Error notifying users without an email address [#3305696]

Problem/Motivation

symfony_mailer uses the Symfony\Component\Mime\Address class to create an Address object. This component can't have NULL as an email value, only Strings are allowed. This Symfony Address is constructed from the Symfony_mailer Address class in Address->getSymfony() method.

A NULL value will result in the following error: TypeError: Symfony\Component\Mime\Address::__construct(): Argument #1 ($address) must be of type string, null given, called in /var/www/site/htdocs/modules/contrib/symfony_mailer/src/Address.php

I found out about this bug running drush cim using the role_test_accounts module which creates accounts with no email set (thus null). The core User module sends an email postSave in its User entity object where it notifies the user. Also when deleting (and notifying) a user with no email set will cause this error.

Full error log for role_test_accounts using drush cim:

#1 /var/www/html/htdocs/modules/contrib/symfony_mailer/src/Address.php(142): Drupal\symfony_mailer\Address::create(Object(Drupal\user\Entity\User))
#2 /var/www/html/htdocs/modules/contrib/symfony_mailer/src/BaseEmailTrait.php(62): Drupal\symfony_mailer\Address::convert(Array)
#3 /var/www/html/htdocs/modules/contrib/symfony_mailer/src/BaseEmailTrait.php(98): Drupal\symfony_mailer\Email->setAddress('To', Object(Drupal\user\Entity\User))
#4 /var/www/html/htdocs/modules/contrib/symfony_mailer/modules/symfony_mailer_bc/src/Plugin/EmailBuilder/UserEmailBuilder.php(69): Drupal\symfony_mailer\Email->setTo(Object(Drupal\user\Entity\User))
#5 [internal function]: Drupal\symfony_mailer_bc\Plugin\EmailBuilder\UserEmailBuilder->build(Object(Drupal\symfony_mailer\Email))
#6 /var/www/html/htdocs/modules/contrib/symfony_mailer/src/Email.php(460): call_user_func(Array, Object(Drupal\symfony_mailer\Email))
#7 /var/www/html/htdocs/modules/contrib/symfony_mailer/src/Mailer.php(164): Drupal\symfony_mailer\Email->process()
#8 /var/www/html/htdocs/modules/contrib/symfony_mailer/src/Mailer.php(139): Drupal\symfony_mailer\Mailer->doSend(Object(Drupal\symfony_mailer\Email))
#9 /var/www/html/htdocs/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Render/Renderer.php(564): Drupal\symfony_mailer\Mailer->Drupal\symfony_mailer\{closure}()
#10 /var/www/html/htdocs/modules/contrib/symfony_mailer/src/Mailer.php(148): Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->executeInRenderContext(Object(Drupal\Core\Render\RenderContext), Object(Closure))
#11 /var/www/html/htdocs/modules/contrib/symfony_mailer/src/Email.php(278): Drupal\symfony_mailer\Mailer->send(Object(Drupal\symfony_mailer\Email))
#12 /var/www/html/htdocs/modules/contrib/symfony_mailer/modules/symfony_mailer_bc/src/MailManagerReplacement.php(97): Drupal\symfony_mailer\Email->send()
#13 /var/www/html/htdocs/core/modules/user/user.module(1071): Drupal\symfony_mailer_bc\MailManagerReplacement->mail('user', 'status_activate...', NULL, 'en', Array, 'no-reply@examp...')
#14 /var/www/html/htdocs/core/modules/user/src/Entity/User.php(139): _user_mail_notify('status_activate...', Object(Drupal\user\Entity\User))
#15 /var/www/html/htdocs/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityStorageBase.php(597): Drupal\user\Entity\User->postSave(Object(Drupal\user\UserStorage), true)
#16 /var/www/html/htdocs/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/ContentEntityStorageBase.php(784): Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityStorageBase->doPostSave(Object(Drupal\user\Entity\User), true)
#17 /var/www/html/htdocs/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityStorageBase.php(523): Drupal\Core\Entity\ContentEntityStorageBase->doPostSave(Object(Drupal\user\Entity\User), true)
#18 /var/www/html/htdocs/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/Sql/SqlContentEntityStorage.php(802): Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityStorageBase->save(Object(Drupal\user\Entity\User))
#19 /var/www/html/htdocs/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Entity/EntityBase.php(339): Drupal\Core\Entity\Sql\SqlContentEntityStorage->save(Object(Drupal\user\Entity\User))
#20 /var/www/html/htdocs/modules/contrib/role_test_accounts/src/RoleTestAccountsManager.php(72): Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityBase->save()
#21 /var/www/html/htdocs/modules/contrib/role_test_accounts/src/RoleTestAccountsManager.php(114): Drupal\role_test_accounts\RoleTestAccountsManager->createTestAccount('test_admin')
#22 /var/www/html/htdocs/modules/contrib/role_test_accounts/src/EventSubscriber/RoleTestAccountsSettingsSubscriber.php(44): Drupal\role_test_accounts\RoleTestAccountsManager->generateRoleTestAccounts(Object(Drupal\Core\Config\Config))
#23 [internal function]: Drupal\role_test_accounts\EventSubscriber\RoleTestAccountsSettingsSubscriber->onSave(Object(Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigCrudEvent), 'config.save', Object(Drupal\Component\EventDispatcher\ContainerAwareEventDispatcher))
#24 /var/www/html/htdocs/core/lib/Drupal/Component/EventDispatcher/ContainerAwareEventDispatcher.php(142): call_user_func(Array, Object(Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigCrudEvent), 'config.save', Object(Drupal\Component\EventDispatcher\ContainerAwareEventDispatcher))
#25 /var/www/html/htdocs/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/Config.php(229): Drupal\Component\EventDispatcher\ContainerAwareEventDispatcher->dispatch(Object(Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigCrudEvent), 'config.save')
#26 /var/www/html/htdocs/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigImporter.php(943): Drupal\Core\Config\Config->save()
#27 /var/www/html/htdocs/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigImporter.php(787): Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigImporter->importConfig('', 'update', 'role_test_accou...')
#28 /var/www/html/htdocs/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigImporter.php(605): Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigImporter->processConfiguration('', 'update', 'role_test_accou...')
#29 /var/www/html/htdocs/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Config/ConfigImporter.php(509): Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigImporter->processConfigurations(Array)
#30 /var/www/html/vendor/drush/drush/src/Drupal/Commands/config/ConfigImportCommands.php(336): Drupal\Core\Config\ConfigImporter->doSyncStep('processConfigur...', Array)
#31 /var/www/html/vendor/drush/drush/includes/drush.inc(206): Drush\Drupal\Commands\config\ConfigImportCommands->doImport(Object(Drupal\Core\Config\StorageComparer))
#32 /var/www/html/vendor/drush/drush/includes/drush.inc(197): drush_call_user_func_array(Array, Array)
#33 /var/www/html/vendor/drush/drush/src/Drupal/Commands/config/ConfigImportCommands.php(307): drush_op(Array, Object(Drupal\Core\Config\StorageComparer))
#34 [internal function]: Drush\Drupal\Commands\config\ConfigImportCommands->import(NULL, Array)
#35 /var/www/html/vendor/consolidation/annotated-command/src/CommandProcessor.php(257): call_user_func_array(Array, Array)
#36 /var/www/html/vendor/consolidation/annotated-command/src/CommandProcessor.php(212): Consolidation\AnnotatedCommand\CommandProcessor->runCommandCallback(Array, Object(Consolidation\AnnotatedCommand\CommandData))
#37 /var/www/html/vendor/consolidation/annotated-command/src/CommandProcessor.php(176): Consolidation\AnnotatedCommand\CommandProcessor->validateRunAndAlter(Array, Array, Object(Consolidation\AnnotatedCommand\CommandData))
#38 /var/www/html/vendor/consolidation/annotated-command/src/AnnotatedCommand.php(311): Consolidation\AnnotatedCommand\CommandProcessor->process(Object(Symfony\Component\Console\Output\ConsoleOutput), Array, Array, Object(Consolidation\AnnotatedCommand\CommandData))
#39 /var/www/html/vendor/symfony/console/Command/Command.php(255): Consolidation\AnnotatedCommand\AnnotatedCommand->execute(Object(Drush\Symfony\DrushArgvInput), Object(Symfony\Component\Console\Output\ConsoleOutput))
#40 /var/www/html/vendor/symfony/console/Application.php(1027): Symfony\Component\Console\Command\Command->run(Object(Drush\Symfony\DrushArgvInput), Object(Symfony\Component\Console\Output\ConsoleOutput))
#41 /var/www/html/vendor/symfony/console/Application.php(273): Symfony\Component\Console\Application->doRunCommand(Object(Consolidation\AnnotatedCommand\AnnotatedCommand), Object(Drush\Symfony\DrushArgvInput), Object(Symfony\Component\Console\Output\ConsoleOutput))
#42 /var/www/html/vendor/symfony/console/Application.php(149): Symfony\Component\Console\Application->doRun(Object(Drush\Symfony\DrushArgvInput), Object(Symfony\Component\Console\Output\ConsoleOutput))
#43 /var/www/html/vendor/drush/drush/src/Runtime/Runtime.php(118): Symfony\Component\Console\Application->run(Object(Drush\Symfony\DrushArgvInput), Object(Symfony\Component\Console\Output\ConsoleOutput))
#44 /var/www/html/vendor/drush/drush/src/Runtime/Runtime.php(48): Drush\Runtime\Runtime->doRun(Array, Object(Symfony\Component\Console\Output\ConsoleOutput))
#45 /var/www/html/vendor/drush/drush/drush.php(72): Drush\Runtime\Runtime->run(Array)
#46 /var/www/html/vendor/drush/drush/drush(4): require('/var/www/html/v...')
#47 /var/www/html/vendor/bin/drush(120): include('/var/www/html/v...')
#48 {main}.

Steps to reproduce

*DELETE USER AND NOTIFY*
- Enable symfony_mailer and its BC sub-module.
- Create a user with no email set. Delete and notify the user.
- The mail should fail and cause the error above because no email is set.

*ROLE_TEST_ACCOUNTS*
- Enable symfony_mailer and its BC sub-module.
- Enable role_test_accounts
- Configure role_test_accounts to create specific users with no email set
- Alter and/or delete some generated accounts
- Run drush cim

role_test_accounts should call a postSave on the user entity which will cause these errors.

Proposed resolution

Convert NULL values to empty strings in the symfony_mailer Address constructor. See patch

Comment	File	Size	Author
#9	symfony_mailer-3305696-9.patch	737 bytes	v.hilkov
#8	symfony_mailer-3305696-8.patch	530 bytes	stijnstroobants
#2	symfony_mailer-address_null_check-3305696-1.patch	720 bytes	daneduijnkerke

Issue fork symfony_mailer-3305696

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3305696-user-without-email changes, plain diff MR !214
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Comments

Comment #1

24 August 2022 at 10:27

danekin created an issue. See original summary.

Comment #2

daneduijnkerke commented 24 August 2022 at 10:30

Status	File	Size
new	symfony_mailer-address_null_check-3305696-1.patch	720 bytes

Patch added.

Comment #3

daneduijnkerke commented 24 August 2022 at 11:26

Comment #4

daneduijnkerke commented 25 August 2022 at 14:05

Status:

Active

» Needs review

Comment #5

ronald van belzen commented 27 August 2022 at 14:38

Maybe the following would be better, instead of the if-statement:

  $this->email = $email ?? '';

Comment #6

adamps commented 13 September 2022 at 12:04

Title:	A Symfony Address can't be NULL	» Error notifying users without an email address
Status:	Needs review	» Needs work
Issue tags:	-symfony, -email address, -null value

Thanks for the report and patch.

The issue is about notifying a user with no email. We should check what Core does and copy that. The proposed solution is that when silently ignore the problem. Another possibility would be to raise an error report.

I propose we leave the code in Address - it's correct that the email field is mandatory for this class. I would fix instead in UserEmailBuilder::build(). If the user has no address, then throw a SkipMailException.

Comment #7

nojj commented 30 November 2022 at 08:07

I am having a very similar error, when creating a new user account from backend without email address.

eher massage is:

TypeError: Argument 1 passed to Drupal\symfony_mailer\Address::__construct() must be of the type string, null given, called in /var/www/html/web/modules/contrib/symfony_mailer/src/Address.php on line 83 in Drupal\symfony_mailer\Address->__construct() (Zeile 58 in /var/www/html/web/modules/contrib/symfony_mailer/src/Address.php)

is this fixed in a later release ?
i testet latest beta 1.1.0 bata3 and the issue still exits.

Comment #8

stijnstroobants

Dutch

Leuven

commented 17 September 2025 at 11:58

Status	File	Size
new	symfony_mailer-3305696-8.patch	530 bytes

As mentioned above this is not the best solution, but created a patch for 1.6.x

Comment #9

v.hilkov commented 7 January 2026 at 14:31

Status	File	Size
new	symfony_mailer-3305696-9.patch	737 bytes

Last patch didn't worked, I made $email in __construct() nullable

Comment #10

adamps commented 23 July 2026 at 19:49

The code in _user_mail_notify() generates a log and skips sending, so we should do that here.

Comment #11

adamps commented 24 July 2026 at 06:41

Version:

1.0.0-alpha11

» 2.x-dev

Comment #12

24 July 2026 at 08:12

adamps opened merge request !214

Comment #13

adamps commented 24 July 2026 at 08:45

Status:

Needs work

» Needs review

This was fixed in Core by #3518058: _user_mail_notify() doesn't handle accounts without an email address. It could still be hit by calling UserMailer directly. Seeing as I have just written the code, I might as well commit it to cover this case.

Comment #14

24 July 2026 at 08:50

adamps committed 75cb492c on 2.x

fix: #3305696 Error notifying users without an email address

By:...

Comment #15

adamps commented 24 July 2026 at 09:06

Status:

Needs review

» Fixed

Comment #16

24 July 2026 at 09:06

Now that this issue is closed, review the contribution record.

As a contributor, attribute any organization that helped you, or if you volunteered your own time.

Maintainers, credit people who helped resolve this issue.

Comment #17

7 August 2026 at 09:10

Status:

Fixed

» Closed (fixed)

Automatically closed - issue fixed for 2 weeks with no activity.

Error notifying users without an email address

Problem/Motivation

Steps to reproduce

Proposed resolution

Issue fork symfony_mailer-3305696

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