Index: src/bp-core/classes/class-bp-email-recipient.php
===================================================================
--- src/bp-core/classes/class-bp-email-recipient.php
+++ src/bp-core/classes/class-bp-email-recipient.php
@@ -51,8 +51,10 @@
 	 * @param string|array|int|WP_User $email_or_user Either a email address, user ID, WP_User object,
 	 *                                                or an array containing any combination of the above.
 	 * @param string $name Optional. If $email_or_user is a string, this is the recipient's name.
+	 * @param bool $lookup_name Optional. If $email_or_user is an email address, look up the email address
+	 *                          in WordPress to find the user's name. Default: true.
 	 */
-	public function __construct( $email_or_user, $name = '' ) {
+	public function __construct( $email_or_user, $name = '', $lookup_name = true ) {
 		$name = sanitize_text_field( $name );
 
 		// User ID, email address or WP_User object.
@@ -92,7 +94,7 @@
 		}
 
 		// Still no user object; try to query user by email address.
-		if ( empty( $this->user_object ) ) {
+		if ( empty( $this->user_object ) && true === $lookup_name ) {
 			$this->get_user( 'search-email' );
 		}
 
Index: src/bp-core/classes/class-bp-email.php
===================================================================
--- src/bp-core/classes/class-bp-email.php
+++ src/bp-core/classes/class-bp-email.php
@@ -738,7 +738,7 @@
 	 * @return BP_Email
 	 */
 	public function set_from( $email_address, $name = '' ) {
-		$from = new BP_Email_Recipient( $email_address, $name );
+		$from = new BP_Email_Recipient( $email_address, $name, false );
 
 		/**
 		 * Filters the new value of the email's "from" property.
@@ -810,7 +810,7 @@
 	 * @return BP_Email
 	 */
 	public function set_reply_to( $email_address, $name = '' ) {
-		$reply_to = new BP_Email_Recipient( $email_address, $name );
+		$reply_to = new BP_Email_Recipient( $email_address, $name, false );
 
 		/**
 		 * Filters the new value of the email's "reply to" property.