diff --git a/src/controllers/index.js b/src/controllers/index.js
index ceef355cc9..8be1668684 100644
--- a/src/controllers/index.js
+++ b/src/controllers/index.js
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ Controllers.registerInterstitial = async function (req, res, next) {
 };
 
 Controllers.confirmEmail = function (req, res) {
-	user.email.confirm(req.params.code, function (err) {
+	user.email.confirmByCode(req.params.code, function (err) {
 		res.render('confirm', {
 			error: err ? err.message : '',
 			title: '[[pages:confirm]]',
diff --git a/src/socket.io/admin/user.js b/src/socket.io/admin/user.js
index 65201d50d3..a0070d7d37 100644
--- a/src/socket.io/admin/user.js
+++ b/src/socket.io/admin/user.js
@@ -73,11 +73,8 @@ User.validateEmail = async function (socket, uids) {
 		throw new Error('[[error:invalid-data]]');
 	}
 
-	uids = uids.filter(uid => parseInt(uid, 10));
-	await db.setObjectField(uids.map(uid => 'user:' + uid), 'email:confirmed', 1);
 	for (const uid of uids) {
-		await groups.join('verified-users', uid);
-		await groups.leave('unverified-users', uid);
+		await user.email.confirmByUid(uid);
 	}
 };
 
diff --git a/src/user/email.js b/src/user/email.js
index 92e05aa873..08aa37a347 100644
--- a/src/user/email.js
+++ b/src/user/email.js
@@ -1,17 +1,18 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var nconf = require('nconf');
-
-var user = require('./index');
-var utils = require('../utils');
-var plugins = require('../plugins');
-var db = require('../database');
-var meta = require('../meta');
-var emailer = require('../emailer');
+const nconf = require('nconf');
+const winston = require('winston');
+
+const user = require('./index');
+const utils = require('../utils');
+const plugins = require('../plugins');
+const db = require('../database');
+const meta = require('../meta');
+const emailer = require('../emailer');
 const groups = require('../groups');
 
-var UserEmail = module.exports;
+const UserEmail = module.exports;
 
 UserEmail.exists = async function (email) {
 	const uid = await user.getUidByEmail(email.toLowerCase());
@@ -88,6 +89,13 @@ UserEmail.sendValidationEmail = async function (uid, options) {
 };
 
 UserEmail.confirm = async function (code) {
+	// TODO: remove in 1.17.0
+	winston.warn('[deprecated] User.email.confirm deprecated use User.email.confirmByCode');
+	await UserEmail.confirmByCode(code);
+};
+
+// confirm email by code sent by confirmation email
+UserEmail.confirmByCode = async function (code) {
 	const confirmObj = await db.getObject('confirm:' + code);
 	if (!confirmObj || !confirmObj.uid || !confirmObj.email) {
 		throw new Error('[[error:invalid-data]]');
@@ -96,10 +104,24 @@ UserEmail.confirm = async function (code) {
 	if (!currentEmail || currentEmail.toLowerCase() !== confirmObj.email) {
 		throw new Error('[[error:invalid-email]]');
 	}
-	await user.setUserField(confirmObj.uid, 'email:confirmed', 1);
-	await groups.join('verified-users', confirmObj.uid);
-	await groups.leave('unverified-users', confirmObj.uid);
+	await UserEmail.confirmByUid(confirmObj.uid);
 	await db.delete('confirm:' + code);
-	await db.delete('uid:' + confirmObj.uid + ':confirm:email:sent');
-	await plugins.hooks.fire('action:user.email.confirmed', { uid: confirmObj.uid, email: confirmObj.email });
+};
+
+// confirm uid's email
+UserEmail.confirmByUid = async function (uid) {
+	if (!(parseInt(uid, 10) > 0)) {
+		throw new Error('[[error:invalid-uid]]');
+	}
+	const currentEmail = await user.getUserField(uid, 'email');
+	if (!currentEmail) {
+		throw new Error('[[error:invalid-email]]');
+	}
+	await Promise.all([
+		user.setUserField(uid, 'email:confirmed', 1),
+		groups.join('verified-users', uid),
+		groups.leave('unverified-users', uid),
+		db.delete('uid:' + uid + ':confirm:email:sent'),
+	]);
+	await plugins.hooks.fire('action:user.email.confirmed', { uid: uid, email: currentEmail });
 };
diff --git a/test/user.js b/test/user.js
index 2857a1b0f2..253657afa2 100644
--- a/test/user.js
+++ b/test/user.js
@@ -2335,7 +2335,7 @@ describe('User', function () {
 
 	describe('email confirm', function () {
 		it('should error with invalid code', function (done) {
-			User.email.confirm('asdasda', function (err) {
+			User.email.confirmByCode('asdasda', function (err) {
 				assert.equal(err.message, '[[error:invalid-data]]');
 				done();
 			});
@@ -2351,7 +2351,25 @@ describe('User', function () {
 			const code = await User.email.sendValidationEmail(uid, email);
 			const unverified = await groups.isMember(uid, 'unverified-users');
 			assert.strictEqual(unverified, true);
-			await User.email.confirm(code);
+			await User.email.confirmByCode(code);
+			const [confirmed, isVerified] = await Promise.all([
+				db.getObjectField('user:' + uid, 'email:confirmed'),
+				groups.isMember(uid, 'verified-users', uid),
+			]);
+			assert.strictEqual(parseInt(confirmed, 10), 1);
+			assert.strictEqual(isVerified, true);
+		});
+
+		it('should confirm email of user by uid', async function () {
+			const email = 'confirm2@me.com';
+			const uid = await User.create({
+				username: 'confirme2',
+				email: email,
+			});
+
+			const unverified = await groups.isMember(uid, 'unverified-users');
+			assert.strictEqual(unverified, true);
+			await User.email.confirmByUid(uid);
 			const [confirmed, isVerified] = await Promise.all([
 				db.getObjectField('user:' + uid, 'email:confirmed'),
 				groups.isMember(uid, 'verified-users', uid),