diff --git a/api/v3/Email.php b/api/v3/Email.php
index ad4f61995608..d4c08250d8be 100644
--- a/api/v3/Email.php
+++ b/api/v3/Email.php
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
  *
  * @return array
  *   API result array
+ *
+ * @throws \API_Exception
+ * @throws \Civi\API\Exception\UnauthorizedException
  */
 function civicrm_api3_email_create($params) {
   return _civicrm_api3_basic_create(_civicrm_api3_get_BAO(__FUNCTION__), $params, 'Email');
@@ -37,7 +40,6 @@ function civicrm_api3_email_create($params) {
  *   Array of parameters determined by getfields.
  */
 function _civicrm_api3_email_create_spec(&$params) {
-  // TODO a 'clever' default should be introduced
   $params['is_primary']['api.default'] = 0;
   $params['email']['api.required'] = 1;
   $params['contact_id']['api.required'] = 1;
@@ -55,6 +57,10 @@ function _civicrm_api3_email_create_spec(&$params) {
  *
  * @return array
  *   API result array.
+ *
+ * @throws \API_Exception
+ * @throws \CiviCRM_API3_Exception
+ * @throws \Civi\API\Exception\UnauthorizedException
  */
 function civicrm_api3_email_delete($params) {
   return _civicrm_api3_basic_delete(_civicrm_api3_get_BAO(__FUNCTION__), $params);
@@ -72,3 +78,32 @@ function civicrm_api3_email_delete($params) {
 function civicrm_api3_email_get($params) {
   return _civicrm_api3_basic_get(_civicrm_api3_get_BAO(__FUNCTION__), $params);
 }
+
+/**
+ * Set default getlist parameters.
+ *
+ * @see _civicrm_api3_generic_getlist_defaults
+ *
+ * @param array $request
+ *
+ * @return array
+ */
+function _civicrm_api3_email_getlist_defaults(&$request) {
+  return [
+    'description_field' => [
+      'contact_id.sort_name',
+      'email',
+    ],
+    'params' => [
+      'on_hold' => 0,
+      'contact_id.is_deleted' => 0,
+      'contact_id.is_deceased' => 0,
+      'contact_id.do_not_email' => 0,
+    ],
+    'label_field' => 'contact_id.sort_name',
+    // If no results from sort_name try email.
+    'search_field' => 'contact_id.sort_name',
+    'search_field_fallback' => 'email',
+  ];
+
+}
diff --git a/api/v3/Generic/Getlist.php b/api/v3/Generic/Getlist.php
index 464bd09be028..2fecc84c4fcf 100644
--- a/api/v3/Generic/Getlist.php
+++ b/api/v3/Generic/Getlist.php
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
  * @param array $apiRequest
  *
  * @return mixed
+ * @throws \CiviCRM_API3_Exception
  */
 function civicrm_api3_generic_getList($apiRequest) {
   $entity = _civicrm_api_get_entity_name_from_camel($apiRequest['entity']);
@@ -37,6 +38,31 @@ function civicrm_api3_generic_getList($apiRequest) {
 
   $request['params']['check_permissions'] = !empty($apiRequest['params']['check_permissions']);
   $result = civicrm_api3($entity, 'get', $request['params']);
+  if (!empty($request['input']) && !empty($defaults['search_field_fallback']) && $result['count'] < $request['params']['options']['limit']) {
+    // We support a field fallback. Note we don't do this as an OR query because that could easily
+    // bypass an index & kill the server. We just 'pad' the results if needed with the second
+    // query - this is effectively the same as what the old Ajax::getContactEmail function did.
+    // Since these queries should be quick & often only one should be needed this is a simpler alternative
+    // to constructing a UNION via the api.
+    $request['params'][$defaults['search_field_fallback']] = $request['params'][$defaults['search_field']];
+    if ($request['params']['options']['sort'] === $defaults['search_field']) {
+      // The way indexing works here is that the order by field will be chosen in preference to the
+      // filter field. This can result in really bad performance so use the filter field for the sort.
+      // See https://github.com/civicrm/civicrm-core/pull/16993 for performance test results.
+      $request['params']['options']['sort'] = $defaults['search_field_fallback'];
+    }
+    // Exclude anything returned from the previous query since we are looking for additional rows in this
+    // second query.
+    $request['params'][$defaults['search_field']] = ['NOT LIKE' => $request['params'][$defaults['search_field_fallback']]['LIKE']];
+    $request['params']['options']['limit'] -= $result['count'];
+    $result2 = civicrm_api3($entity, 'get', $request['params']);
+    $result['values'] = array_merge($result['values'], $result2['values']);
+    $result['count'] = count($result['values']);
+  }
+  else {
+    // Re-index to sequential = 0.
+    $result['values'] = array_merge($result['values']);
+  }
 
   // Hey api, would you like to format the output?
   $fnName = "_civicrm_api3_{$entity}_getlist_output";
@@ -98,7 +124,7 @@ function _civicrm_api3_generic_getList_defaults($entity, &$request, $apiDefaults
   $request += $apiDefaults + $defaults;
   // Default api params
   $params = [
-    'sequential' => 1,
+    'sequential' => 0,
     'options' => [],
   ];
   // When searching e.g. autocomplete
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/CRM/Contact/Form/Task/EmailCommonTest.php b/tests/phpunit/CRM/Contact/Form/Task/EmailCommonTest.php
index 0326787d18ef..8fe8462266a2 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/CRM/Contact/Form/Task/EmailCommonTest.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/CRM/Contact/Form/Task/EmailCommonTest.php
@@ -14,13 +14,18 @@
   */
 class CRM_Contact_Form_Task_EmailCommonTest extends CiviUnitTestCase {
 
+  /**
+   * Set up for tests.
+   *
+   * @throws \CRM_Core_Exception
+   */
   protected function setUp() {
     parent::setUp();
     $this->_contactIds = [
       $this->individualCreate(['first_name' => 'Antonia', 'last_name' => 'D`souza']),
       $this->individualCreate(['first_name' => 'Anthony', 'last_name' => 'Collins']),
     ];
-    $this->_optionValue = $this->callApiSuccess('optionValue', 'create', [
+    $this->_optionValue = $this->callAPISuccess('optionValue', 'create', [
       'label' => '"Seamus Lee" <seamus@example.com>',
       'option_group_id' => 'from_email_address',
     ]);
@@ -28,6 +33,8 @@ protected function setUp() {
 
   /**
    * Test generating domain emails
+   *
+   * @throws \CRM_Core_Exception
    */
   public function testDomainEmailGeneration() {
     $emails = CRM_Core_BAO_Email::domainEmails();
@@ -39,6 +46,13 @@ public function testDomainEmailGeneration() {
     $this->assertEquals('"Seamus Lee" <seamus@example.com>', $optionValue['values'][$this->_optionValue['id']]['label']);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Test email uses signature.
+   *
+   * @throws \CRM_Core_Exception
+   * @throws \CiviCRM_API3_Exception
+   * @throws \Civi\API\Exception\UnauthorizedException
+   */
   public function testPostProcessWithSignature() {
     $mut = new CiviMailUtils($this, TRUE);
     Civi::settings()->set('allow_mail_from_logged_in_contact', 1);
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/api/v3/ContactTest.php b/tests/phpunit/api/v3/ContactTest.php
index 90f0e22e82f6..db3fd1efb170 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/api/v3/ContactTest.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/api/v3/ContactTest.php
@@ -3683,6 +3683,8 @@ public function testReturnCityProfile() {
 
   /**
    * CRM-15443 - ensure getlist api does not return deleted contacts.
+   *
+   * @throws \CRM_Core_Exception
    */
   public function testGetlistExcludeConditions() {
     $name = 'Scarabée';
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/api/v3/EmailTest.php b/tests/phpunit/api/v3/EmailTest.php
index 7f2e413936aa..a54183e71c6f 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/api/v3/EmailTest.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/api/v3/EmailTest.php
@@ -495,4 +495,26 @@ public function testSetBulkEmail() {
     $this->assertEquals(1, $emails[$email2['id']]['is_bulkmail']);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Test getlist.
+   *
+   * @throws \CRM_Core_Exception
+   */
+  public function testGetlist() {
+    $name = 'Scarabée';
+    $emailMatchContactID = $this->individualCreate(['last_name' => $name, 'email' => 'bob@bob.com']);
+    $emailMatchEmailID = $this->callAPISuccessGetValue('Email', ['return' => 'id', 'contact_id' => $emailMatchContactID]);
+    $this->individualCreate(['last_name' => $name, 'email' => 'bob@bob.com', 'is_deceased' => 1]);
+    $this->individualCreate(['last_name' => $name, 'email' => 'bob@bob.com', 'is_deleted' => 1]);
+    $this->individualCreate(['last_name' => $name, 'api.email.create' => ['email' => 'bob@bob.com', 'on_hold' => 1]]);
+    $this->individualCreate(['last_name' => $name, 'do_not_email' => 1, 'api.email.create' => ['email' => 'bob@bob.com']]);
+    $nameMatchContactID = $this->individualCreate(['last_name' => 'bob', 'email' => 'blah@example.com']);
+    $nameMatchEmailID = $this->callAPISuccessGetValue('Email', ['return' => 'id', 'contact_id' => $nameMatchContactID]);
+    // We should get only the active live email-able contact.
+    $result = $this->callAPISuccess('Email', 'getlist', ['input' => 'bob'])['values'];
+    $this->assertCount(2, $result);
+    $this->assertEquals($nameMatchEmailID, $result[0]['id']);
+    $this->assertEquals($emailMatchEmailID, $result[1]['id']);
+  }
+
 }