diff --git a/backend/.env.template b/backend/.env.template
index 273ad7e64..0c80529a1 100644
--- a/backend/.env.template
+++ b/backend/.env.template
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ CLIENT_URI=http://localhost:3000
 MOCKS=false
 SMTP_HOST=
 SMTP_PORT=
+SMTP_IGNORE_TLS=true
 SMTP_USERNAME=
 SMTP_PASSWORD=
 
diff --git a/backend/src/config/index.js b/backend/src/config/index.js
index 7b254c044..320b636e9 100644
--- a/backend/src/config/index.js
+++ b/backend/src/config/index.js
@@ -6,26 +6,29 @@ const {
   MAPBOX_TOKEN,
   JWT_SECRET,
   PRIVATE_KEY_PASSPHRASE,
+  SMTP_IGNORE_TLS = true,
   SMTP_HOST,
   SMTP_PORT,
   SMTP_USERNAME,
   SMTP_PASSWORD,
+  NEO4J_URI = 'bolt://localhost:7687',
+  NEO4J_USERNAME = 'neo4j',
+  NEO4J_PASSWORD = 'neo4j',
+  GRAPHQL_PORT = 4000,
+  CLIENT_URI = 'http://localhost:3000',
+  GRAPHQL_URI = 'http://localhost:4000',
 } = process.env
 
 export const requiredConfigs = { MAPBOX_TOKEN, JWT_SECRET, PRIVATE_KEY_PASSPHRASE }
-export const smtpConfigs = { SMTP_HOST, SMTP_PORT, SMTP_USERNAME, SMTP_PASSWORD }
-
-export const neo4jConfigs = {
-  NEO4J_URI: process.env.NEO4J_URI || 'bolt://localhost:7687',
-  NEO4J_USERNAME: process.env.NEO4J_USERNAME || 'neo4j',
-  NEO4J_PASSWORD: process.env.NEO4J_PASSWORD || 'neo4j',
-}
-
-export const serverConfigs = {
-  GRAPHQL_PORT: process.env.GRAPHQL_PORT || 4000,
-  CLIENT_URI: process.env.CLIENT_URI || 'http://localhost:3000',
-  GRAPHQL_URI: process.env.GRAPHQL_URI || 'http://localhost:4000',
+export const smtpConfigs = {
+  SMTP_HOST,
+  SMTP_PORT,
+  SMTP_IGNORE_TLS,
+  SMTP_USERNAME,
+  SMTP_PASSWORD,
 }
+export const neo4jConfigs = { NEO4J_URI, NEO4J_USERNAME, NEO4J_PASSWORD }
+export const serverConfigs = { GRAPHQL_PORT, CLIENT_URI, GRAPHQL_URI }
 
 export const developmentConfigs = {
   DEBUG: process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production' && process.env.DEBUG === 'true',
diff --git a/backend/src/schema/resolvers/passwordReset.js b/backend/src/schema/resolvers/passwordReset.js
index e822c4649..13789662b 100644
--- a/backend/src/schema/resolvers/passwordReset.js
+++ b/backend/src/schema/resolvers/passwordReset.js
@@ -5,13 +5,13 @@ import nodemailer from 'nodemailer'
 import { resetPasswordMail, wrongAccountMail } from './passwordReset/emailTemplates'
 
 const transporter = () => {
-  const { SMTP_HOST: host, SMTP_PORT: port, SMTP_USERNAME: user, SMTP_PASSWORD: pass } = CONFIG
   const configs = {
-    host,
-    port,
-    ignoreTLS: true,
+    host: CONFIG.SMTP_HOST,
+    port: CONFIG.SMTP_PORT,
+    ignoreTLS: CONFIG.SMTP_IGNORE_TLS,
     secure: false, // true for 465, false for other ports
   }
+  const { SMTP_USERNAME: user, SMTP_PASSWORD: pass } = CONFIG
   if (user && pass) {
     configs.auth = { user, pass }
   }
diff --git a/docker-compose.override.yml b/docker-compose.override.yml
index 9c82a8df5..016984d3b 100644
--- a/docker-compose.override.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.override.yml
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ services:
       - uploads:/nitro-backend/public/uploads
     command: yarn run dev
     environment:
-      - SEND_MAILS=true
       - SMTP_HOST=mailserver
       - SMTP_PORT=25
+      - SMTP_IGNORE_TLS=true
   neo4j:
     environment:
       - NEO4J_AUTH=none