diff --git a/cortex/tools/notify.py b/cortex/tools/notify.py
index 779844f..dfcf916 100644
--- a/cortex/tools/notify.py
+++ b/cortex/tools/notify.py
@@ -6,15 +6,40 @@ email_send uses the server SMTP config from .env (smtp_server, smtp_from_*).
 """
 
 import asyncio
+import json
 import logging
 
+from config import settings
 from persona import get_user
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+def _email_allowlist(username: str) -> list[str]:
+    """Load the per-user email allowlist. Returns empty list if not configured."""
+    path = settings.home_root() / username / "email_allowlist.json"
+    try:
+        return [a.lower().strip() for a in json.loads(path.read_text())]
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        return []
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.warning("failed to read email_allowlist.json for %s: %s", username, e)
+        return []
+
+
 async def email_send(to: str, subject: str, body: str) -> str:
     """Send an email via the server's configured SMTP account."""
+    username = get_user()
+    allowlist = _email_allowlist(username)
+
+    if not allowlist:
+        return (
+            "Email blocked — no allowlist configured. "
+            f"Add allowed addresses to home/{username}/email_allowlist.json as a JSON array."
+        )
+    if to.lower().strip() not in allowlist:
+        return f"Email blocked — {to} is not in the allowlist for {username}."
+
     from email_utils import send_email
     ok = await asyncio.to_thread(
         send_email,