diff --git a/aurweb/util.py b/aurweb/util.py
index 1f75ac22..cb8e4b5b 100644
--- a/aurweb/util.py
+++ b/aurweb/util.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import string
 from datetime import datetime
 from distutils.util import strtobool as _strtobool
 from http import HTTPStatus
-from typing import Callable, Iterable, Tuple
+from typing import Callable, Iterable, Tuple, Union
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
 import fastapi
@@ -133,9 +133,9 @@ def sanitize_params(offset: str, per_page: str) -> Tuple[int, int]:
     return (offset, per_page)
 
 
-def strtobool(value: str) -> bool:
+def strtobool(value: Union[str, bool]) -> bool:
     if isinstance(value, str):
-        return _strtobool(value)
+        return _strtobool(value or "False")
     return value
 
 
diff --git a/templates/partials/account_form.html b/templates/partials/account_form.html
index f6a24c66..9136ee7a 100644
--- a/templates/partials/account_form.html
+++ b/templates/partials/account_form.html
@@ -105,7 +105,11 @@
                 {% trans %}Hide Email Address{% endtrans %}:
             </label>
 
-            <input id="id_hide" type="checkbox" name="H" value="{{ H }}">
+            <input id="id_hide" type="checkbox" name="H"
+                {% if hide_email %}
+                    checked="checked"
+                {% endif %}
+            >
         </p>
         <p>
             <em>{{ "If you do not hide your email address, it is "