diff --git a/src/main/java/de/caritas/cob/userservice/api/adapters/web/controller/UserController.java b/src/main/java/de/caritas/cob/userservice/api/adapters/web/controller/UserController.java
index 947fe7b5b..70d7547eb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/caritas/cob/userservice/api/adapters/web/controller/UserController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/caritas/cob/userservice/api/adapters/web/controller/UserController.java
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@
 import de.caritas.cob.userservice.api.service.SessionDataService;
 import de.caritas.cob.userservice.api.service.archive.SessionArchiveService;
 import de.caritas.cob.userservice.api.service.archive.SessionDeleteService;
+import de.caritas.cob.userservice.api.service.helper.EmailUrlDecoder;
 import de.caritas.cob.userservice.api.service.session.SessionFilter;
 import de.caritas.cob.userservice.api.service.session.SessionService;
 import de.caritas.cob.userservice.api.service.user.UserAccountService;
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@
 import lombok.RequiredArgsConstructor;
 import lombok.extern.slf4j.Slf4j;
 import lombok.val;
+import org.apache.commons.validator.routines.EmailValidator;
 import org.springframework.http.HttpStatus;
 import org.springframework.http.ResponseEntity;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.PathVariable;
@@ -766,7 +768,7 @@ public ResponseEntity<List<ConsultantResponseDTO>> getConsultants(@RequestParam
   @Override
   public ResponseEntity<ConsultantSearchResultDTO> searchConsultants(
       String query, Integer page, Integer perPage, String field, String order) {
-    var decodedInfix = URLDecoder.decode(query, StandardCharsets.UTF_8).trim();
+    var decodedInfix = determineDecodedInfix(query).trim();
     var isAscending = order.equalsIgnoreCase("asc");
     var mappedField = consultantDtoMapper.mappedFieldOf(field);
     var resultMap =
@@ -793,6 +795,14 @@ public ResponseEntity<ConsultantSearchResultDTO> searchConsultants(
     return ResponseEntity.ok(result);
   }
 
+  private String determineDecodedInfix(String query) {
+    if (EmailValidator.getInstance().isValid(query)) {
+      return EmailUrlDecoder.decodeEmailQuery(query);
+    } else {
+      return URLDecoder.decode(query, StandardCharsets.UTF_8).trim();
+    }
+  }
+
   private void removeAgenciesWithoutAccessRight(
       ConsultantAdminResponseDTO response, Collection<Long> agenciesToFilterConsultants) {
     List<AgencyAdminResponseDTO> agencies = response.getEmbedded().getAgencies();
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/caritas/cob/userservice/api/service/helper/EmailUrlDecoder.java b/src/main/java/de/caritas/cob/userservice/api/service/helper/EmailUrlDecoder.java
index a92be6ebc..043595b20 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/caritas/cob/userservice/api/service/helper/EmailUrlDecoder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/caritas/cob/userservice/api/service/helper/EmailUrlDecoder.java
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@ public static String decodeEmailQuery(String query) {
         strings.stream()
             .map(part -> URLDecoder.decode(part, StandardCharsets.UTF_8).trim())
             .collect(Collectors.toList());
-    return Joiner.on(PLUS).join(decodedList);
+    return Joiner.on(PLUS).join(decodedList).trim();
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/de/caritas/cob/userservice/api/service/helper/EmailUrlDecoderTest.java b/src/test/java/de/caritas/cob/userservice/api/service/helper/EmailUrlDecoderTest.java
index 6381f0446..7f98356eb 100644
--- a/src/test/java/de/caritas/cob/userservice/api/service/helper/EmailUrlDecoderTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/de/caritas/cob/userservice/api/service/helper/EmailUrlDecoderTest.java
@@ -2,29 +2,21 @@
 
 import static org.assertj.core.api.AssertionsForInterfaceTypes.assertThat;
 
-import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.ParameterizedTest;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.provider.CsvSource;
 
 class EmailUrlDecoderTest {
 
-  @Test
-  public void decodeEmailQuery_Should_notChangeProperEmail() {
-    assertThat(EmailUrlDecoder.decodeEmailQuery("testmail@gmail.com"))
-        .isEqualTo("testmail@gmail.com");
-    assertThat(EmailUrlDecoder.decodeEmailQuery("testmail%40virtual-identity.com"))
-        .isEqualTo("testmail@virtual-identity.com");
-    assertThat(EmailUrlDecoder.decodeEmailQuery("test.mail%40virtual-identity.com"))
-        .isEqualTo("test.mail@virtual-identity.com");
-  }
-
-  @Test
-  public void decodeEmailQuery_Should_decodeProperlyMailsWithPlus() {
-    assertThat(EmailUrlDecoder.decodeEmailQuery("testmail%2Bext%40gmail.com"))
-        .isEqualTo("testmail+ext@gmail.com");
-    assertThat(EmailUrlDecoder.decodeEmailQuery("testmail%2Bext%40virtual-identity.com"))
-        .isEqualTo("testmail+ext@virtual-identity.com");
-    assertThat(
-            EmailUrlDecoder.decodeEmailQuery(
-                "test.user.ext%2Btenant14.02.v2%40virtual-identity.com"))
-        .isEqualTo("test.user.ext+tenant14.02.v2@virtual-identity.com");
+  @ParameterizedTest
+  @CsvSource({
+    "testmail%2Bext%40gmail.com,testmail+ext@gmail.com",
+    "testmail%2Bext%40virtual-identity.com,testmail+ext@virtual-identity.com",
+    "test.user.ext%2Btenant14.02.v2%40virtual-identity.com,test.user.ext+tenant14.02.v2@virtual-identity.com",
+    "testmail@gmail.com,testmail@gmail.com",
+    "testmail%40virtual-identity.com,testmail@virtual-identity.com",
+    "test.mail%40virtual-identity.com,test.mail@virtual-identity.com",
+  })
+  void decodeEmailQuery_Should_decodeProperlyMailsWithPlus(String input, String expectedOutput) {
+    assertThat(EmailUrlDecoder.decodeEmailQuery(input)).isEqualTo(expectedOutput);
   }
 }