diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/settings/dashboard/dashboard.html b/bookwyrm/templates/settings/dashboard/dashboard.html
index cec3e89ac..46d552fb1 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/settings/dashboard/dashboard.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/settings/dashboard/dashboard.html
@@ -37,6 +37,17 @@
 </div>
 
 <div class="columns block is-multiline">
+    {% if email_config_error %}
+    <div class="column is-flex">
+        <span class="notification is-warning is-block is-flex-grow-1">
+            {% blocktrans trimmed %}
+            Your outgoing email address, <code>{{ email_sender }}</code>, may be misconfigured.
+            {% endblocktrans %}
+            {% trans "Check the <code>EMAIL_SENDER_NAME</code> and <code>EMAIL_SENDER_DOMAIN</code> in your <code>.env</code>." %}
+        </span>
+    </div>
+    {% endif %}
+
     {% if reports %}
     <div class="column is-flex">
         <a href="{% url 'settings-reports' %}" class="notification is-warning is-block is-flex-grow-1">
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/admin/dashboard.py b/bookwyrm/views/admin/dashboard.py
index b06b6ba00..8b9017bb4 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/admin/dashboard.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/admin/dashboard.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 """ instance overview """
 from datetime import timedelta
+import re
+
 from dateutil.parser import parse
 from packaging import version
 
@@ -13,6 +15,7 @@ from django.views import View
 from bookwyrm import models, settings
 from bookwyrm.connectors.abstract_connector import get_data
 from bookwyrm.connectors.connector_manager import ConnectorException
+from bookwyrm.utils import regex
 
 
 # pylint: disable= no-self-use
@@ -88,6 +91,10 @@ class Dashboard(View):
             },
         )
 
+        email_config_error = re.findall(
+            r"[\s\@]", settings.EMAIL_SENDER_DOMAIN
+        ) or not re.match(regex.DOMAIN, settings.EMAIL_SENDER_DOMAIN)
+
         data = {
             "start": start.strftime("%Y-%m-%d"),
             "end": end.strftime("%Y-%m-%d"),
@@ -109,6 +116,8 @@ class Dashboard(View):
             "status_stats": status_chart.get_chart(start, end, interval),
             "register_stats": register_chart.get_chart(start, end, interval),
             "works_stats": works_chart.get_chart(start, end, interval),
+            "email_config_error": email_config_error,
+            "email_sender": f"{settings.EMAIL_SENDER_NAME}@{settings.EMAIL_SENDER_DOMAIN}",
         }
 
         # check version