diff --git a/server.ts b/server.ts
index 8a762a905..edfbab3d7 100644
--- a/server.ts
+++ b/server.ts
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ async function startApplication () {
   Emailer.Instance.init()
 
   await Promise.all([
-    Emailer.Instance.checkConnectionOrDie(),
+    Emailer.Instance.checkConnection(),
     JobQueue.Instance.init()
   ])
 
diff --git a/server/lib/emailer.ts b/server/lib/emailer.ts
index 650a3c090..e4e093fbc 100644
--- a/server/lib/emailer.ts
+++ b/server/lib/emailer.ts
@@ -107,18 +107,18 @@ class Emailer {
     }
   }
 
-  async checkConnectionOrDie () {
+  async checkConnection () {
     if (!this.transporter || CONFIG.SMTP.TRANSPORT !== 'smtp') return
 
     logger.info('Testing SMTP server...')
 
     try {
       const success = await this.transporter.verify()
-      if (success !== true) this.dieOnConnectionFailure()
+      if (success !== true) this.warnOnConnectionFailure()
 
       logger.info('Successfully connected to SMTP server.')
     } catch (err) {
-      this.dieOnConnectionFailure(err)
+      this.warnOnConnectionFailure(err)
     }
   }
 
@@ -636,9 +636,8 @@ class Emailer {
     }
   }
 
-  private dieOnConnectionFailure (err?: Error) {
+  private warnOnConnectionFailure (err?: Error) {
     logger.error('Failed to connect to SMTP %s:%d.', CONFIG.SMTP.HOSTNAME, CONFIG.SMTP.PORT, { err })
-    process.exit(-1)
   }
 
   static get Instance () {