diff --git a/app/app/settings.py b/app/app/settings.py
index c871ff5b..195c65e9 100644
--- a/app/app/settings.py
+++ b/app/app/settings.py
@@ -296,12 +296,12 @@ APPLICATION_INSIGHTS = {
     'endpoint': env('AZURE_APPINSIGHTS_ENDPOINT', None),
 }
 
-## necessary for email verification setup
-# EMAIL_USE_TLS = True
-# EMAIL_HOST = 'smtp.gmail.com'
-# EMAIL_HOST_USER = 'random@gmail.com'
-# EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = 'gfds6jk#4ljIr%G8%'
-# EMAIL_PORT = 587
-#
-## During development only
-# EMAIL_BACKEND = 'django.core.mail.backends.console.EmailBackend'
+# necessary for email verification of new accounts
+EMAIL_USE_TLS = env.bool('EMAIL_USE_TLS', False)
+EMAIL_HOST = env('EMAIL_HOST', None)
+EMAIL_HOST_USER = env('EMAIL_HOST_USER', None)
+EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = env('EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD', None)
+EMAIL_PORT = env.int('EMAIL_PORT', 587)
+
+if not EMAIL_HOST:
+    EMAIL_BACKEND = 'django.core.mail.backends.console.EmailBackend'