diff --git a/firestore-send-email/CHANGELOG.md b/firestore-send-email/CHANGELOG.md
index 1491388c8..6d30cd4a0 100644
--- a/firestore-send-email/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/firestore-send-email/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+## Version 0.2.3
+
+fix: remove strict validation of email "from" field
+
 ## Version 0.2.2
 
 fix: fix validation of payloads
diff --git a/firestore-send-email/extension.yaml b/firestore-send-email/extension.yaml
index 4b1f55161..d0b34a42a 100644
--- a/firestore-send-email/extension.yaml
+++ b/firestore-send-email/extension.yaml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 name: firestore-send-email
-version: 0.2.2
+version: 0.2.3
 specVersion: v1beta
 
 displayName: Trigger Email from Firestore
diff --git a/firestore-send-email/functions/__tests__/e2e/sendgrid.test.ts b/firestore-send-email/functions/__tests__/e2e/sendgrid.test.ts
index 815b13d42..c53e296cf 100644
--- a/firestore-send-email/functions/__tests__/e2e/sendgrid.test.ts
+++ b/firestore-send-email/functions/__tests__/e2e/sendgrid.test.ts
@@ -68,8 +68,7 @@ const TEST_COLLECTIONS = ["emailCollection", "emailTemplates"] as const;
     beforeAll(() => {
       // Initialize with emulator settings
       admin.initializeApp({
-        projectId: "dev-extensions-testing",
-        databaseURL: "http://localhost:8080?ns=dev-extensions-testing",
+        projectId: "demo-test",
       });
 
       // Point Firestore to the emulator
@@ -141,5 +140,45 @@ const TEST_COLLECTIONS = ["emailCollection", "emailTemplates"] as const;
       expect(updatedData?.delivery.info?.rejected).toEqual([]);
       expect(updatedData?.delivery.info?.pending).toEqual([]);
     });
+
+    test("should process an email with friendly name in from field", async () => {
+      const db = admin.firestore();
+
+      const testData = {
+        message: {
+          attachments: [],
+          html: "<p>Test email with friendly name</p>",
+          text: "Test email with friendly name",
+          subject: "Test Friendly Name",
+          from: "Friendly Firebaser test@example.com",
+        },
+        to: TEST_EMAIL,
+      };
+
+      // Write the document to the emulator
+      const docRef = db.collection("emailCollection").doc("test-friendly-name");
+      await docRef.set(testData);
+
+      // Wait a bit for the function to process
+      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 2000));
+
+      // Verify the document was updated
+      const doc = await docRef.get();
+      const updatedData = doc.data();
+
+      // Assert the delivery state was updated to SUCCESS
+      console.log("updatedData with friendly name", updatedData);
+      expect(updatedData?.delivery.state).toBe("SUCCESS");
+      expect(updatedData?.delivery.attempts).toBe(1);
+      expect(updatedData?.delivery.endTime).toBeDefined();
+      expect(updatedData?.delivery.error).toBeNull();
+
+      // Verify SendGrid specific info
+      expect(updatedData?.delivery.info).toBeDefined();
+      expect(updatedData?.delivery.info?.messageId).toBeDefined();
+      expect(updatedData?.delivery.info?.accepted).toContain(TEST_EMAIL);
+      expect(updatedData?.delivery.info?.rejected).toEqual([]);
+      expect(updatedData?.delivery.info?.pending).toEqual([]);
+    });
   }
 );
diff --git a/firestore-send-email/functions/__tests__/validation.test.ts b/firestore-send-email/functions/__tests__/validation.test.ts
index cedff391f..1d74fca27 100644
--- a/firestore-send-email/functions/__tests__/validation.test.ts
+++ b/firestore-send-email/functions/__tests__/validation.test.ts
@@ -91,6 +91,18 @@ describe("validatePayload", () => {
       expect(() => validatePayload(validPayload)).not.toThrow();
     });
 
+    it("should validate payload with friendly name in from field", () => {
+      const validPayload = {
+        to: "test@example.com",
+        from: "Friendly Firebaser test@example.com",
+        message: {
+          subject: "Test Subject",
+          text: "Test message",
+        },
+      };
+      expect(() => validatePayload(validPayload)).not.toThrow();
+    });
+
     it("should validate a template payload without html/text fields", () => {
       const validPayload = {
         to: "test@example.com",
diff --git a/firestore-send-email/functions/package.json b/firestore-send-email/functions/package.json
index 4180a2fa2..f2eae28d6 100644
--- a/firestore-send-email/functions/package.json
+++ b/firestore-send-email/functions/package.json
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     "test:local": "concurrently --kill-others \"npm run local:emulator\" \"npm run testIfEmulatorRunning\"",
     "test:watch": "concurrently \"npm run local:emulator\" \"jest --watch\"",
     "test:coverage": "concurrently --kill-others \"npm run local:emulator\" \"wait-on tcp:4001 && jest --coverage\"",
-    "test:e2e:sendgrid": "E2E_SENDGRID=true jest __tests__/e2e/sendgrid.test.ts",
+    "test:e2e:sendgrid": "cd ../../_emulator && firebase emulators:exec --project=demo-test \" cd ../firestore-send-email/functions && E2E_SENDGRID=true jest __tests__/e2e/sendgrid.test.ts\"",
     "generate-readme": "firebase ext:info .. --markdown > ../README.md"
   },
   "keywords": [],
diff --git a/firestore-send-email/functions/src/validation.ts b/firestore-send-email/functions/src/validation.ts
index 6b8b8af03..0d13af707 100644
--- a/firestore-send-email/functions/src/validation.ts
+++ b/firestore-send-email/functions/src/validation.ts
@@ -116,10 +116,7 @@ const templateSchema = z.object({
 /**
  * Schema for email recipients (single email or array of emails).
  */
-const recipientSchema = z.union([
-  z.string().email(),
-  z.array(z.string().email()),
-]);
+const recipientSchema = z.union([z.string(), z.array(z.string())]);
 
 /**
  * Schema for arrays of UIDs.
@@ -137,8 +134,8 @@ const payloadSchema = z
     toUids: uidArraySchema.optional(),
     ccUids: uidArraySchema.optional(),
     bccUids: uidArraySchema.optional(),
-    from: z.string().email().optional(),
-    replyTo: z.string().email().optional(),
+    from: z.string().optional(),
+    replyTo: z.string().optional(),
     message: baseMessageSchema.optional(),
     template: templateSchema.optional(),
     sendGrid: sendGridSchema.optional(),