diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 6e8cf838..724c1e5d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ Fixed
 - **Projectroles**
     - User account update signals not triggered on login (#1274)
     - Project list rendering failure with finder role (#1276)
+    - Crash in ``email`` module with empty ``ADMINS`` setting (#1287)
 - **Timeline**
     - Ajax view permission test issues (#1267)
 
diff --git a/config/settings/base.py b/config/settings/base.py
index cfd2e449..6be4c413 100644
--- a/config/settings/base.py
+++ b/config/settings/base.py
@@ -140,10 +140,7 @@
 # Provide ADMINS as: Name:email,Name:email
 ADMINS = [
     x.split(':')
-    for x in env.list(
-        'ADMINS',
-        default=['Admin:admin@example.com', 'Admin2:admin2@example.com'],
-    )
+    for x in env.list('ADMINS', default=['Admin User:admin@example.com'])
 ]
 
 # See: https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/3.2/ref/settings/#managers
diff --git a/config/settings/test.py b/config/settings/test.py
index 47d0e710..26a56b74 100644
--- a/config/settings/test.py
+++ b/config/settings/test.py
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@
 # Note: This key only used for development and testing.
 SECRET_KEY = env('DJANGO_SECRET_KEY', default='CHANGEME!!!')
 
+# MANAGER CONFIGURATION
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ADMINS = [('Admin User', 'admin@example.com')]
+MANAGERS = ADMINS
+
 # Mail settings
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 EMAIL_HOST = 'localhost'
diff --git a/projectroles/email.py b/projectroles/email.py
index 2ad426c4..69361055 100644
--- a/projectroles/email.py
+++ b/projectroles/email.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 EMAIL_SENDER = settings.EMAIL_SENDER
 DEBUG = settings.DEBUG
 SITE_TITLE = settings.SITE_INSTANCE_TITLE
-ADMIN_RECIPIENT = settings.ADMINS[0]
 
 # Local constants
 EMAIL_RE = re.compile(r'(^[a-zA-Z0-9_.+-]+@[a-zA-Z0-9-]+\.[a-zA-Z0-9-.]+$)')
@@ -285,11 +284,14 @@ def get_email_footer():
     custom_footer = getattr(settings, 'PROJECTROLES_EMAIL_FOOTER', None)
     if custom_footer:
         return '\n' + custom_footer
-    return MESSAGE_FOOTER.format(
-        site_title=SITE_TITLE,
-        admin_name=ADMIN_RECIPIENT[0],
-        admin_email=ADMIN_RECIPIENT[1],
-    )
+    admin_recipient = settings.ADMINS[0] if settings.ADMINS else None
+    if admin_recipient:
+        return MESSAGE_FOOTER.format(
+            site_title=SITE_TITLE,
+            admin_name=admin_recipient[0],
+            admin_email=admin_recipient[1],
+        )
+    return ''
 
 
 def get_invite_subject(project):
diff --git a/projectroles/tests/test_email.py b/projectroles/tests/test_email.py
index 76a80636..b819502f 100644
--- a/projectroles/tests/test_email.py
+++ b/projectroles/tests/test_email.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """Tests for email sending in the projectroles Django app"""
 
+from django.conf import settings
 from django.core import mail
 from django.test import override_settings
 from django.urls import reverse
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@
     send_project_create_mail,
     get_email_user,
     get_user_addr,
+    get_email_footer,
 )
 from projectroles.tests.test_models import (
     ProjectMixin,
@@ -326,6 +328,17 @@ def test_generic_mail_multiple(self):
             self.assertEqual(email_sent, 2)
             self.assertEqual(len(mail.outbox), 2)
 
+    def test_get_email_footer(self):
+        """Test get_email_footer() with default admin"""
+        footer = get_email_footer()
+        self.assertIn(settings.ADMINS[0][0], footer)
+        self.assertIn(settings.ADMINS[0][1], footer)
+
+    @override_settings(ADMINS=[])
+    def test_get_email_footer_no_admin(self):
+        """Test get_email_footer() with empty admin list"""
+        self.assertEqual(get_email_footer(), '')
+
     @override_settings(PROJECTROLES_EMAIL_HEADER=CUSTOM_HEADER)
     def test_custom_header(self):
         """Test send_generic_mail() with custom header"""