diff --git a/scripts/pi-hole/php/groups.php b/scripts/pi-hole/php/groups.php
index 6ae6ccfb..72bd95ff 100644
--- a/scripts/pi-hole/php/groups.php
+++ b/scripts/pi-hole/php/groups.php
@@ -920,7 +920,11 @@ if ($_POST['action'] == 'get_groups') {
                 continue;
             }
 
-            if(preg_match("/[^a-zA-Z0-9:\/?&%=~._()-;]/", $address) !== 0) {
+            // this will remove first @ that is after schema and before domain
+           // $1 is optional schema, $2 is userinfo
+            $check_address = preg_replace("|([^:/]*://)?([^/]+)@|", "$1$2", $address, 1);
+
+            if(preg_match("/[^a-zA-Z0-9:\/?&%=~._()-;]/", $check_address) !== 0) {
                 throw new Exception('<strong>Invalid adlist URL ' . htmlentities($address) . '</strong><br>'.
                 'Added ' . $added . " out of ". $total . " adlists");
             }