diff --git a/.github/workflows/go.yml b/.github/workflows/go.yml
index e79e45a1..84b0037f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Set up Go 1.x
       uses: actions/setup-go@v2
       with:
-        go-version: ^1.13
+        go-version: ^1.15
       id: go
 
     - name: Check out code into the Go module directory
diff --git a/internal/email/smtp.go b/internal/email/smtp.go
index 33f6578d..c715f224 100644
--- a/internal/email/smtp.go
+++ b/internal/email/smtp.go
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ func Strip(msg string) string {
 	return msg
 }
 
+// workaround for go < 1.15
+func TrimAddresses(address string) string {
+	return strings.Trim(strings.Trim(address, " "), ",")
+}
+
 func (b *EmailBuilder) AddFile(name string, data []byte) {
 	if b.fileNames == nil || b.files == nil {
 		b.fileNames = []string{name}
@@ -71,7 +76,7 @@ func (b *EmailBuilder) Send() (err error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	to, err := mail.ParseAddressList(b.To)
+	to, err := mail.ParseAddressList(TrimAddresses(b.To))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/email/smtp_test.go b/internal/email/smtp_test.go
index 64423f81..35b2a5d2 100644
--- a/internal/email/smtp_test.go
+++ b/internal/email/smtp_test.go
@@ -2,10 +2,25 @@ package email
 
 import (
 	"io/ioutil"
+	"net/mail"
 	"testing"
 )
 
+func TestParseEmptyAddress(t *testing.T) {
+	addreses := TrimAddresses(", email@domain.com , blah@blah, ")
+	to, err := mail.ParseAddressList(addreses)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	if len(to) > 2 {
+		t.Error("more than 2")
+	}
+	t.Log(to)
+}
+
 func TestRead(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Skip("TODO: fake the sending")
+
 	file, _ := ioutil.ReadFile("test.txt")
 	sender := EmailBuilder{
 		To:      "bingobango@mailinator.com",