diff --git a/message/output/email/message_output_email.php b/message/output/email/message_output_email.php
index 5ebd672bd7c..dff487450e0 100644
--- a/message/output/email/message_output_email.php
+++ b/message/output/email/message_output_email.php
@@ -46,10 +46,17 @@ class message_output_email extends message_output {
             return true;
         }
 
+        //hold onto email preference because /admin/cron.php sends a lot of messages at once
+        static $useremailaddresses = array();
+
         //check user preference for where user wants email sent
-        $preferedemail = get_user_preferences('message_processor_email_email', null, $eventdata->userto->id);
-        if (!empty($preferedemail)) {
-            $eventdata->userto->email = $preferedemail;
+        if (!array_key_exists($eventdata->userto->id, $useremailaddresses)) {
+            $useremailaddresses[$eventdata->userto->id] = get_user_preferences('message_processor_email_email', $eventdata->userto->email, $eventdata->userto->id);
+        }
+        $usertoemailaddress = $useremailaddresses[$eventdata->userto->id];
+
+        if ( !empty($usertoemailaddress)) {
+            $userto->email = $usertoemailaddress;
         }
 
         $result = email_to_user($eventdata->userto, $eventdata->userfrom,