diff --git a/lib/moodlelib.php b/lib/moodlelib.php
index 240082895f5..8e9713c6874 100644
--- a/lib/moodlelib.php
+++ b/lib/moodlelib.php
@@ -3276,7 +3276,7 @@ function email_to_user($user, $from, $subject, $messagetext, $messagehtml='', $a
     }
 
     // skip mail to suspended users
-    if ($user->auth=='nologin') {
+    if (isset($user->auth) && $user->auth=='nologin') {
         return true;
     }