diff --git a/.bumpversion.cfg b/.bumpversion.cfg
index 9b3d9f8..c405b87 100644
--- a/.bumpversion.cfg
+++ b/.bumpversion.cfg
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [bumpversion]
-current_version = 1.0.36
+current_version = 1.0.37
 commit = True
 tag = True
 message = Bump version: {current_version} → {new_version} [ci skip]
diff --git a/pvsite_datamodel/__init__.py b/pvsite_datamodel/__init__.py
index d1ee9a0..ae014a0 100644
--- a/pvsite_datamodel/__init__.py
+++ b/pvsite_datamodel/__init__.py
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@
     UserSQL,
 )
 
-__version__ = "1.0.36"
+__version__ = "1.0.37"
diff --git a/pvsite_datamodel/read/user.py b/pvsite_datamodel/read/user.py
index 5c443c4..0f4e8fd 100644
--- a/pvsite_datamodel/read/user.py
+++ b/pvsite_datamodel/read/user.py
@@ -26,10 +26,17 @@ def get_user_by_email(session: Session, email: str, make_new_user_if_none: bool
     if user is None and make_new_user_if_none is True:
         logger.info(f"User with email {email} not found, so making one")
 
-        # making a new site group
-        site_group = SiteGroupSQL(site_group_name=f"site_group_for_{email}")
-        session.add(site_group)
-        session.commit()
+        # checking for site_group
+        site_group = (
+            session.query(SiteGroupSQL)
+            .filter(SiteGroupSQL.site_group_name == f"site_group_for_{email}")
+            .first()
+        )
+        # making a new site group if one doesn't exist
+        if site_group is None:
+            site_group = SiteGroupSQL(site_group_name=f"site_group_for_{email}")
+            session.add(site_group)
+            session.commit()
 
         # make a new user
         user = UserSQL(email=email, site_group_uuid=site_group.site_group_uuid)
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 1b13635..8d42d22 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
+
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "pvsite-datamodel"
-version = "1.0.36"
+version = "1.0.37"
 description = "SDK for interacting with the PVSite database"
 authors = ["Open Climate Fix"]
 readme = "README.md"
diff --git a/tests/read/test_get_user_by_email.py b/tests/read/test_get_user_by_email.py
index e42c44f..f145c89 100644
--- a/tests/read/test_get_user_by_email.py
+++ b/tests/read/test_get_user_by_email.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from pvsite_datamodel import UserSQL
+from pvsite_datamodel import SiteGroupSQL, UserSQL
 from pvsite_datamodel.read import get_user_by_email
 from pvsite_datamodel.write.user_and_site import create_site_group, create_user
 
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@
 class TestGetUserByEmail:
     """Test for get_user_by_email function"""
 
+    def test_get_user_by_email_no_users_site_group_exists(self, db_session):
+        _ = create_site_group(db_session=db_session, site_group_name="site_group_for_test@test.com")
+        _ = get_user_by_email(session=db_session, email="test@test.com")
+        assert len(db_session.query(UserSQL).all()) == 1
+        assert len(db_session.query(SiteGroupSQL).all()) == 1
+
     def test_get_user_by_email_no_users(self, db_session):
         user = get_user_by_email(session=db_session, email="test@test.com")
         assert user.email == "test@test.com"
@@ -13,10 +19,10 @@ def test_get_user_by_email_no_users(self, db_session):
 
     def test_get_user_by_email_with_users(self, db_session):
         site_group = create_site_group(db_session=db_session)
-        user = create_user(
+        _ = create_user(
             session=db_session, site_group_name=site_group.site_group_name, email="test_1@test.com"
         )
-        user = create_user(
+        _ = create_user(
             session=db_session, site_group_name=site_group.site_group_name, email="test_2@test.com"
         )