diff --git a/backend/tests/user/api/test_user_viewsets.py b/backend/tests/user/api/test_user_viewsets.py
index 0298ea9..ff5ea99 100644
--- a/backend/tests/user/api/test_user_viewsets.py
+++ b/backend/tests/user/api/test_user_viewsets.py
@@ -138,6 +138,24 @@ def test_register_rejects_duplicate_username(self, api_client, user_factory):
         response = api_client.post(reverse('user:user_signup'), data=self._payload(), format='json')
         assert response.status_code == 400
 
+    def test_register_silently_drops_duplicate_email(self, api_client, user_factory):
+        with patch('user.tasks.send_email_verification_code.apply_async') as send_code:
+            owner = user_factory(username='original_owner', email='newpilot@example.com')
+            response = api_client.post(
+                reverse('user:user_signup'), data=self._payload(username='second_pilot'), format='json'
+            )
+
+        assert response.status_code == 201
+        assert response.data['username'] == 'second_pilot'
+        # only the owner's own creation should have queued a code, not the second registration
+        send_code.assert_called_once()
+
+        user = User.objects.get(username='second_pilot')
+        assert user.email is None
+
+        owner.refresh_from_db()
+        assert owner.email == 'newpilot@example.com'
+
 
 class TestUserAPIKeyViewSet:
     def test_list_requires_auth(self, api_client):
diff --git a/backend/user/api/serializer.py b/backend/user/api/serializer.py
index ebae601..e6020e5 100644
--- a/backend/user/api/serializer.py
+++ b/backend/user/api/serializer.py
@@ -86,11 +86,10 @@ def validate_username(self, value):
         return value
 
     def validate_email(self, value):
-        # Only check uniqueness if an email was actually provided
-        if value:
-            # Case-insensitive check
-            if User.objects.filter(email__iexact=value).exists():
-                raise serializers.ValidationError('A user with this email already exists.')
+        # Don't reveal whether an email is already registered (account enumeration):
+        # silently drop it so registration still succeeds, just without that email attached.
+        if value and User.objects.filter(email__iexact=value).exists():
+            return None
         return value
 
     def validate(self, attrs):