diff --git a/backend/.env.dist b/backend/.env.dist
index 06e0c3a64..648a2054c 100644
--- a/backend/.env.dist
+++ b/backend/.env.dist
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ LOGIN_SERVER_KEY=a51ef8ac7ef1abf162fb7a65261acd7a
 # EMail
 EMAIL=false
 EMAIL_TEST_MODUS=false
-EMAIL_TEST_RECEIVER=test_team@gradido.net
+EMAIL_TEST_RECEIVER=stage1@gradido.net
 EMAIL_USERNAME=gradido_email
 EMAIL_SENDER=info@gradido.net
 EMAIL_PASSWORD=xxx
diff --git a/backend/.env.template b/backend/.env.template
index bace78673..dddf845dc 100644
--- a/backend/.env.template
+++ b/backend/.env.template
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ JWT_SECRET=$JWT_SECRET
 JWT_EXPIRES_IN=$JWT_EXPIRES_IN
 GRAPHIQL=false
 GDT_API_URL=$GDT_API_URL
-ENV_NAME=$ENV_NAME
 
 # Database
 DB_HOST=localhost
diff --git a/backend/src/config/index.ts b/backend/src/config/index.ts
index 462620b14..edda4fbbb 100644
--- a/backend/src/config/index.ts
+++ b/backend/src/config/index.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ const server = {
   JWT_EXPIRES_IN: process.env.JWT_EXPIRES_IN || '10m',
   GRAPHIQL: process.env.GRAPHIQL === 'true' || false,
   GDT_API_URL: process.env.GDT_API_URL || 'https://gdt.gradido.net',
-  ENV_NAME: process.env.NODE_ENV || 'production',
   PRODUCTION: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production' || false,
 }
 
@@ -69,7 +68,7 @@ const loginServer = {
 const email = {
   EMAIL: process.env.EMAIL === 'true' || false,
   EMAIL_TEST_MODUS: process.env.EMAIL_TEST_MODUS === 'true' || 'false',
-  EMAIL_TEST_RECEIVER: process.env.EMAIL_TEST_RECEIVER || 'test_team@gradido.net',
+  EMAIL_TEST_RECEIVER: process.env.EMAIL_TEST_RECEIVER || 'stage1@gradido.net',
   EMAIL_USERNAME: process.env.EMAIL_USERNAME || 'gradido_email',
   EMAIL_SENDER: process.env.EMAIL_SENDER || 'info@gradido.net',
   EMAIL_PASSWORD: process.env.EMAIL_PASSWORD || 'xxx',
diff --git a/backend/src/server/createServer.ts b/backend/src/server/createServer.ts
index 3d89f7737..d1153cdb6 100644
--- a/backend/src/server/createServer.ts
+++ b/backend/src/server/createServer.ts
@@ -76,12 +76,8 @@ const createServer = async (
   })
   apollo.applyMiddleware({ app, path: '/' })
   logger.info(
-    `running in GRADIDO_ENV_NAME=${CONFIG.ENV_NAME} as PRODUCTION=${CONFIG.PRODUCTION} and EMAIL_TEST_MODUS=${CONFIG.EMAIL_TEST_MODUS} ...`,
+    `running with PRODUCTION=${CONFIG.PRODUCTION}, sending EMAIL enabled=${CONFIG.EMAIL} and EMAIL_TEST_MODUS=${CONFIG.EMAIL_TEST_MODUS} ...`,
   )
-  if (CONFIG.PRODUCTION && CONFIG.EMAIL_TEST_MODUS === 'true') {
-    logger.error(`### RUNNING ENVIRONMENT Production IN EMAIL_TEST_MODE IS NOT ALLOWED ###`)
-    throw new Error(`### RUNNING ENVIRONMENT Production IN EMAIL_TEST_MODE IS NOT ALLOWED ###`)
-  }
   logger.debug('createServer...successful')
   return { apollo, app, con }
 }
diff --git a/deployment/bare_metal/setup.md b/deployment/bare_metal/setup.md
index 2f9a702e3..652a0a5ce 100644
--- a/deployment/bare_metal/setup.md
+++ b/deployment/bare_metal/setup.md
@@ -95,9 +95,6 @@
 > cp .env.dist .env
 > nano .env
 >> Adjust values accordingly
-# Define name of gradido environment
-> the env variable GRADIDO_ENV_NAME have to be set during system installation manually to "development, stage1, stage2, stage3, production"
-> export GRADIDO_ENV_NAME=development
 # Define cronjob to compensate yarn output in /tmp
 > yarn creates output in /tmp directory, which must be deleted regularly and will be done per cronjob
 > on stage1 a hourly job is necessary by setting the following job in the crontab for the gradido user
diff --git a/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh b/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh
index 8b0277fa7..95b89241f 100755
--- a/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh
+++ b/deployment/bare_metal/start.sh
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@ yarn build
 if [ "$DEPLOY_SEED_DATA" = "true" ]; then
   yarn seed
 fi
-# the env variable GRADIDO_ENV_NAME have to be set during system installation manually (development, stage1, stage2, stage3) if it should differ from production
-export NODE_ENV="${GRADIDO_ENV_NAME:=production}"
+# TODO maybe handle this differently?
+export NODE_ENV=production
 pm2 delete gradido-backend
 pm2 start --name gradido-backend "yarn --cwd $PROJECT_ROOT/backend start" -l $GRADIDO_LOG_PATH/pm2.backend.$TODAY.log --log-date-format 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss.SSS'
 pm2 save
@@ -133,8 +133,8 @@ cd $PROJECT_ROOT/frontend
 unset NODE_ENV
 yarn install
 yarn build
-# the env variable GRADIDO_ENV_NAME have to be set during system installation manually (development, stage1, stage2, stage3) if it should differ from production
-export NODE_ENV="${GRADIDO_ENV_NAME:=production}"
+# TODO maybe handle this differently?
+export NODE_ENV=production
 pm2 delete gradido-frontend
 pm2 start --name gradido-frontend "yarn --cwd $PROJECT_ROOT/frontend start" -l $GRADIDO_LOG_PATH/pm2.frontend.$TODAY.log --log-date-format 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss.SSS'
 pm2 save
@@ -146,8 +146,8 @@ cd $PROJECT_ROOT/admin
 unset NODE_ENV
 yarn install
 yarn build
-# the env variable GRADIDO_ENV_NAME have to be set during system installation manually (development, stage1, stage2, stage3) if it should differ from production
-export NODE_ENV="${GRADIDO_ENV_NAME:=production}"
+# TODO maybe handle this differently?
+export NODE_ENV=production
 pm2 delete gradido-admin
 pm2 start --name gradido-admin "yarn --cwd $PROJECT_ROOT/admin start" -l $GRADIDO_LOG_PATH/pm2.admin.$TODAY.log --log-date-format 'YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss.SSS'
 pm2 save