diff --git a/authentik/root/settings.py b/authentik/root/settings.py
index ec052c734..eb6a99048 100644
--- a/authentik/root/settings.py
+++ b/authentik/root/settings.py
@@ -254,8 +254,8 @@ EMAIL_HOST = CONFIG.y("email.host")
 EMAIL_PORT = int(CONFIG.y("email.port"))
 EMAIL_HOST_USER = CONFIG.y("email.username")
 EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = CONFIG.y("email.password")
-EMAIL_USE_TLS = CONFIG.y("email.use_tls")
-EMAIL_USE_SSL = CONFIG.y("email.use_ssl")
+EMAIL_USE_TLS = CONFIG.y_bool("email.use_tls", True)
+EMAIL_USE_SSL = CONFIG.y_bool("email.use_ssl", False)
 EMAIL_TIMEOUT = int(CONFIG.y("email.timeout"))
 DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL = CONFIG.y("email.from")
 SERVER_EMAIL = DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL