diff --git a/frontend/components/forms/admin/AppConfigForm/AppConfigForm.jsx b/frontend/components/forms/admin/AppConfigForm/AppConfigForm.jsx
index ae04df2359..76b7d47c29 100644
--- a/frontend/components/forms/admin/AppConfigForm/AppConfigForm.jsx
+++ b/frontend/components/forms/admin/AppConfigForm/AppConfigForm.jsx
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ const formFields = [
   'authentication_method', 'authentication_type', 'domain', 'enable_ssl_tls', 'enable_start_tls',
   'kolide_server_url', 'org_logo_url', 'org_name', 'osquery_enroll_secret', 'password',
   'port', 'sender_address', 'server', 'user_name', 'verify_ssl_certs', 'idp_name', 'entity_id',
-  'issuer_uri', 'idp_image_url', 'metadata', 'metadata_url', 'enable_sso',
+  'issuer_uri', 'idp_image_url', 'metadata', 'metadata_url', 'enable_sso', 'enable_smtp',
 ];
 const Header = ({ showAdvancedOptions }) => {
   const CaratIcon = <Icon name={showAdvancedOptions ? 'downcarat' : 'upcarat'} />;
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ class AppConfigForm extends Component {
       metadata_url: formFieldInterface.isRequired,
       idp_name: formFieldInterface.isRequired,
       enable_sso: formFieldInterface.isRequired,
+      enable_smtp: formFieldInterface.isRequired,
     }).isRequired,
     handleSubmit: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     smtpConfigured: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
@@ -185,6 +186,15 @@ class AppConfigForm extends Component {
 
         <div className={`${baseClass}__section`}>
           <h2>SAML Single Sign On Options</h2>
+
+          <div className={`${baseClass}__inputs`}>
+            <Checkbox
+              {...fields.enable_sso}
+            >
+              Enable Single Sign On
+            </Checkbox>
+          </div>
+
           <div className={`${baseClass}__inputs`}>
             <InputField
               {...fields.idp_name}
@@ -248,18 +258,18 @@ class AppConfigForm extends Component {
             <p>A URL that references the identity provider metadata.</p>
           </div>
 
-          <div className={`${baseClass}__inputs`}>
-            <Checkbox
-              {...fields.enable_sso}
-            >
-              Enable Single Sign On
-            </Checkbox>
-          </div>
-
         </div>
 
         <div className={`${baseClass}__section`}>
           <h2>SMTP Options <small className={`smtp-options smtp-options--${smtpConfigured ? 'configured' : 'notconfigured'}`}>STATUS: <em>{smtpConfigured ? 'CONFIGURED' : 'NOT CONFIGURED'}</em></small></h2>
+          <div className={`${baseClass}__inputs`}>
+            <Checkbox
+              {...fields.enable_smtp}
+            >
+              Enable SMTP
+            </Checkbox>
+          </div>
+
           <div className={`${baseClass}__inputs`}>
             <InputField
               {...fields.sender_address}
@@ -282,7 +292,7 @@ class AppConfigForm extends Component {
             <Checkbox
               {...fields.enable_ssl_tls}
             >
-              User SSL/TLS to connect (recommended)
+              Use SSL/TLS to connect (recommended)
             </Checkbox>
           </div>
           <div className={`${baseClass}__details`}>
diff --git a/frontend/components/forms/admin/AppConfigForm/validate.js b/frontend/components/forms/admin/AppConfigForm/validate.js
index f9c2856eba..e0ec9dffd1 100644
--- a/frontend/components/forms/admin/AppConfigForm/validate.js
+++ b/frontend/components/forms/admin/AppConfigForm/validate.js
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
-import { size, some } from 'lodash';
-
-import APP_CONSTANTS from 'app_constants';
-
-const { APP_SETTINGS } = APP_CONSTANTS;
+import { size } from 'lodash';
 
 export default (formData) => {
   const errors = {};
@@ -10,6 +6,7 @@ export default (formData) => {
     authentication_type: authType,
     kolide_server_url: kolideServerUrl,
     org_name: orgName,
+    enable_smtp: enableSMTP,
     password: smtpPassword,
     sender_address: smtpSenderAddress,
     server: smtpServer,
@@ -42,9 +39,7 @@ export default (formData) => {
     errors.org_name = 'Organization Name must be present';
   }
 
-  if (some([smtpSenderAddress, smtpServer, smtpUserName]) ||
-    (smtpPassword && smtpPassword !== APP_SETTINGS.FAKE_PASSWORD) ||
-    (smtpServerPort !== APP_SETTINGS.DEFAULT_SMTP_PORT)) {
+  if (enableSMTP) {
     if (!smtpSenderAddress) {
       errors.sender_address = 'SMTP Sender Address must be present';
     }
diff --git a/frontend/components/forms/admin/AppConfigForm/validate.tests.js b/frontend/components/forms/admin/AppConfigForm/validate.tests.js
index 61dc98ebd7..abedfa4967 100644
--- a/frontend/components/forms/admin/AppConfigForm/validate.tests.js
+++ b/frontend/components/forms/admin/AppConfigForm/validate.tests.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ describe('AppConfigForm - validations', () => {
     authentication_type: 'username_password',
     kolide_server_url: 'https://gnar.dog',
     sender_address: 'hi@gnar.dog',
+    enable_smtp: true,
     server: '192.168.99.100',
     port: '1025',
     user_name: 'gnardog',
@@ -117,9 +118,10 @@ describe('AppConfigForm - validations', () => {
       });
     });
 
-    it('does not validate smtp config if only password and port are present and they are defaults', () => {
+    it('does not validate smtp config if smtp not enabled', () => {
       const formData = {
         ...validFormData,
+        enable_smtp: false,
         user_name: '',
         server: '',
         sender_address: '',
diff --git a/frontend/kolide/entities/config.tests.js b/frontend/kolide/entities/config.tests.js
index 6b240c3d6b..c9499186a5 100644
--- a/frontend/kolide/entities/config.tests.js
+++ b/frontend/kolide/entities/config.tests.js
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ describe('Kolide - API client (config)', () => {
         authentication_method: 'authmethod_plain',
         verify_ssl_certs: true,
         enable_start_tls: true,
-        email_enabled: false,
       };
       const configData = helpers.formatConfigDataForServer(formData);
       const request = configMocks.update.valid(bearerToken, configData);
diff --git a/frontend/kolide/helpers.js b/frontend/kolide/helpers.js
index 084ed23d4e..5c05605531 100644
--- a/frontend/kolide/helpers.js
+++ b/frontend/kolide/helpers.js
@@ -76,8 +76,9 @@ export const formatConfigDataForServer = (config) => {
   const orgInfoAttrs = pick(config, ['org_logo_url', 'org_name']);
   const serverSettingsAttrs = pick(config, ['kolide_server_url', 'osquery_enroll_secret']);
   const smtpSettingsAttrs = pick(config, [
-    'authentication_method', 'authentication_type', 'domain', 'email_enabled', 'enable_ssl_tls',
+    'authentication_method', 'authentication_type', 'domain', 'enable_ssl_tls',
     'enable_start_tls', 'password', 'port', 'sender_address', 'server', 'user_name', 'verify_ssl_certs',
+    'enable_smtp',
   ]);
   const ssoSettingsAttrs = pick(config, ['entity_id', 'issuer_uri', 'idp_image_url', 'metadata',
     'metadata_url', 'idp_name', 'enable_sso',
diff --git a/frontend/kolide/helpers.tests.js b/frontend/kolide/helpers.tests.js
index 99148b4c2e..503b906741 100644
--- a/frontend/kolide/helpers.tests.js
+++ b/frontend/kolide/helpers.tests.js
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ describe('Kolide API - helpers', () => {
       kolide_server_url: '',
       configured: false,
       domain: '',
+      smtp_enabled: true,
       sender_address: '',
       server: '',
       port: 587,
@@ -35,7 +36,6 @@ describe('Kolide API - helpers', () => {
       authentication_method: 'authmethod_plain',
       verify_ssl_certs: true,
       enable_start_tls: true,
-      email_enabled: false,
     };
 
     it('splits config into categories for the server', () => {
diff --git a/frontend/pages/Admin/AppSettingsPage/AppSettingsPage.jsx b/frontend/pages/Admin/AppSettingsPage/AppSettingsPage.jsx
index 99cf6859d1..cee2c2aeda 100644
--- a/frontend/pages/Admin/AppSettingsPage/AppSettingsPage.jsx
+++ b/frontend/pages/Admin/AppSettingsPage/AppSettingsPage.jsx
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class AppSettingsPage extends Component {
       return false;
     }
 
-    const formData = { ...appConfig };
+    const formData = { ...appConfig, enable_smtp: smtpConfigured };
 
     return (
       <div className={`${baseClass} body-wrap`}>
diff --git a/frontend/test/stubs.js b/frontend/test/stubs.js
index 009584bb45..ab7615ed8f 100644
--- a/frontend/test/stubs.js
+++ b/frontend/test/stubs.js
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ export const configStub = {
     authentication_method: 'authmethod_plain',
     verify_ssl_certs: true,
     enable_start_tls: true,
-    email_enabled: false,
   },
 };
 
@@ -47,7 +46,6 @@ export const flatConfigStub = {
   authentication_method: 'authmethod_plain',
   verify_ssl_certs: true,
   enable_start_tls: true,
-  email_enabled: false,
 };
 
 export const hostStub = {
diff --git a/server/kolide/app.go b/server/kolide/app.go
index b6d5541345..bb4e9c0ddc 100644
--- a/server/kolide/app.go
+++ b/server/kolide/app.go
@@ -165,6 +165,9 @@ type SSOSettingsPayload struct {
 // SMTPSettingsPayload is part of the AppConfigPayload which defines the wire representation
 // of the app config endpoints
 type SMTPSettingsPayload struct {
+	// SMTPEnabled indicates whether the user has selected that SMTP is
+	// enabled in the UI.
+	SMTPEnabled *bool `json:"enable_smtp"`
 	// SMTPConfigured is a flag that indicates if smtp has been successfully
 	// tested with the settings provided by an admin user.
 	SMTPConfigured *bool `json:"configured"`
diff --git a/server/service/endpoint_appconfig.go b/server/service/endpoint_appconfig.go
index 0776f22e7f..25edfd1015 100644
--- a/server/service/endpoint_appconfig.go
+++ b/server/service/endpoint_appconfig.go
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ func smtpSettingsFromAppConfig(config *kolide.AppConfig) *kolide.SMTPSettingsPay
 	authType := config.SMTPAuthenticationType.String()
 	authMethod := config.SMTPAuthenticationMethod.String()
 	return &kolide.SMTPSettingsPayload{
+		SMTPEnabled:              &config.SMTPConfigured,
 		SMTPConfigured:           &config.SMTPConfigured,
 		SMTPSenderAddress:        &config.SMTPSenderAddress,
 		SMTPServer:               &config.SMTPServer,
diff --git a/server/service/endpoint_appconfig_test.go b/server/service/endpoint_appconfig_test.go
index 64920ee46f..ed10612be4 100644
--- a/server/service/endpoint_appconfig_test.go
+++ b/server/service/endpoint_appconfig_test.go
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ func testModifyAppConfig(t *testing.T, r *testResource) {
 	}
 	payload := appConfigPayloadFromAppConfig(config)
 	payload.SMTPTest = new(bool)
+	*payload.SMTPSettings.SMTPEnabled = true
 
 	var buffer bytes.Buffer
 	err := json.NewEncoder(&buffer).Encode(payload)
diff --git a/server/service/service_appconfig.go b/server/service/service_appconfig.go
index bda6c5fa23..f922861915 100644
--- a/server/service/service_appconfig.go
+++ b/server/service/service_appconfig.go
@@ -84,10 +84,15 @@ func (svc service) ModifyAppConfig(ctx context.Context, p kolide.AppConfigPayloa
 	config := appConfigFromAppConfigPayload(p, *oldAppConfig)
 
 	if p.SMTPSettings != nil {
-		if err = svc.SendTestEmail(ctx, config); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+		enabled := p.SMTPSettings.SMTPEnabled
+		if (enabled == nil && oldAppConfig.SMTPConfigured) || (enabled != nil && *enabled) {
+			if err = svc.SendTestEmail(ctx, config); err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			config.SMTPConfigured = true
+		} else if enabled != nil && !*enabled {
+			config.SMTPConfigured = false
 		}
-		config.SMTPConfigured = true
 	}
 
 	if err := svc.ds.SaveAppConfig(config); err != nil {