diff --git a/models/user/user.go b/models/user/user.go
index 0be36e69ab..57b2117bb9 100644
--- a/models/user/user.go
+++ b/models/user/user.go
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ func CreateUser(u *User, overwriteDefault ...*CreateUserOverwriteOptions) (err e
 	}
 
 	// validate data
-	if err := validateUser(u); err != nil {
+	if err := ValidateUser(u); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -767,19 +767,26 @@ func checkDupEmail(ctx context.Context, u *User) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// validateUser check if user is valid to insert / update into database
-func validateUser(u *User) error {
-	if !setting.Service.AllowedUserVisibilityModesSlice.IsAllowedVisibility(u.Visibility) && !u.IsOrganization() {
-		return fmt.Errorf("visibility Mode not allowed: %s", u.Visibility.String())
+// ValidateUser check if user is valid to insert / update into database
+func ValidateUser(u *User, cols ...string) error {
+	if len(cols) == 0 || util.SliceContainsString(cols, "visibility", true) {
+		if !setting.Service.AllowedUserVisibilityModesSlice.IsAllowedVisibility(u.Visibility) && !u.IsOrganization() {
+			return fmt.Errorf("visibility Mode not allowed: %s", u.Visibility.String())
+		}
 	}
 
-	u.Email = strings.ToLower(u.Email)
-	return ValidateEmail(u.Email)
+	if len(cols) == 0 || util.SliceContainsString(cols, "email", true) {
+		u.Email = strings.ToLower(u.Email)
+		if err := ValidateEmail(u.Email); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // UpdateUser updates user's information.
 func UpdateUser(ctx context.Context, u *User, changePrimaryEmail bool, cols ...string) error {
-	err := validateUser(u)
+	err := ValidateUser(u, cols...)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -845,7 +852,7 @@ func UpdateUser(ctx context.Context, u *User, changePrimaryEmail bool, cols ...s
 
 // UpdateUserCols update user according special columns
 func UpdateUserCols(ctx context.Context, u *User, cols ...string) error {
-	if err := validateUser(u); err != nil {
+	if err := ValidateUser(u, cols...); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/models/user/user_test.go b/models/user/user_test.go
index cbfcd15463..44eaf63556 100644
--- a/models/user/user_test.go
+++ b/models/user/user_test.go
@@ -526,3 +526,21 @@ func TestIsUserVisibleToViewer(t *testing.T) {
 	test(user31, user33, true)
 	test(user31, nil, false)
 }
+
+func Test_ValidateUser(t *testing.T) {
+	oldSetting := setting.Service.AllowedUserVisibilityModesSlice
+	defer func() {
+		setting.Service.AllowedUserVisibilityModesSlice = oldSetting
+	}()
+	setting.Service.AllowedUserVisibilityModesSlice = []bool{true, false, true}
+	kases := map[*user_model.User]bool{
+		{ID: 1, Visibility: structs.VisibleTypePublic}:                            true,
+		{ID: 2, Visibility: structs.VisibleTypeLimited}:                           false,
+		{ID: 2, Visibility: structs.VisibleTypeLimited, Email: "invalid"}:         false,
+		{ID: 2, Visibility: structs.VisibleTypePrivate, Email: "valid@valid.com"}: true,
+	}
+	for kase, expected := range kases {
+		err := user_model.ValidateUser(kase)
+		assert.EqualValues(t, expected, err == nil, fmt.Sprintf("case: %+v", kase))
+	}
+}