diff --git a/v3/lints/cabf_smime_br/lint_commonname_mailbox_validated.go b/v3/lints/cabf_smime_br/lint_commonname_mailbox_validated.go
index 06df676fd..d622f7466 100644
--- a/v3/lints/cabf_smime_br/lint_commonname_mailbox_validated.go
+++ b/v3/lints/cabf_smime_br/lint_commonname_mailbox_validated.go
@@ -44,7 +44,10 @@ func (l *commonNameMailboxValidated) CheckApplies(c *x509.Certificate) bool {
 }
 
 func (l *commonNameMailboxValidated) Execute(c *x509.Certificate) *lint.LintResult {
-	commonNames := []string{c.Subject.CommonName}
+	var commonNames []string
+	if c.Subject.CommonName != "" {
+		commonNames = append(commonNames, c.Subject.CommonName)
+	}
 	commonNames = append(commonNames, c.Subject.CommonNames...)
 	for _, cn := range commonNames {
 		if !util.IsMailboxAddress(cn) {
diff --git a/v3/lints/cabf_smime_br/lint_commonname_mailbox_validated_test.go b/v3/lints/cabf_smime_br/lint_commonname_mailbox_validated_test.go
index 77fa56221..727d9774b 100644
--- a/v3/lints/cabf_smime_br/lint_commonname_mailbox_validated_test.go
+++ b/v3/lints/cabf_smime_br/lint_commonname_mailbox_validated_test.go
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ func TestCommonNameMailboxValidated(t *testing.T) {
 		InputFilename  string
 		ExpectedResult lint.LintStatus
 	}{
+		{
+			Name:           "pass - no commonName attribute present",
+			InputFilename:  "smime/mailbox_validated_common_name_absent.pem",
+			ExpectedResult: lint.Pass,
+		},
 		{
 			Name:           "pass - valid email in commonName",
 			InputFilename:  "smime/mailbox_validated_common_name_good_email.pem",
diff --git a/v3/testdata/smime/mailbox_validated_common_name_absent.pem b/v3/testdata/smime/mailbox_validated_common_name_absent.pem
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..de5970a6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/v3/testdata/smime/mailbox_validated_common_name_absent.pem
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
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+V3bMmP5h8JfwRoGKiLm7b37wfKlSkRlIrDY6WpBTOdidGc6gEuSOugJ0X3g=
+-----END CERTIFICATE-----