diff --git a/src/plugins/plugin_misc_account.py b/src/plugins/plugin_misc_account.py
index 4b3c5fbc..0776ddbd 100755
--- a/src/plugins/plugin_misc_account.py
+++ b/src/plugins/plugin_misc_account.py
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ class MiscAccount(object):
                 self._prosody_path = dirname(paths[0])
                 log.info(_(u'Prosody path found: %s') % (self._prosody_path,))
 
+        self.fixEmailAdmins()
         self._sessions = Sessions()
 
         self.__account_cb_id = host.registerCallback(self._accountDialogCb, with_data=True)
@@ -161,6 +162,26 @@ class MiscAccount(object):
 
         self.__delete_account_id = host.registerCallback(self.__deleteAccountCb, with_data=True)
 
+
+    # FIXME: remove this after some time, when the deprecated parameter is really abandoned
+    def fixEmailAdmins(self):
+        """Handle deprecated config option "admin_email" to fix the admin emails list"""
+        admin_email = self.getConfig('admin_email')
+        if not admin_email:
+            return
+        log.warning(u"admin_email parameter is deprecated, please use email_admins_list instead")
+        param_name = "email_admins_list"
+        try:
+            section = ""
+            value = self.host.memory.getConfig(section, param_name, Exception)
+        except (ConfigParser.NoOptionError, ConfigParser.NoSectionError):
+            section = CONFIG_SECTION
+            value = self.host.memory.getConfig(section, param_name, default_conf[param_name])
+
+        value = set(value)
+        value.add(admin_email)
+        self.host.memory.config.set(section, param_name, ",".join(value))
+
     def getConfig(self, name):
         if name.startswith("email_"):
             # XXX: email_ parameters were first in [plugin account] section
@@ -258,14 +279,8 @@ class MiscAccount(object):
         email_auth = C.bool(self.getConfig("email_auth"))
         domain = self.getConfig('new_account_domain')
 
-        # admin
-        admins_emails = self.getConfig('email_admins_list')
-        admin_email = self.getConfig('admin_email')
-        if admin_email:
-            log.warning(u"admin_email parameter is deprecated, please use email_admins_list instead")
-            admins_emails.append(admin_email)
-
         # email to the administrator
+        admins_emails = self.getConfig('email_admins_list')
         if not admins_emails:
             log.warning(u"No known admin email, we can't send email to administrator(s).\nPlease fill email_admins_list parameter")
             d_admin = defer.fail(exceptions.DataError("no admin email"))