diff --git a/config/custom_schema_types.config b/config/custom_schema_types.config
index 62ac8ee..d1db614 100644
--- a/config/custom_schema_types.config
+++ b/config/custom_schema_types.config
@@ -102,11 +102,27 @@ custom_schema_types {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+    * Check that the email address matches a standard format
+    */
+    check_email_address = { Map options, String name, Map properties ->
+        if (!(options[name] in String || options[name] in GString)) {
+            throw new Exception("${name} should have type String or GString, not ${options[name].getClass()}")
+        }
+
+        // If the address is not empty, ensure that it looks like an
+        // email address. This is a very coarse check.
+        if (!options[name].isEmpty() && !(options[name] ==~ /^\S+@\S+\.\S{2,}$/)) {
+            throw new Exception("${name} does not look like a valid email address: '${options[name]}'")
+        }
+    }
+
     types = [
         'InputNamespace': custom_schema_types.check_input_namespace,
         'PatientNamespace': custom_schema_types.check_patient_namespace,
         'SampleNamespace': custom_schema_types.check_sample_namespace,
         'EntryList': custom_schema_types.check_entry_list,
-        'LaneType': custom_schema_types.check_lane_type
+        'LaneType': custom_schema_types.check_lane_type,
+        'EmailAddress': custom_schema_types.check_email_address
     ]
 }
diff --git a/config/schema.yaml b/config/schema.yaml
index 89aa1c9..03894d0 100644
--- a/config/schema.yaml
+++ b/config/schema.yaml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ clusterOptions:
   allow_empty: true
   help: 'Additional cluster options for use with submission command'
 status_email_address:
-  type: 'String'
+  type: 'EmailAddress'
   required: false
   allow_empty: true
   help: 'If given, the address to which pipeline start/complete notifications will be sent'