diff --git a/.env.template b/.env.template
index e6d69e031..bf5e913a4 100644
--- a/.env.template
+++ b/.env.template
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ ARACHNE_BACKEND_IMAGE_VERSION=latest
 DB_ROOT_PASSWORD=
 DB_PASSWORD=
 
+SMTP_USER_NAME=
+SMTP_USER_PASSWORD=
+
 SERVER_ADDRESS=
 
 ARCHAEOCLOUD_PATH=/mnt/cephfs/archaeocloud/
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/de/uni_koeln/arachne/service/MailService.java b/backend/src/main/java/de/uni_koeln/arachne/service/MailService.java
index 75005f5dc..a8256ca31 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/de/uni_koeln/arachne/service/MailService.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/de/uni_koeln/arachne/service/MailService.java
@@ -37,7 +37,12 @@ public class MailService {
 	public MailService(final @Value("${mailSMTPServer}") String smtpServer
 			, final @Value("${mailSender}") String sender) {
 
+		String smtpUserName = System.getenv("SMTP_USER_NAME");
+		String smtpUserPassword = System.getenv("SMTP_USER_PASSWORD");
+
 		mailSender.setHost(smtpServer);
+		mailSender.setUsername(smtpUserName);
+		mailSender.setPassword(smtpUserPassword);
 		this.sender = sender;
 	}
 	
diff --git a/backend/src/main/resources/config/application.properties.dev b/backend/src/main/resources/config/application.properties.dev
index f400bcaa9..7267cc056 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/resources/config/application.properties.dev
+++ b/backend/src/main/resources/config/application.properties.dev
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ imageResolutionHIGH=0
 imageCacheDir=/tmp/arachne4ImageCache/
 
 # MailService
-mailSMTPServer=smtp.uni-koeln.de
-mailSender=arachne@uni-koeln.de
+mailSender=idai.objects@dainst.de
+mailSMTPServer=mail.dainst
 
 # transl8
 transl8Url=https://arachne.dainst.org/transl8/translation/json?application=arachne4_backend
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index bd0832a8b..88b03fbf0 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ services:
       - "DB_SERVER=${SERVER_ADDRESS}:3306"
       - "DB_PASSWORD=${DB_PASSWORD}"
       - "SERVER_ADDRESS=${SERVER_ADDRESS}"
+      - "SMTP_USER_NAME=${SMTP_USER_NAME}"
+      - "SMTP_USER_PASSWORD=${SMTP_USER_PASSWORD}"
       - "IIPIMAGE_SERVER=frontend"
       - "ELASTICSEARCH_SERVER=elasticsearch"
     volumes: