diff --git a/api/chalicelib/utils/email_handler.py b/api/chalicelib/utils/email_handler.py
index 2149d4c7b..89291b083 100644
--- a/api/chalicelib/utils/email_handler.py
+++ b/api/chalicelib/utils/email_handler.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def send_html(BODY_HTML, SUBJECT, recipient, bcc=None):
                 r += [bcc]
             try:
                 logging.info(f"Email sending to: {r}")
-                s.sendmail(msg['FROM'], r, msg.as_string().encode('ascii'))
+                s.send_message(msg)
             except Exception as e:
                 logging.error("!!! Email error!")
                 logging.error(e)
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def send_text(recipients, text, subject):
         body = MIMEText(text)
         msg.attach(body)
         try:
-            s.sendmail(msg['FROM'], recipients, msg.as_string().encode('ascii'))
+            s.send_message(msg)
         except Exception as e:
             logging.error("!! Text-email failed: " + subject),
             logging.error(e)
diff --git a/api/chalicelib/utils/smtp.py b/api/chalicelib/utils/smtp.py
index d47235fbc..659f98d22 100644
--- a/api/chalicelib/utils/smtp.py
+++ b/api/chalicelib/utils/smtp.py
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ class EmptySMTP:
     def sendmail(self, from_addr, to_addrs, msg, mail_options=(), rcpt_options=()):
         logging.error("!! CANNOT SEND EMAIL, NO VALID SMTP CONFIGURATION FOUND")
 
+    def send_message(self, msg):
+        self.sendmail( msg["FROM"], msg["TO"], msg.as_string() )
 
 class SMTPClient:
     server = None