diff --git a/config/environments/production.rb b/config/environments/production.rb
index d4baec140..622e04227 100644
--- a/config/environments/production.rb
+++ b/config/environments/production.rb
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@
   config.active_job.queue_adapter = ENV.fetch('HYRAX_ACTIVE_JOB_QUEUE', 'sidekiq')
   # config.active_job.queue_name_prefix = "hyku_#{Rails.env}"
 
+  config.action_mailer.default_options = { from: ENV.fetch('HYKU_CONTACT_EMAIL', 'changeme@example.com') }
   if ENV['SMTP_ENABLED'].present? && ENV['SMTP_ENABLED'].to_s == 'true'
     config.action_mailer.smtp_settings = {
       user_name: ENV['SMTP_USER_NAME'],
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@
       address: ENV['SMTP_ADDRESS'],
       domain: ENV['SMTP_DOMAIN'],
       port: ENV['SMTP_PORT'],
-      enable_starttls_auto: true,
+      enable_starttls_auto: ActiveModel::Type::Boolean.new.cast(ENV.fetch('SMTP_STARTTLS', true)),
       authentication: ENV['SMTP_TYPE']
     }
     # ActionMailer Config
diff --git a/ops/demo-deploy.tmpl.yaml b/ops/demo-deploy.tmpl.yaml
index ed03b96b2..9bf8a0d4b 100644
--- a/ops/demo-deploy.tmpl.yaml
+++ b/ops/demo-deploy.tmpl.yaml
@@ -141,20 +141,22 @@ extraEnvVars: &envVars
     value: hyku-demo.$BASE_URL
   - name: HYKU_USER_DEFAULT_PASSWORD
     value: password
+  - name: SMTP_ADDRESS
+    value: "maildev-smtp.maildev.svc.cluster.local"
+  - name: SMTP_DOMAIN
+    value: "maildev-smtp.maildev.svc.cluster.local"
   - name: SMTP_ENABLED
     value: "true"
+  - name: SMTP_PORT
+    value: "1025"
+  - name: SMTP_TYPE
+    value: "plain"
   - name: SMTP_USER_NAME
-    value: $SMTP_USER_NAME
+    value: "admin"
+  - name: SMTP_STARTTLS
+    value: "false"
   - name: SMTP_PASSWORD
     value: $SMTP_PASSWORD
-  - name: SMTP_ADDRESS
-    value: smtp.mailtrap.io
-  - name: SMTP_DOMAIN
-    value: smtp.mailtrap.io
-  - name: SMTP_PORT
-    value: "2525"
-  - name: SMTP_TYPE
-    value: cram_md5
   - name: SOLR_ADMIN_USER
     value: admin
   - name: SOLR_ADMIN_PASSWORD
diff --git a/ops/staging-deploy.tmpl.yaml b/ops/staging-deploy.tmpl.yaml
index 8c506abe8..02b405402 100644
--- a/ops/staging-deploy.tmpl.yaml
+++ b/ops/staging-deploy.tmpl.yaml
@@ -143,20 +143,22 @@ extraEnvVars: &envVars
     value: password
   - name: NEGATIVE_CAPTCHA_SECRET
     value: $NEGATIVE_CAPTCHA_SECRET
+  - name: SMTP_ADDRESS
+    value: "maildev-smtp.maildev.svc.cluster.local"
+  - name: SMTP_DOMAIN
+    value: "maildev-smtp.maildev.svc.cluster.local"
   - name: SMTP_ENABLED
     value: "true"
+  - name: SMTP_PORT
+    value: "1025"
+  - name: SMTP_TYPE
+    value: "plain"
   - name: SMTP_USER_NAME
-    value: $SMTP_USER_NAME
+    value: "admin"
+  - name: SMTP_STARTTLS
+    value: "false"
   - name: SMTP_PASSWORD
     value: $SMTP_PASSWORD
-  - name: SMTP_ADDRESS
-    value: smtp.mailtrap.io
-  - name: SMTP_DOMAIN
-    value: smtp.mailtrap.io
-  - name: SMTP_PORT
-    value: "2525"
-  - name: SMTP_TYPE
-    value: cram_md5
   - name: SOLR_ADMIN_USER
     value: admin
   - name: SOLR_ADMIN_PASSWORD