diff --git a/atst/app.py b/atst/app.py
index e9daabd6..d73188cf 100644
--- a/atst/app.py
+++ b/atst/app.py
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ def map_config(config):
         "ENV": config["default"]["ENVIRONMENT"],
         "BROKER_URL": config["default"]["REDIS_URI"],
         "DEBUG": config["default"].getboolean("DEBUG"),
+        "DEBUG_MAILER": config["default"].getboolean("DEBUG_MAILER"),
         "SQLALCHEMY_ECHO": config["default"].getboolean("SQLALCHEMY_ECHO"),
         "PORT": int(config["default"]["PORT"]),
         "SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI": config["default"]["DATABASE_URI"],
@@ -289,7 +290,7 @@ def make_crl_validator(app):
 
 
 def make_mailer(app):
-    if app.config["DEBUG"]:
+    if app.config["DEBUG"] or app.config["DEBUG_MAILER"]:
         mailer_connection = mailer.RedisConnection(app.redis)
     else:
         mailer_connection = mailer.SMTPConnection(
diff --git a/config/base.ini b/config/base.ini
index 9233ef21..1df7f47a 100644
--- a/config/base.ini
+++ b/config/base.ini
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ CRL_FAIL_OPEN = false
 CRL_STORAGE_CONTAINER = crls
 CSP=mock
 DEBUG = true
+DEBUG_MAILER = false
 DISABLE_CRL_CHECK = false
 ENVIRONMENT = dev
 LIMIT_CONCURRENT_SESSIONS = false