diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/email_marketing/signals.py b/lms/djangoapps/email_marketing/signals.py
index 0625919a13..6def2d32bf 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/email_marketing/signals.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/email_marketing/signals.py
@@ -173,6 +173,10 @@ def email_marketing_user_field_changed(sender, user=None, table=None, setting=No
     if user.is_anonymous:
         return
 
+    # Ignore users that do not yet have a profile
+    if not hasattr(user, 'profile'):
+        return
+
     # ignore anything but User, Profile or UserPreference tables
     if table not in {'auth_user', 'auth_userprofile', 'user_api_userpreference'}:
         return
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/email_marketing/tests/test_signals.py b/lms/djangoapps/email_marketing/tests/test_signals.py
index 4e604d3c46..acb833d6b7 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/email_marketing/tests/test_signals.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/email_marketing/tests/test_signals.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ from lms.djangoapps.email_marketing.tasks import (
     update_user_email
 )
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.lang_pref import LANGUAGE_KEY
-from common.djangoapps.student.models import Registration
+from common.djangoapps.student.models import Registration, User
 from common.djangoapps.student.tests.factories import CourseEnrollmentFactory, UserFactory, UserProfileFactory
 from common.djangoapps.util.json_request import JsonResponse
 
@@ -336,6 +336,10 @@ class EmailMarketingTests(TestCase):
         email_marketing_user_field_changed(None, user=anon)
         self.assertFalse(mock_log_error.called)
 
+        user = User(username='test', email='test@example.com')
+        email_marketing_user_field_changed(None, user=user)
+        self.assertFalse(mock_log_error.called)
+
     @patch('lms.djangoapps.email_marketing.tasks.SailthruClient.api_post')
     def test_change_email(self, mock_sailthru):
         """