diff --git a/src/backend/Environment.ts b/src/backend/Environment.ts
index 3a059b94..9325a3a3 100644
--- a/src/backend/Environment.ts
+++ b/src/backend/Environment.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 /**
  * Keeps the environment context
+ * Only use it in the Config constructor
  */
 export const ServerEnvironment: { sendMailAvailable?: boolean } = {};
diff --git a/src/common/config/private/Config.ts b/src/common/config/private/Config.ts
index 7f1f01b7..00cda39e 100644
--- a/src/common/config/private/Config.ts
+++ b/src/common/config/private/Config.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {IConfigClass} from 'typeconfig/common';
 import {PasswordHelper} from '../../../backend/model/PasswordHelper';
 import {TAGS} from '../public/ClientConfig';
 import {ServerEnvironment} from '../../../backend/Environment';
+import {EmailMessagingType} from './MessagingConfig';
 
 declare const process: any;
 
@@ -82,6 +83,9 @@ export class PrivateConfigClass extends ServerConfig {
     this.Environment.isDocker = !!process.env.PI_DOCKER;
     if (typeof ServerEnvironment.sendMailAvailable !== 'undefined') {
       this.Environment.sendMailAvailable = ServerEnvironment.sendMailAvailable;
+      if(!this.Environment.sendMailAvailable){ //onNewValue is not yet available as a callback
+        this.Messaging.Email.type = EmailMessagingType.SMTP;
+      }
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/test/backend/unit/middlewares/admin/SettingsMWs.ts b/test/backend/unit/middlewares/admin/SettingsMWs.ts
index f7bd0973..de55023f 100644
--- a/test/backend/unit/middlewares/admin/SettingsMWs.ts
+++ b/test/backend/unit/middlewares/admin/SettingsMWs.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import {SettingsMWs} from '../../../../../src/backend/middlewares/admin/Settings
 import {ServerUserConfig} from '../../../../../src/common/config/private/PrivateConfig';
 import {Config} from '../../../../../src/common/config/private/Config';
 import {UserRoles} from '../../../../../src/common/entities/UserDTO';
+import {ConfigClassBuilder} from '../../../../../node_modules/typeconfig/node';
+import {ServerEnvironment} from '../../../../../src/backend/Environment';
 
 
 declare const describe: any;
@@ -19,6 +21,8 @@ describe('Settings middleware', () => {
   });
 
   it('should save empty enforced users settings', (done: (err?: any) => void) => {
+
+    ServerEnvironment.sendMailAvailable = false;
     const req: any = {
       session: {},
       sessionOptions: {},
@@ -26,12 +30,13 @@ describe('Settings middleware', () => {
       params: {},
       body: {
         settingsPath: 'Users',
-        settings: new ServerUserConfig()
+        settings: ConfigClassBuilder.attachPrivateInterface(new ServerUserConfig()).toJSON()
       }
     };
     req.body.settings.enforcedUsers = [];
     const next: any = (err: ErrorDTO) => {
       try {
+        expect(err).to.be.undefined;
         expect(Config.Users.enforcedUsers.length).to.be.equal(0);
         done();
       } catch (err) {