diff --git a/mu4e/mu4e-utils.el b/mu4e/mu4e-utils.el
index e3c482a9..25105ff6 100644
--- a/mu4e/mu4e-utils.el
+++ b/mu4e/mu4e-utils.el
@@ -650,13 +650,14 @@ or (rfc822-string . CONTACT) otherwise."
     (setq contact (funcall mu4e-contact-rewrite-function contact)))
   (when contact
     (let ((name (plist-get contact :name))
-	   (mail (plist-get contact :mail))) 
-      (unless (and mail
-		(string-match mu4e-compose-complete-ignore-address-regexp mail))
+	   (mail (plist-get contact :mail))
+	   (ignore-rx (or mu4e-compose-complete-ignore-address-regexp ""))) 
+      (unless (and mail (not (string-match ignore-rx mail)))
 	(cons
 	  (if name (format "%s <%s>" (mu4e~rfc822-quoteit name) mail) mail)
 	  contact)))))
 
+
 (defun mu4e~sort-contacts (contacts)
   "Destructively sort contacts (only for cycling) in order of
  'mostly likely contact'.t See the code for the detail"