diff --git a/addons/portal/wizard/portal_wizard.py b/addons/portal/wizard/portal_wizard.py
index 8ad956510eb..aa6a9cf96c6 100644
--- a/addons/portal/wizard/portal_wizard.py
+++ b/addons/portal/wizard/portal_wizard.py
@@ -123,10 +123,18 @@ class wizard_user(osv.osv_memory):
     _columns = {
         'wizard_id': fields.many2one('portal.wizard', string='Wizard', required=True),
         'partner_id': fields.many2one('res.partner', string='Contact', required=True, readonly=True),
-        'email': fields.related('partner_id', 'email', type='char', string='Email'),
+        'email': fields.char(size=240, string='Email'),
         'in_portal': fields.boolean('In Portal'),
     }
 
+    def create(self, cr, uid, values, context=None):
+        """ overridden to update the partner's email (if necessary) """
+        id = super(wizard_user, self).create(cr, uid, values, context)
+        wuser = self.browse(cr, uid, id, context)
+        if wuser.partner_id.email != wuser.email:
+            wuser.partner_id.write({'email': wuser.email})
+        return id
+
     def action_apply(self, cr, uid, ids, context=None):
         res_users = self.pool.get('res.users')
         for wizard_user in self.browse(cr, SUPERUSER_ID, ids, context):
diff --git a/addons/portal/wizard/portal_wizard_view.xml b/addons/portal/wizard/portal_wizard_view.xml
index 6c31a3da371..b2686b34c27 100644
--- a/addons/portal/wizard/portal_wizard_view.xml
+++ b/addons/portal/wizard/portal_wizard_view.xml
@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@
                     <group>
                         <field name="portal_id" widget="selection" on_change="onchange_portal_id(portal_id, context)"/>
                     </group>
-                    <label string="Fill in check boxes below to determine which contacts should belong to the portal."/>
+                    <div>
+                        Select which contacts should belong to the portal in the list below.
+                        The email address of each selected contact must be valid and unique.
+                        If necessary, you can fix any contact's email address directly in the list.
+                    </div>
                     <field name="user_ids"/>
                     <field name="message" placeholder="This text will be included in the welcome email sent to users."/>
                     <footer>