diff --git a/app/models/environment.rb b/app/models/environment.rb
index d2a6643..3c0e7cc 100644
--- a/app/models/environment.rb
+++ b/app/models/environment.rb
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ class Environment < ActiveRecord::Base
   # only one environment can be the default one
   validates_uniqueness_of :is_default, :if => (lambda do |environment| environment.is_default? end), :message => _('Only one Virtual Community can be the default one')
 
+  validates_format_of :contact_email, :with => Noosfero::Constants::EMAIL_FORMAT
+
   # #################################################
   # Business logic in general
   # #################################################
diff --git a/test/unit/environment_test.rb b/test/unit/environment_test.rb
index 8933987..fc51ebf 100644
--- a/test/unit/environment_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/environment_test.rb
@@ -140,4 +140,17 @@ class EnvironmentTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     assert !env.display_categories.include?(cat2)
   end
 
+  should 'have a contact email' do
+    env = Environment.new
+    assert_nil env.contact_email
+
+    env.contact_email = 'test'
+    env.valid?
+    assert env.errors.invalid?(:contact_email)
+
+    env.contact_email = 'test@example.com'
+    env.valid?
+    assert !env.errors.invalid?(:contact_email)
+  end
+
 end
--
libgit2 0.21.2