diff --git a/core/notifications/notifications.yml b/core/notifications/notifications.yml
index e2984afc53..ca556e3b7e 100644
--- a/core/notifications/notifications.yml
+++ b/core/notifications/notifications.yml
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@ app:
   push_executor:
     fcm:
       google_application_credentials_path: "./config/notifications/fake_service_account.json"
-  email_executor:
-    smtp:
-      username: ""
-      from_email: ""
-      relay: ""
-      port: 587
+  # email_executor:
+  #   smtp:
+  #     username: ""
+  #     from_email: ""
+  #     relay: ""
+  #     port: 587
 # kratos_import:
 #   execute_import: true
diff --git a/core/notifications/src/app/config.rs b/core/notifications/src/app/config.rs
index 39d3165f3e..4f104bf790 100644
--- a/core/notifications/src/app/config.rs
+++ b/core/notifications/src/app/config.rs
@@ -5,5 +5,6 @@ use crate::{email_executor::EmailExecutorConfig, push_executor::PushExecutorConf
 #[derive(Clone, Default, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct AppConfig {
     pub push_executor: PushExecutorConfig,
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub email_executor: EmailExecutorConfig,
 }
diff --git a/core/notifications/src/email_executor/config.rs b/core/notifications/src/email_executor/config.rs
index b8c32e73bc..e66ad51e2d 100644
--- a/core/notifications/src/email_executor/config.rs
+++ b/core/notifications/src/email_executor/config.rs
@@ -4,5 +4,6 @@ use super::smtp::SmtpConfig;
 
 #[derive(Clone, Default, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize)]
 pub struct EmailExecutorConfig {
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub smtp: SmtpConfig,
 }
diff --git a/core/notifications/src/email_executor/smtp/config.rs b/core/notifications/src/email_executor/smtp/config.rs
index be5e0cddde..a5040fb3d5 100644
--- a/core/notifications/src/email_executor/smtp/config.rs
+++ b/core/notifications/src/email_executor/smtp/config.rs
@@ -2,10 +2,18 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 #[derive(Clone, Default, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize)]
 pub struct SmtpConfig {
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub username: String,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub password: String,
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub from_email: String,
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub relay: String,
+    #[serde(default = "default_smtp_port")]
     pub port: u16,
 }
+
+fn default_smtp_port() -> u16 {
+    587
+}