diff --git a/ietf/person/migrations/0002_email_primary.py b/ietf/person/migrations/0002_email_primary.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dca735bd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ietf/person/migrations/0002_email_primary.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+from django.db import models, migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('person', '0001_initial'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name='email',
+            name='primary',
+            field=models.BooleanField(default=False),
+            preserve_default=True,
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/ietf/person/migrations/0003_auto_20150304_0829.py b/ietf/person/migrations/0003_auto_20150304_0829.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7afd32904
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ietf/person/migrations/0003_auto_20150304_0829.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+from django.db import models, migrations
+
+
+def set_primary_email(apps, schema_editor):
+    Person = apps.get_model("person", "Person")
+    for person in Person.objects.all():
+        email = person.email_set.order_by("-active","-time").first()
+        if email:
+            email.primary = True
+            email.save()
+
+def clear_primary_email(apps, schema_editor):
+    Person = apps.get_model("person", "Person")
+    for person in Person.objects.all():
+        email_list = person.email_set.filter(primary=True)
+        for email in email_list:
+            email.primary = False
+            email.save()
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('person', '0002_email_primary'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.RunPython(
+            set_primary_email,
+            clear_primary_email),
+    ]
diff --git a/ietf/person/models.py b/ietf/person/models.py
index aea77a9b9..d7e8ded25 100644
--- a/ietf/person/models.py
+++ b/ietf/person/models.py
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@ class PersonInfo(models.Model):
             return e[0]
         return None
     def email_address(self):
-        e = self.email_set.filter(active=True).order_by("-time").first()
+        e = self.email_set.filter(primary=True).first()
+        if not e:
+            e = self.email_set.filter(active=True).order_by("-time").first()
         if e:
             return e.address
         else:
@@ -150,6 +152,7 @@ class Email(models.Model):
     address = models.CharField(max_length=64, primary_key=True)
     person = models.ForeignKey(Person, null=True)
     time = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
+    primary = models.BooleanField(default=False)
     active = models.BooleanField(default=True)      # Old email addresses are *not* purged, as history
                                         # information points to persons through these
     def __unicode__(self):