diff --git a/app/PaymentDrivers/StripePaymentDriver.php b/app/PaymentDrivers/StripePaymentDriver.php
index 7231cebbffc4..7deb0b433dcb 100644
--- a/app/PaymentDrivers/StripePaymentDriver.php
+++ b/app/PaymentDrivers/StripePaymentDriver.php
@@ -315,20 +315,36 @@ class StripePaymentDriver extends BaseDriver
 
         $client_gateway_token = ClientGatewayToken::whereClientId($this->client->id)->whereCompanyGatewayId($this->company_gateway->id)->first();
 
+        //Search by customer reference
         if ($client_gateway_token && $client_gateway_token->gateway_customer_reference) {
+
             $customer = Customer::retrieve($client_gateway_token->gateway_customer_reference, $this->stripe_connect_auth);
-        } else {
 
-            $data['name'] = $this->client->present()->name();
-            $data['phone'] = $this->client->present()->phone();
-            
-            if (filter_var($this->client->present()->email(), FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
-                $data['email'] = $this->client->present()->email();
-            }
+            if($customer)
+                return $customer;
 
-            $customer = Customer::create($data, $this->stripe_connect_auth);
+        } 
+
+        //Search by email
+        $searchResults = \Stripe\Customer::all([
+                    "email" => $this->client->present()->email(),
+                    "limit" => 2,
+                    "starting_after" => null
+        ],$this->stripe_connect_auth);
+
+        if(count($searchResults) == 1)
+            return $searchResults->data[0];
+        
+        //Else create a new record
+        $data['name'] = $this->client->present()->name();
+        $data['phone'] = $this->client->present()->phone();
+        
+        if (filter_var($this->client->present()->email(), FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
+            $data['email'] = $this->client->present()->email();
         }
 
+        $customer = Customer::create($data, $this->stripe_connect_auth);
+
         if (!$customer) {
             throw new Exception('Unable to create gateway customer');
         }