diff --git a/src/platform.js b/src/platform.js
index 8a3d26272..684499ae2 100644
--- a/src/platform.js
+++ b/src/platform.js
@@ -263,12 +263,11 @@ function createMailConfig(callback) {
                 const enabled = relay.provider !== 'cloudron-smtp' ? true : false,
                       host = relay.host || '',
                       port = relay.port || 25,
-                      tls = !!relay.tls, // Whether to connect with TLS (not STARTTLS)
                       username = relay.username || '',
                       password = relay.password || '';
 
                 if (!safe.fs.writeFileSync(paths.ADDON_CONFIG_DIR + '/mail/smtp_forward.ini',
-                    `enable_outbound=${enabled}\nhost=${host}\nport=${port}\nenable_tls=${tls}\nauth_user=${username}\nauth_pass=${password}`, 'utf8')) {
+                    `enable_outbound=${enabled}\nhost=${host}\nport=${port}\nenable_tls=true\nauth_type=plain\nauth_user=${username}\nauth_pass=${password}`, 'utf8')) {
                     return callback(new Error('Could not create mail var file:' + safe.error.message));
                 }
 
diff --git a/src/routes/settings.js b/src/routes/settings.js
index 5b28b1cb0..597e25202 100644
--- a/src/routes/settings.js
+++ b/src/routes/settings.js
@@ -146,7 +146,6 @@ function setMailRelay(req, res, next) {
     if (typeof req.body.provider !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'provider is required'));
     if ('host' in req.body && typeof req.body.host !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'host must be a string'));
     if ('port' in req.body && typeof req.body.port !== 'number') return next(new HttpError(400, 'port must be a string'));
-    if ('tls' in req.body && typeof req.body.tls !== 'boolean') return next(new HttpError(400, 'tls must be a boolean'));
     if ('username' in req.body && typeof req.body.username !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'username must be a string'));
     if ('password' in req.body && typeof req.body.password !== 'string') return next(new HttpError(400, 'password must be a string'));
 
diff --git a/webadmin/src/views/email.html b/webadmin/src/views/email.html
index 5f3ef7f91..d9043d2d3 100644
--- a/webadmin/src/views/email.html
+++ b/webadmin/src/views/email.html
@@ -94,18 +94,12 @@
                         <input type="text" class="form-control" ng-model="mailRelay.relay.host" name="host" required>
                     </div>
                     <div class="form-group" ng-class="{ 'has-error': (mailRelayForm.port.$dirty && mailRelayForm.port.$invalid) }">
-                        <label class="control-label">SMTP Port</label>
+                        <label class="control-label">SMTP Port (STARTTLS)</label>
                         <div class="control-label" ng-show="(!mailRelayForm.port.$dirty && mailRelay.error.port) || (mailRelayForm.port.$dirty && mailRelayForm.port.$invalid)">
                             <small ng-show="!mailRelayForm.port.$dirty && mailRelay.error.port">{{ mailRelay.error.port }}</small>
                         </div>
                         <input type="number" class="form-control" ng-model="mailRelay.relay.port" name="port" required>
                     </div>
-                    <!-- this is always hidden for now, since TLS is required -->
-                    <div class="checkbox" ng-hide=true>
-                        <label>
-                            <input type="checkbox" ng-model="mailRelay.relay.tls"> Use TLS
-                        </label>
-                    </div>
                     <div class="form-group" ng-class="{ 'has-error': (mailRelayForm.username.$dirty && mailRelayForm.username.$invalid) }">
                         <label class="control-label">Username</label>
                         <div class="control-label" ng-show="(!mailRelayForm.username.$dirty && mailRelay.error.username) || (mailRelayForm.username.$dirty && mailRelayForm.username.$invalid)">
diff --git a/webadmin/src/views/email.js b/webadmin/src/views/email.js
index 5679753f7..237286cf7 100644
--- a/webadmin/src/views/email.js
+++ b/webadmin/src/views/email.js
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ angular.module('Application').controller('EmailController', ['$scope', '$locatio
             $scope.mailRelay.relay.provider = $scope.mailRelay.preset.provider;
             $scope.mailRelay.relay.host = $scope.mailRelay.preset.host;
             $scope.mailRelay.relay.port = $scope.mailRelay.preset.port;
-            $scope.mailRelay.relay.tls = $scope.mailRelay.preset.tls;
+            $scope.mailRelay.relay.username = '';
+            $scope.mailRelay.relay.password = '';
         },
 
         // form data to be set on load
@@ -114,19 +115,13 @@ angular.module('Application').controller('EmailController', ['$scope', '$locatio
             host: '',
             port: 25,
             username: '',
-            password: '',
-            tls: true // whether we should connect with TLS. STARTTLS is always supported
+            password: ''
         },
 
         submit: function () {
             $scope.mailRelay.error = null;
             $scope.mailRelay.busy = true;
 
-            if ($scope.mailRelay.relay.provider === 'external-smtp') {
-                // this is generally the case
-                $scope.mailRelay.relay.tls = $scope.mailRelay.relay.port === 465;
-            }
-
             Client.setMailRelay($scope.mailRelay.relay, function (error) {
                 if (error) {
                     $scope.mailRelay.error = error.message;