diff --git a/includes/update-email.php b/includes/update-email.php
index 6f8e655..1a19546 100644
--- a/includes/update-email.php
+++ b/includes/update-email.php
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
 <?php
-echo 'code to verify & sanitize a users updated e-mail address goes here!<br /><br />';
+include_once ('verifications.php');
+echo 'the useremail variable is: ' . $_POST['useremail'] . '<br />';
+echo 'the userid variable is: ' . $_SESSION['userid'] . '<br />';
+$updmail = $con->prepare("UPDATE userinfo SET usermail = ? WHERE userid = ?");
+$updmail->bind_param("si", $_POST['useremail'], $_SESSION['userid']);
+$updmail->execute();
+$_SESSION['usermail'] = $_POST['useremail'];
+echo 'Email address updated, redirecting.';
+header ("Refresh:2; url=preferences.php");
 ?>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/preferences.php b/preferences.php
index c2c6762..3b053c8 100644
--- a/preferences.php
+++ b/preferences.php
@@ -1,25 +1,22 @@
 <?php
 $pagetitle = "Account options";
 include_once ('header.php');
-if (!empty($_POST['usermail'])) {
+
+if (!empty($_POST['useremail'])) {
 	//this section contains code to update the users e-mail address, maybe via an include?
 	include_once ('includes/update-email.php');
-} else {
-	//should get rid of this whole else statement, or use it to display an error?
-	echo 'this should probably be the !empty section instead<br />';
-	echo 'the post usermail vaiable should be blank: <b>' . $_POST['usermail'] . '</b> <- Is there a blank spot to the left?<br />';
 }
-echo '<h3>Change e-mail and / or password</h3><br /><br />';
+echo '<h3>Change e-mail and / or password</h3>';
 
 // listing all session variables currently set for debugging purposes
 echo '<pre>';
 var_dump($_SESSION);
-echo '</pre><br /><br />';
+echo '</pre><br />';
 // delete the above 3 lines when done
 
 echo '<form action="preferences.php" method="post"><table border="1">';
 echo '<caption>Update e-mail address</caption>';
-echo '<tr><td><input type="text" name="usermail" value="' . $_SESSION['usermail'] . '"></td><td><input type="submit" value="Update e-mail"></td></tr>';
+echo '<tr><td><input type="text" name="useremail" value="' . $_SESSION['usermail'] . '"></td><td><input type="submit" value="Update e-mail"></td></tr>';
 echo '</table></form><br />';
 include_once ('footer.php');
 ?>
\ No newline at end of file