diff --git a/.hb.yaml b/.hb.yaml
index 046af05..5d8744c 100644
--- a/.hb.yaml
+++ b/.hb.yaml
@@ -25,3 +25,7 @@ pushover_user: "uDhH33UjQQDYtNzJb1ThRiWb9ingGK"
 pushsrv: "pushover"
 
 dyndomains: {"wrede.org"}
+smtpserver: "smtp.fastmail.com"
+smtpuser: "andreas@wrede.ca"
+smtppassword: "pvtvefyp5gbhnch2"
+smtpport: 587
diff --git a/hbd/config.py b/hbd/config.py
index c34b2bf..103b701 100644
--- a/hbd/config.py
+++ b/hbd/config.py
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ DEFAULTS = {
     "foreground": False,
     "verbose": False,
     "debug": 0,
+    "smtpserver": "smtp.fastmail.com",
+    "smtpuser": "andreas@wrede.ca",
+    "smtppassword": "pvtvefyp5gbhnch2",
+    "smtpport": 587
+
 }
 
 
diff --git a/hbd/notify.py b/hbd/notify.py
index 39e7f17..7b43ed1 100644
--- a/hbd/notify.py
+++ b/hbd/notify.py
@@ -24,9 +24,17 @@ def setup(cfg: dict):
 def send_email(aemail, smtpserver, sender, subject, body, debug=0):
     """Send a plain email via SMTP. Returns True on success."""
     try:
-        server = smtplib.SMTP(smtpserver)
+        smtpport = _config.get("smtpport", 587) 
+        server = smtplib.SMTP(smtpserver, smtpport))
         if debug > 0:
             server.set_debuglevel(1)
+        if smtpport == 587:
+            server.starttls()
+            server.ehlo()
+            smtpuser = _config.get("smtpuser", None)
+            smtppassword = _config.get("smtp_password", None)
+            if smtpuser and smtppassword:
+                server.login(smtpuser, smtppassword)
         server.sendmail(sender, aemail, body)
     except Exception as e:
         logger.warning("email send failed: %s", e)
@@ -50,7 +58,7 @@ def email(subject: str, msg: str, debug: int = 0) -> bool:
     """
     toaddrs = _config.get("AEMAIL") or _config.get("aemail") or _config.get("email_to") or []
     fromemail = _config.get("fromemail") or _config.get("sender") or f"aew.heartbeat@{_config.get('domain','local') }"
-    smtpserver = _config.get("SMTPSERVER") or _config.get("smtpserver") or _config.get("SMTPSERVER", "localhost")
+    smtpserver = _config.get("smtpserver") or _config.get("SMTPSERVER", "localhost")
     date = time.strftime("%a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S %z", time.localtime())
     body = "To: %s\nFrom: %s\nSubject: %s\nDate: %s\n\n%s" % (
         toaddrs[0] if toaddrs else "",