diff --git a/usr.sbin/pw/pw_user.c b/usr.sbin/pw/pw_user.c
index 62a1613322db..148239ebd2b5 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pw/pw_user.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/pw/pw_user.c
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ pw_checkname(char *name, int gecos)
 	reject = 0;
 	if (gecos) {
 		/* See if the name is valid as a gecos (comment) field. */
-		badchars = ":!@";
+		badchars = ":";
 		showtype = "gecos field";
 	} else {
 		/* See if the name is valid as a userid or group. */
diff --git a/usr.sbin/pw/tests/pw_useradd_test.sh b/usr.sbin/pw/tests/pw_useradd_test.sh
index 1a1c7d312463..3a88967652c0 100755
--- a/usr.sbin/pw/tests/pw_useradd_test.sh
+++ b/usr.sbin/pw/tests/pw_useradd_test.sh
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ atf_test_case user_add_comments
 user_add_comments_body() {
 	populate_etc_skel
 
-	atf_check -s exit:0 ${PW} useradd test -c "Test User,work,123,456"
-	atf_check -s exit:0 -o match:"^test:.*:Test User,work,123,456:" \
-		grep "^test:.*:Test User,work,123,456:" $HOME/master.passwd
+	atf_check -s exit:0 ${PW} useradd test -c 'Test User,work!,123,user@example.com'
+	atf_check -s exit:0 -o match:'^test:.*:Test User,work!,123,user@example.com:' \
+		grep '^test:.*:Test User,work!,123,user@example.com:' $HOME/master.passwd
 }
 
 # Test add user with comments and option -N