diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index a436319..83d844b 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -396,6 +396,9 @@ class User < Principal
   #
   # TODO: only supports Issue events currently
   def notify_about?(object)
+
+    return false unless mail_notification
+
     case mail_notification.to_sym
     when :all
       true