diff --git a/src/utils/net.py b/src/utils/net.py
index 8c899af94..5cc2276f1 100644
--- a/src/utils/net.py
+++ b/src/utils/net.py
@@ -31,8 +31,13 @@
 Simple utility modules.
 """
 
+import re
 import socket
 
+emailRe = re.compile(r"^(\w&.+-]+!)*[\w&.+-]+@"
+                     r"(([0-9a-z]([0-9a-z-]*[0-9a-z])?\.)[a-z]{2,6}|"
+                     r"([0-9]{1,3}\.){3}[0-9]{1,3})$", re.I) 
+
 def getSocket(host):
     """Returns a socket of the correct AF_INET type (v4 or v6) in order to
     communicate with host.
diff --git a/test/test_utils.py b/test/test_utils.py
index ae86fd64d..80956ef2c 100644
--- a/test/test_utils.py
+++ b/test/test_utils.py
@@ -385,6 +385,10 @@ class FileTest(SupyTestCase):
 
 
 class NetTest(SupyTestCase):
+    def testEmailRe(self):
+        emailRe = utils.net.emailRe
+        self.failUnless(emailRe.match('jemfinch@supybot.com'))
+
     def testIsIP(self):
         isIP = utils.net.isIP
         self.failIf(isIP('a.b.c'))