diff --git a/backend/danswer/auth/users.py b/backend/danswer/auth/users.py
index eec3b0282..04e75694a 100644
--- a/backend/danswer/auth/users.py
+++ b/backend/danswer/auth/users.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ from danswer.auth.schemas import UserCreate
 from danswer.auth.schemas import UserRole
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import AUTH_TYPE
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import DISABLE_AUTH
+from danswer.configs.app_configs import EMAIL_FROM
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import REQUIRE_EMAIL_VERIFICATION
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import SECRET
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import SESSION_EXPIRE_TIME_SECONDS
@@ -38,7 +39,6 @@ from danswer.configs.app_configs import SMTP_PASS
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import SMTP_PORT
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import SMTP_SERVER
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import SMTP_USER
-from danswer.configs.app_configs import MAIL_FROM
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import VALID_EMAIL_DOMAINS
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import WEB_DOMAIN
 from danswer.configs.constants import AuthType
@@ -108,11 +108,16 @@ def verify_email_domain(email: str) -> None:
             )
 
 
-def send_user_verification_email(user_email: str, token: str) -> None:
+def send_user_verification_email(
+    user_email: str,
+    token: str,
+    mail_from: str = EMAIL_FROM,
+) -> None:
     msg = MIMEMultipart()
     msg["Subject"] = "Danswer Email Verification"
     msg["To"] = user_email
-    msg["From"] = MAIL_FROM
+    if mail_from:
+        msg["From"] = mail_from
 
     link = f"{WEB_DOMAIN}/auth/verify-email?token={token}"
 
diff --git a/backend/danswer/configs/app_configs.py b/backend/danswer/configs/app_configs.py
index 31cd06067..2826ef43a 100644
--- a/backend/danswer/configs/app_configs.py
+++ b/backend/danswer/configs/app_configs.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ SMTP_SERVER = os.environ.get("SMTP_SERVER") or "smtp.gmail.com"
 SMTP_PORT = int(os.environ.get("SMTP_PORT") or "587")
 SMTP_USER = os.environ.get("SMTP_USER", "your-email@gmail.com")
 SMTP_PASS = os.environ.get("SMTP_PASS", "your-gmail-password")
-MAIL_FROM = os.environ.get("EMAIL_FROM", SMTP_USER)
+EMAIL_FROM = os.environ.get("EMAIL_FROM") or SMTP_USER
 
 
 #####
diff --git a/deployment/docker_compose/docker-compose.dev.yml b/deployment/docker_compose/docker-compose.dev.yml
index bd627ee8f..7b3fd6e51 100644
--- a/deployment/docker_compose/docker-compose.dev.yml
+++ b/deployment/docker_compose/docker-compose.dev.yml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ services:
       - SMTP_PORT=${SMTP_PORT:-587}  # For sending verification emails, if unspecified then defaults to '587'
       - SMTP_USER=${SMTP_USER:-}
       - SMTP_PASS=${SMTP_PASS:-}
-      - MAIL_FROM=${MAIL_FROM:-}
+      - EMAIL_FROM=${EMAIL_FROM:-}
       # Gen AI Settings
       - GEN_AI_MODEL_PROVIDER=${GEN_AI_MODEL_PROVIDER:-openai}
       - GEN_AI_MODEL_VERSION=${GEN_AI_MODEL_VERSION:-gpt-3.5-turbo}
diff --git a/deployment/docker_compose/env.prod.template b/deployment/docker_compose/env.prod.template
index 06d546606..d356995df 100644
--- a/deployment/docker_compose/env.prod.template
+++ b/deployment/docker_compose/env.prod.template
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ SECRET=
 # The below are only needed if you aren't using gmail as your SMTP
 #SMTP_SERVER=  
 #SMTP_PORT=
-# when missing SMTP_USER used instead
-#MAIL_FROM=
+# When missing SMTP_USER, this is used instead
+#EMAIL_FROM=
 
 # OpenID Connect (OIDC)
 #OPENID_CONFIG_URL=
diff --git a/deployment/kubernetes/env-configmap.yaml b/deployment/kubernetes/env-configmap.yaml
index ca0fa21ae..97f8354b0 100644
--- a/deployment/kubernetes/env-configmap.yaml
+++ b/deployment/kubernetes/env-configmap.yaml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ data:
   SMTP_PORT: "" # For sending verification emails, if unspecified then defaults to '587'
   SMTP_USER: ""  # 'your-email@company.com'
   SMTP_PASS: ""  # 'your-gmail-password'
-  MAIL_FROM: ""  # 'your-email@company.com' SMTP_USER missing used instead
+  EMAIL_FROM: ""  # 'your-email@company.com' SMTP_USER missing used instead
   # Gen AI Settings
   GEN_AI_MODEL_PROVIDER: "openai"
   GEN_AI_MODEL_VERSION: "gpt-3.5-turbo"  # Use GPT-4 if you have it