diff --git a/.env.development b/.env.development
index 24dfe4e..d257f5f 100644
--- a/.env.development
+++ b/.env.development
@@ -15,3 +15,6 @@ APP_PORTFOLIO_PRODUCTION_MAILER_URL=localhost:3000
 #reCaptcha settings
 APP_PORTFOLIO_reCAPTCHA_SITE_KEY=""
 APP_PORTFOLIO_reCAPTCHA_SECRET_KEY=""
+
+#mailer settings
+MAIL_SMTP_ADDRESS='localhost'
diff --git a/.env.test b/.env.test
index 5688510..a62888b 100644
--- a/.env.test
+++ b/.env.test
@@ -11,3 +11,6 @@ APP_PORTFOLIO_DATABASE_TIMEOUT=5000
 APP_PORTFOLIO_DATABASE_USERNAME= 
 
 APP_PORTFOLIO_PRODUCTION_MAILER_URL=localhost:3000
+
+#mailer settings
+MAIL_SMTP_ADDRESS='localhost'
diff --git a/config/environments/production.rb b/config/environments/production.rb
index 6bdc451..7d6f22b 100644
--- a/config/environments/production.rb
+++ b/config/environments/production.rb
@@ -65,16 +65,19 @@
   # config.active_job.queue_adapter     = :resque
   # config.active_job.queue_name_prefix = "application_portfolio_#{Rails.env}"
 
+  # Configure Secure Sendmail mailer
   config.action_mailer.raise_delivery_errors = true
-
   config.action_mailer.perform_caching = false
-  config.action_mailer.default_options = { from: 'uclappdev@uc.edu' }
+  config.mailer_from = 'uclappdev@uc.edu'
+  config.action_mailer.delivery_method = :smtp
   # Store the base url from where request is received.
   config.action_mailer.default_url_options = { host: ENV['APP_PORTFOLIO_PRODUCTION_MAILER_URL'] }
-
   # updated for tls and sendmail
   config.action_mailer.smtp_settings = {
     enable_starttls_auto: true,
+    # 'address' specifies the address of the server that will handle email sending.
+    address: ENV['MAIL_SMTP_ADDRESS'],
+    # 'port' specifies which port to use on the SMTP server.
     port: 25,
     # 'ca_file' is the path to the certificate authority file.
     # In our case, it's a self-signed certificate. This tells Rails to trust this specific certificate.