diff --git a/client/my-sites/plans/controller.jsx b/client/my-sites/plans/controller.jsx
index 153953bf08d99..5ac1ee5d91ed6 100644
--- a/client/my-sites/plans/controller.jsx
+++ b/client/my-sites/plans/controller.jsx
@@ -32,6 +32,14 @@ export function plans( context, next ) {
 		return productSelect( '/plans' )( context, next );
 	}
 
+	// Emails rely on the `discount` query param to auto-apply coupons
+	// from the Calypso admin plans page. The `/start` onboarding flow
+	// plans page, however, relies on the `coupon` query param for the
+	// same purpose. We handle both coupon and discount here for the time
+	// being to avoid confusion. We'll probably consolidate to just `coupon`
+	// in the future.
+	const withDiscount = context.query.coupon || context.query.discount;
+
 	context.primary = (
 		<Plans
 			context={ context }
@@ -39,7 +47,7 @@ export function plans( context, next ) {
 			customerType={ context.query.customerType }
 			selectedFeature={ context.query.feature }
 			selectedPlan={ context.query.plan }
-			withDiscount={ context.query.discount }
+			withDiscount={ withDiscount }
 			discountEndDate={ context.query.ts }
 			redirectTo={ context.query.redirect_to }
 			redirectToAddDomainFlow={