diff --git a/.changeset/flat-rules-rush.md b/.changeset/flat-rules-rush.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f9f5354595
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/flat-rules-rush.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-catalog-backend-module-gitlab': patch
+---
+
+fix: use publicEmail in GitLab client
+
+client was using commitEmail that is visible only for self-managed GitLab admins. publicEmail is visible, but only if the user explicitly enable the corresponding setting on GitLab.
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-backend-module-gitlab/src/lib/client.test.ts b/plugins/catalog-backend-module-gitlab/src/lib/client.test.ts
index dda30fd86a..2bb1f713b5 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog-backend-module-gitlab/src/lib/client.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/catalog-backend-module-gitlab/src/lib/client.test.ts
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ describe('GitLabClient', () => {
                         user: {
                           id: 'gid://gitlab/User/1',
                           username: 'user1',
-                          commitEmail: 'user1@example.com',
+                          publicEmail: 'user1@example.com',
                           name: 'user1',
                           state: 'active',
                           webUrl: 'user1.com',
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@ describe('GitLabClient', () => {
                             user: {
                               id: 'gid://gitlab/User/1',
                               username: 'user1',
-                              commitEmail: 'user1@example.com',
+                              publicEmail: 'user1@example.com',
                               name: 'user1',
                               state: 'active',
                               webUrl: 'user1.com',
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ describe('GitLabClient', () => {
                             user: {
                               id: 'gid://gitlab/User/2',
                               username: 'user2',
-                              commitEmail: 'user2@example.com',
+                              publicEmail: 'user2@example.com',
                               name: 'user2',
                               state: 'active',
                               webUrl: 'user2.com',
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@ describe('GitLabClient', () => {
                         user: {
                           id: 'gid://gitlab/User/1',
                           username: 'user1',
-                          commitEmail: 'user1@example.com',
+                          publicEmail: 'user1@example.com',
                           name: 'user1',
                           state: 'active',
                           webUrl: 'user1.com',
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-backend-module-gitlab/src/providers/GitlabOrgDiscoveryEntityProvider.test.ts b/plugins/catalog-backend-module-gitlab/src/providers/GitlabOrgDiscoveryEntityProvider.test.ts
index ce00510140..1b1357c1bf 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog-backend-module-gitlab/src/providers/GitlabOrgDiscoveryEntityProvider.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/catalog-backend-module-gitlab/src/providers/GitlabOrgDiscoveryEntityProvider.test.ts
@@ -560,7 +560,7 @@ describe('GitlabOrgDiscoveryEntityProvider', () => {
                       user: {
                         id: 'gid://gitlab/User/12',
                         username: 'testuser1',
-                        commitEmail: 'testuser1@example.com',
+                        publicEmail: 'testuser1@example.com',
                         state: 'active',
                         name: 'Test User 1',
                         webUrl: 'https://gitlab.com/testuser1',
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@ describe('GitlabOrgDiscoveryEntityProvider', () => {
                       user: {
                         id: 'gid://gitlab/User/34',
                         username: 'testuser2',
-                        commitEmail: 'testuser2@example.com',
+                        publicEmail: 'testuser2@example.com',
                         state: 'active',
                         name: 'Test User 2',
                         webUrl: 'https://gitlab.com/testuser2',