diff --git a/zerver/lib/actions.py b/zerver/lib/actions.py
index cc86314f91..4ec27ee0f3 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/actions.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/actions.py
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@ from zerver.lib.bugdown import (
     version as bugdown_version,
     url_embed_preview_enabled_for_realm
 )
-from zerver.lib.addressee import Addressee
+from zerver.lib.addressee import (
+    Addressee,
+    user_profiles_from_unvalidated_emails,
+)
 from zerver.lib.cache import (
     delete_user_profile_caches,
     to_dict_cache_key,
@@ -1172,17 +1175,6 @@ def recipient_for_emails(emails, not_forged_mirror_message,
         sender=sender
     )
 
-def user_profiles_from_unvalidated_emails(emails):
-    # type: (Iterable[Text]) -> List[UserProfile]
-    user_profiles = []  # type: List[UserProfile]
-    for email in emails:
-        try:
-            user_profile = get_user_profile_by_email(email)
-        except UserProfile.DoesNotExist:
-            raise ValidationError(_("Invalid email '%s'") % (email,))
-        user_profiles.append(user_profile)
-    return user_profiles
-
 def recipient_for_user_profiles(user_profiles, not_forged_mirror_message,
                                 forwarder_user_profile, sender):
     # type: (List[UserProfile], bool, Optional[UserProfile], UserProfile) -> Recipient
diff --git a/zerver/lib/addressee.py b/zerver/lib/addressee.py
index 96e2f63897..1dfd709559 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/addressee.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/addressee.py
@@ -1,10 +1,26 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 from __future__ import print_function
 
-from typing import Optional, Sequence, Text
+from typing import Iterable, List, Optional, Sequence, Text
 
+from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 from zerver.lib.request import JsonableError
+from zerver.models import (
+    UserProfile,
+    get_user_profile_by_email,
+)
+
+def user_profiles_from_unvalidated_emails(emails):
+    # type: (Iterable[Text]) -> List[UserProfile]
+    user_profiles = []  # type: List[UserProfile]
+    for email in emails:
+        try:
+            user_profile = get_user_profile_by_email(email)
+        except UserProfile.DoesNotExist:
+            raise ValidationError(_("Invalid email '%s'") % (email,))
+        user_profiles.append(user_profile)
+    return user_profiles
 
 class Addressee(object):
     # This is really just a holder for vars that tended to be passed