diff --git a/src/utils/email-handler.ts b/src/utils/email-handler.ts
index 69e1246..a5f4b4e 100644
--- a/src/utils/email-handler.ts
+++ b/src/utils/email-handler.ts
@@ -32,47 +32,33 @@ let transporter: nodemailer.Transporter;
 
 // Initialize the transporter based on environment
 function initializeTransporter() {
-  if (isProduction && SMTP_HOST && SMTP_USER && SMTP_PASS) {
-    // Production: Use SMTP server
-
-    // ProtonMail specific configuration
-    // ProtonMail often requires using their Bridge application for SMTP
-    const isProtonMail = SMTP_HOST.includes('protonmail');
-
+  if (isProduction && SMTP_HOST) {
+    // Use local Postfix mail relay (no authentication)
     transporter = nodemailer.createTransport({
       host: SMTP_HOST,
-      port: parseInt(SMTP_PORT, 10),
-      secure: parseInt(SMTP_PORT, 10) === 465, // true for 465, false for other ports
-      auth: {
-        user: SMTP_USER,
-        pass: SMTP_PASS,
+      port: parseInt(SMTP_PORT, 10) || 25, // default to port 25 if not set
+      secure: false, // No SSL for local relay
+      tls: {
+        rejectUnauthorized: false, // Accept self-signed certificates if present
       },
-      // ProtonMail specific settings
-      ...(isProtonMail && {
-        tls: {
-          // Do not fail on invalid certs
-          rejectUnauthorized: false,
-          // Specific ciphers for ProtonMail
-          ciphers: 'SSLv3',
-        },
-      }),
     });
 
-    // Verify SMTP connection configuration
-    transporter.verify(function (error, _success) {
+    transporter.verify((error, success) => {
       if (error) {
-        console.error('SMTP connection error:', error);
+        console.error('❌ SMTP connection error:', error);
       } else {
-        console.log('SMTP server is ready to take our messages');
+        console.log('✅ SMTP server is ready to take messages.');
       }
     });
   } else {
-    // Development: Log emails to console
+    // Fallback for development: log email output to console
     transporter = nodemailer.createTransport({
       streamTransport: true,
       newline: 'unix',
       buffer: true,
     });
+
+    console.log('⚠️ Email transporter using streamTransport (development mode)');
   }
 }