisabled: Boolean = false): Future[Option[User]] = Future(
+    byEmail(email, includeDisabled)
+  )
 
   def byEmails(emails: List[String]): List[User] = {
     val lowerCaseEmails = emails.map(_.toLowerCase).distinct