diff --git a/server/internal/controllers/chain.go b/server/internal/controllers/chain.go
index c6d05fa6e..b61e1a13f 100644
--- a/server/internal/controllers/chain.go
+++ b/server/internal/controllers/chain.go
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/the-clothing-loop/website/server/internal/services"
 	"github.com/the-clothing-loop/website/server/internal/views"
 	"github.com/the-clothing-loop/website/server/pkg/tsp"
-	"gopkg.in/guregu/null.v3/zero"
 
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
 	uuid "github.com/satori/go.uuid"
@@ -549,12 +548,12 @@ func ChainRemoveUser(c *gin.Context) {
 	chain.ClearAllLastNotifiedIsUnapprovedAt(db)
 
 	// if the user is removed by an admin, do not send an email to this one
-	var excludedEmail zero.String
+	var excludedEmail string
 	if _, isChainAdmin := authUser.IsPartOfChain(chain.UID); isChainAdmin {
-		excludedEmail = authUser.Email
+		excludedEmail = authUser.Email.String
 	}
 	// send email to chain admins
-	services.EmailLoopAdminsOnUserLeft(db, user, chain.ID, excludedEmail)
+	services.EmailLoopAdminsOnUserLeft(db, user.Name, user.Email.String, excludedEmail, chain.ID)
 }
 
 func ChainApproveUser(c *gin.Context) {
diff --git a/server/internal/controllers/users.go b/server/internal/controllers/users.go
index e8d4cbab9..4364a9e31 100644
--- a/server/internal/controllers/users.go
+++ b/server/internal/controllers/users.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/the-clothing-loop/website/server/internal/app/auth"
 	"github.com/the-clothing-loop/website/server/internal/app/goscope"
 	"github.com/the-clothing-loop/website/server/internal/models"
+	"github.com/the-clothing-loop/website/server/internal/services"
 	"github.com/the-clothing-loop/website/server/internal/views"
 	"github.com/the-clothing-loop/website/server/pkg/noderoute"
 	"gopkg.in/guregu/null.v3"
@@ -344,6 +345,19 @@ func UserPurge(c *gin.Context) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	err := user.AddUserChainsToObject(db)
+	if err != nil {
+		c.AbortWithError(http.StatusInternalServerError, err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// notify connected hosts, send email to chain admins
+	chainIDs := []uint{}
+	for _, uc := range user.Chains {
+		chainIDs = append(chainIDs, uc.ChainID)
+	}
+	services.EmailLoopAdminsOnUserLeft(db, user.Name, user.Email.String, "", chainIDs...)
+
 	// find chains where user is the last chain admin
 	chainIDsToDelete := []uint{}
 	db.Raw(`
@@ -360,7 +374,7 @@ HAVING COUNT(uc.id) = 1
 
 	tx := db.Begin()
 
-	err := user.DeleteUserChainDependenciesAllChains(tx)
+	err = user.DeleteUserChainDependenciesAllChains(tx)
 	if err != nil {
 		tx.Rollback()
 		goscope.Log.Errorf("UserPurge: %v", err)
diff --git a/server/internal/services/email.go b/server/internal/services/email.go
index 57191c79f..64d8f9750 100644
--- a/server/internal/services/email.go
+++ b/server/internal/services/email.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/the-clothing-loop/website/server/internal/app/goscope"
 	"github.com/the-clothing-loop/website/server/internal/models"
 	"github.com/the-clothing-loop/website/server/internal/views"
-	"gopkg.in/guregu/null.v3/zero"
 	"gorm.io/gorm"
 )
 
@@ -46,9 +45,10 @@ func EmailLoopAdminsOnUserJoin(db *gorm.DB, user *models.User, chainIDs ...uint)
 	return nil
 }
 
-func EmailLoopAdminsOnUserLeft(db *gorm.DB, user *models.User, chainIDs uint, excludedEmail zero.String) error {
+// excludedEmail can be an empty string
+func EmailLoopAdminsOnUserLeft(db *gorm.DB, removedUserName, removedUserEmail, excludedEmail string, chainIDs ...uint) error {
 	// find admin users related to the chain to email
-	admins, err := models.UserGetAdminsByChain(db, chainIDs)
+	admins, err := models.UserGetAdminsByChain(db, chainIDs...)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -60,14 +60,14 @@ func EmailLoopAdminsOnUserLeft(db *gorm.DB, user *models.User, chainIDs uint, ex
 
 	for _, admin := range admins {
 		email := admin.Email
-		if !email.Valid || email.String == excludedEmail.String || email.String == user.Email.String {
+		if !email.Valid || excludedEmail == email.String || removedUserEmail == email.String {
 			continue
 		}
 		views.EmailSomeoneLeftLoop(db, admin.I18n,
 			admin.Name,
 			admin.Email.String,
 			admin.ChainName,
-			user.Name,
+			removedUserName,
 		)
 	}