diff --git a/packages/grid/helm/syft/templates/backend/backend-statefulset.yaml b/packages/grid/helm/syft/templates/backend/backend-statefulset.yaml
index 2d1a6880c33..bb126d3dcd3 100644
--- a/packages/grid/helm/syft/templates/backend/backend-statefulset.yaml
+++ b/packages/grid/helm/syft/templates/backend/backend-statefulset.yaml
@@ -113,13 +113,14 @@ spec:
                   key: rootPassword
             - name: POSTGRESQL_DBNAME
               value: {{ .Values.postgres.dbname | quote }}
+            {{- if .Values.server.smtp.enabled }}
             # SMTP
             - name: SMTP_HOST
-              value: {{ .Values.server.smtp.host | quote }}
+              value: {{ .Values.server.smtp.host | required "server.smtp.host is required" | quote }}
             - name: SMTP_PORT
-              value: {{ .Values.server.smtp.port | quote }}
+              value: {{ .Values.server.smtp.port | required "server.smtp.port is required" | quote }}
             - name: SMTP_USERNAME
-              value: {{ .Values.server.smtp.username | quote }}
+              value: {{ .Values.server.smtp.username | required "server.smtp.username is required" | quote }}
             - name: SMTP_PASSWORD
               {{- if .Values.server.smtp.existingSecret }}
               valueFrom:
@@ -127,10 +128,11 @@ spec:
                   name: {{ .Values.server.smtp.existingSecret }}
                   key: smtpPassword
               {{ else }}
-              value: {{ .Values.server.smtp.password | quote }}
+              value: {{ .Values.server.smtp.password | required "server.smtp.password is required" | quote }}
               {{ end }}
             - name: EMAIL_SENDER
-              value: {{ .Values.server.smtp.from | quote}}
+              value: {{ .Values.server.smtp.from | required "server.smtp.from is required" | quote}}
+            {{- end }}
             # SeaweedFS
             {{- if ne .Values.server.type "gateway"}}
             - name: S3_ROOT_USER
diff --git a/packages/grid/helm/syft/values.yaml b/packages/grid/helm/syft/values.yaml
index ba3eebffde8..e78910db98b 100644
--- a/packages/grid/helm/syft/values.yaml
+++ b/packages/grid/helm/syft/values.yaml
@@ -188,13 +188,16 @@ server:
 
   # SMTP Settings
   smtp:
+    enabled: false
+
+    host: null
+    port: null
+    from: null
+    username: null
+    password: null
+
     # Existing secret for SMTP with key 'smtpPassword'
     existingSecret: null
-    host: hostname
-    port: 587
-    from: noreply@openmined.org
-    username: apikey
-    password: password
 
   # Extra environment vars
   env: null
diff --git a/packages/syft/src/syft/service/notifier/notifier_service.py b/packages/syft/src/syft/service/notifier/notifier_service.py
index 8f788d09431..37ca2979cdf 100644
--- a/packages/syft/src/syft/service/notifier/notifier_service.py
+++ b/packages/syft/src/syft/service/notifier/notifier_service.py
@@ -129,14 +129,14 @@ def turn_on(
                 public_message="You must provide both server and port to enable notifications."
             )
 
-        logging.debug("Got notifier from db")
+        logger.debug("Got notifier from db")
         skip_auth: bool = False
         # If no new credentials provided, check for existing ones
         if not (email_username and email_password):
             if not (notifier.email_username and notifier.email_password):
                 skip_auth = True
             else:
-                logging.debug("No new credentials provided. Using existing ones.")
+                logger.debug("No new credentials provided. Using existing ones.")
                 email_password = notifier.email_password
                 email_username = notifier.email_username
 
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ def turn_on(
             )
 
         if not valid_credentials:
-            logging.error("Invalid SMTP credentials.")
+            logger.error("Invalid SMTP credentials.")
             raise SyftException(public_message=("Invalid SMTP credentials."))
 
         notifier.email_password = email_password
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ def turn_on(
             notifier.email_sender = email_sender
 
         notifier.active = True
-        logging.debug(
+        logger.debug(
             "Email credentials are valid. Updating the notifier settings in the db."
         )
 
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ def init_notifier(
         email_sender: str | None = None,
         smtp_port: int | None = None,
         smtp_host: str | None = None,
-    ) -> SyftSuccess:
+    ) -> SyftSuccess | None:
         """Initialize Notifier settings for a Server.
         If settings already exist, it will use the existing one.
         If not, it will create a new one.
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ def dispatch_notification(
 
         # If notifier is active
         if notifier.active and notification.email_template is not None:
-            logging.debug("Checking user email activity")
+            logger.debug("Checking user email activity")
 
             if notifier.email_activity.get(notification.email_template.__name__, None):
                 user_activity = notifier.email_activity[