diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/account.py b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
index ab724b436..0e12cc921 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/account.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from __future__ import print_function
 import atexit
 from contextlib import contextmanager
+from email.utils import parseaddr
 import queue
 from threading import Event
 import os
@@ -225,9 +226,12 @@ class Account(object):
         :param name: display name for this contact (optional)
         :returns: :class:`deltachat.contact.Contact` instance.
         """
-        name = as_dc_charpointer(name)
-        email = as_dc_charpointer(email)
-        contact_id = lib.dc_create_contact(self._dc_context, name, email)
+        realname, addr = parseaddr(email)
+        if name:
+            realname = name
+        realname = as_dc_charpointer(realname)
+        addr = as_dc_charpointer(addr)
+        contact_id = lib.dc_create_contact(self._dc_context, realname, addr)
         assert contact_id > const.DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL
         return Contact(self, contact_id)
 
diff --git a/python/tests/test_account.py b/python/tests/test_account.py
index c1f506186..7eb66799c 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_account.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_account.py
@@ -368,6 +368,17 @@ class TestOfflineChat:
         assert msg2 != msg
         assert msg2.filename != msg.filename
 
+    def test_create_contact(self, acfactory):
+        ac1 = acfactory.get_configured_offline_account()
+        email = "hello <hello@example.org>"
+        contact1 = ac1.create_contact(email)
+        assert contact1.addr == "hello@example.org"
+        assert contact1.display_name == "hello"
+        contact1 = ac1.create_contact(email, name="world")
+        assert contact1.display_name == "world"
+        contact2 = ac1.create_contact("display1 <x@example.org>", "real")
+        assert contact2.display_name == "real"
+
     def test_create_chat_mismatch(self, acfactory):
         ac1 = acfactory.get_configured_offline_account()
         ac2 = acfactory.get_configured_offline_account()