diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index cf3705af..2397a5b1 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -36,3 +36,4 @@ EMAIL_PORT=587
 EMAIL_HOST_USER=mail@your.domain.here
 EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD=emailpassword123
 EMAIL_USE_TLS=true
+EMAIL_USE_SSL=false
diff --git a/bookwyrm/settings.py b/bookwyrm/settings.py
index 845f81c4..146d4fff 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/settings.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/settings.py
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ EMAIL_HOST = env("EMAIL_HOST")
 EMAIL_PORT = env("EMAIL_PORT", 587)
 EMAIL_HOST_USER = env("EMAIL_HOST_USER")
 EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = env("EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD")
-EMAIL_USE_TLS = env("EMAIL_USE_TLS", True)
+EMAIL_USE_TLS = env.bool("EMAIL_USE_TLS", True)
+EMAIL_USE_SSL = env.bool("EMAIL_USE_SSL", False)
 DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL = "admin@{:s}".format(env("DOMAIN"))
 
 # Build paths inside the project like this: os.path.join(BASE_DIR, ...)
diff --git a/celerywyrm/settings.py b/celerywyrm/settings.py
index 7591163b..952fe5b1 100644
--- a/celerywyrm/settings.py
+++ b/celerywyrm/settings.py
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ EMAIL_HOST = env("EMAIL_HOST")
 EMAIL_PORT = env("EMAIL_PORT")
 EMAIL_HOST_USER = env("EMAIL_HOST_USER")
 EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = env("EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD")
-EMAIL_USE_TLS = env("EMAIL_USE_TLS")
+EMAIL_USE_TLS = env.bool("EMAIL_USE_TLS")
+EMAIL_USE_SSL = env.bool("EMAIL_USE_SSL", False)
 
 
 # Build paths inside the project like this: os.path.join(BASE_DIR, ...)