diff --git a/backend/src/plugins/core/admin/email/mail.service.ts b/backend/src/plugins/core/admin/email/mail.service.ts
index 9ca8273c6..b035759a7 100644
--- a/backend/src/plugins/core/admin/email/mail.service.ts
+++ b/backend/src/plugins/core/admin/email/mail.service.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,19 @@ export class MailService {
   private readonly transporter: nodemailer.Transporter;
 
   constructor() {
+    if (!fs.existsSync(this.path)) {
+      // Create a default config file
+      fs.writeFileSync(
+        this.path,
+        JSON.stringify({
+          smtp_host: "",
+          smtp_user: "",
+          smtp_secure: false,
+          smtp_port: 587
+        })
+      );
+    }
+
     const data = fs.readFileSync(this.path, "utf-8");
     const config: ShowAdminEmailSettingsServiceObjWithPassword =
       JSON.parse(data);
diff --git a/backend/src/plugins/core/admin/email/settings/show/show.service.ts b/backend/src/plugins/core/admin/email/settings/show/show.service.ts
index f4077fbda..f60c04158 100644
--- a/backend/src/plugins/core/admin/email/settings/show/show.service.ts
+++ b/backend/src/plugins/core/admin/email/settings/show/show.service.ts
@@ -14,16 +14,6 @@ export class ShowAdminEmailSettingsService extends HelpersAdminEmailSettingsServ
       settings: { email: emailSettings }
     } = getConfigFile();
 
-    if (!fs.existsSync(this.path)) {
-      return {
-        smtp_host: "",
-        smtp_user: "",
-        smtp_secure: false,
-        smtp_port: 587,
-        ...emailSettings
-      };
-    }
-
     const read = fs.readFileSync(this.path, "utf-8");
     const config: ShowAdminEmailSettingsServiceObj = JSON.parse(read);