diff --git a/backend/danswer/auth/users.py b/backend/danswer/auth/users.py
index d674f560f..74de6e4fe 100644
--- a/backend/danswer/auth/users.py
+++ b/backend/danswer/auth/users.py
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ from danswer.db.auth import get_user_db
 from danswer.db.engine import get_session
 from danswer.db.models import AccessToken
 from danswer.db.models import User
+from danswer.db.users import get_user_by_email
 from danswer.utils.logger import setup_logger
 from danswer.utils.telemetry import optional_telemetry
 from danswer.utils.telemetry import RecordType
@@ -94,12 +95,20 @@ def user_needs_to_be_verified() -> bool:
     return AUTH_TYPE != AuthType.BASIC or REQUIRE_EMAIL_VERIFICATION
 
 
-def verify_email_in_whitelist(email: str) -> None:
+def verify_email_is_invited(email: str) -> None:
     whitelist = get_invited_users()
     if (whitelist and email not in whitelist) or not email:
         raise PermissionError("User not on allowed user whitelist")
 
 
+def verify_email_in_whitelist(
+    email: str,
+    db_session: Session = Depends(get_session),
+) -> None:
+    if not get_user_by_email(email, db_session):
+        verify_email_is_invited(email)
+
+
 def verify_email_domain(email: str) -> None:
     if VALID_EMAIL_DOMAINS:
         if email.count("@") != 1:
@@ -149,7 +158,7 @@ class UserManager(UUIDIDMixin, BaseUserManager[User, uuid.UUID]):
         safe: bool = False,
         request: Optional[Request] = None,
     ) -> models.UP:
-        verify_email_in_whitelist(user_create.email)
+        verify_email_is_invited(user_create.email)
         verify_email_domain(user_create.email)
         if hasattr(user_create, "role"):
             user_count = await get_user_count()