diff --git a/app/errors/email_delivery_error.rb b/app/errors/email_delivery_error.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..93b0cbfecd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/errors/email_delivery_error.rb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+class EmailDeliveryError < StandardError; end
diff --git a/app/mailers/core_application_mailer.rb b/app/mailers/core_application_mailer.rb
index f33a604c6e..ff8a2f0870 100644
--- a/app/mailers/core_application_mailer.rb
+++ b/app/mailers/core_application_mailer.rb
@@ -42,7 +42,18 @@ def send_custom_email(recipient:, subject:, body_html:)
     # Make the request and handle the response
     response = http.request(request)
 
+    unless response.is_a?(Net::HTTPSuccess)
+      raise EmailDeliveryError,
+            "Email API failed (#{response.code}): #{response.body}"
+    end
+
     Rails.logger.info "Email API Response: #{response.code} - #{response.body}"
+  rescue Net::OpenTimeout, Net::ReadTimeout => e
+    raise EmailDeliveryError, "Email API timeout: #{e.message}"
+  rescue SocketError, Errno::ECONNREFUSED => e
+    raise EmailDeliveryError, "Email API connection error: #{e.message}" 
+  rescue JSON::ParserError => e
+    raise EmailDeliveryError, "Email API response parsing error: #{e.message}"
   end
 
   private
diff --git a/config/application.rb b/config/application.rb
index a206d705d5..9bfd17d03c 100644
--- a/config/application.rb
+++ b/config/application.rb
@@ -149,20 +149,6 @@ def self.parent_name
 
     # Mailer configuration for inquiries/requests
     config.limes_mail_server_endpoint = ENV["LIMES_MAIL_SERVER_API_ENDPOINT"]
-    config.action_mailer.raise_delivery_errors = true
-    config.action_mailer.delivery_method = :smtp
-    config.action_mailer.smtp_settings = {
-      domain: ENV['MONSOON_DASHBOARD_MAIL_DOMAIN'],
-      address: ENV['MONSOON_DASHBOARD_MAIL_SERVER'],
-      port: ENV['MONSOON_DASHBOARD_MAIL_SERVER_PORT'] || 25,
-      user_name: ENV['MONSOON_DASHBOARD_MAIL_USER'],
-      password: ENV['MONSOON_DASHBOARD_MAIL_PASSWORD'],
-      authentication: ENV['MONSOON_DASHBOARD_MAIL_AUTHENTICATION'] || 'plain',
-      enable_starttls_auto: true
-    }
-    config.action_mailer.default_options = {
-      from: ENV['MONSOON_DASHBOARD_MAIL_SENDER'].to_s
-    }
 
     config.middleware.use SessionCookiePathMiddleware
     config.middleware.insert_after ::Rack::Runtime, SameSiteCookieMiddleware
diff --git a/config/environments/development.rb b/config/environments/development.rb
index ef22a19ba4..c300d5c788 100644
--- a/config/environments/development.rb
+++ b/config/environments/development.rb
@@ -40,11 +40,6 @@
   # Store uploaded files on the local file system (see config/storage.yml for options).
   config.active_storage.service = :local
 
-  # Don't care if the mailer can't send.
-  config.action_mailer.raise_delivery_errors = false
-
-  config.action_mailer.perform_caching = false
-
   # Print deprecation notices to the Rails logger.
   config.active_support.deprecation = :log
 
diff --git a/config/environments/production.rb b/config/environments/production.rb
index fc9a33c0c7..66d0965ec4 100644
--- a/config/environments/production.rb
+++ b/config/environments/production.rb
@@ -96,12 +96,6 @@
   # config.active_job.queue_adapter = :resque
   # config.active_job.queue_name_prefix = "monsoon_dashboard_production"
 
-  config.action_mailer.perform_caching = false
-
-  # Ignore bad email addresses and do not raise email delivery errors.
-  # Set this to true and configure the email server for immediate delivery to raise delivery errors.
-  # config.action_mailer.raise_delivery_errors = false
-
   # Enable locale fallbacks for I18n (makes lookups for any locale fall back to
   # the I18n.default_locale when a translation cannot be found).
   config.i18n.fallbacks = true
diff --git a/config/environments/test.rb b/config/environments/test.rb
index bc267761a8..1fb6ea349b 100644
--- a/config/environments/test.rb
+++ b/config/environments/test.rb
@@ -37,12 +37,6 @@
   # Store uploaded files on the local file system in a temporary directory.
   config.active_storage.service = :test
 
-  config.action_mailer.perform_caching = false
-
-  # Tell Action Mailer not to deliver emails to the real world.
-  # The :test delivery method accumulates sent emails in the
-  # ActionMailer::Base.deliveries array.
-  config.action_mailer.delivery_method = :test
   config.active_job.queue_adapter = :test
 
   # Print deprecation notices to the stderr.
diff --git a/plugins/inquiry/app/models/inquiry/inquiry.rb b/plugins/inquiry/app/models/inquiry/inquiry.rb
index 027fe2fb6c..415f199884 100644
--- a/plugins/inquiry/app/models/inquiry/inquiry.rb
+++ b/plugins/inquiry/app/models/inquiry/inquiry.rb
@@ -395,7 +395,6 @@ def get_callback_action
       end
     end
 
-    # Note: for testing use 'deliver_now'
     def notify_requester
       # puts "######### NOTIFY REQUESTER #########"
       begin
@@ -404,8 +403,8 @@ def notify_requester
           self.requester.full_name,
           self,
           self.process_steps.last,
-        ).deliver_later
-      rescue Net::SMTPError => e
+        )
+      rescue EmailDeliveryError => e
         Rails.logger.error "InquiryMailer: Could not send email to requester #{@user_email}. Exception: #{e.message}"
       end
     end
@@ -420,8 +419,8 @@ def notify_new_project
             inform_new_project_dl,
             self,
             self.requester.full_name,
-          ).deliver_later
-        rescue Net::SMTPError => e
+          )
+        rescue EmailDeliveryError => e
           Rails.logger.error "InquiryMailer: Could not send email to #{inform_new_project_dl} Exception: #{e.message}"
         end
       end
@@ -436,20 +435,9 @@ def notify_additional_recipients
           self,
           self.process_steps.last,
           self.requester,
-        ).deliver_later
-      rescue Net::SMTPError => e
-        emails.each do |email|
-          begin
-            InquiryMailer.notification_email_additional_recipients(
-              [email],
-              self,
-              self.process_steps.last,
-              self.requester,
-            ).deliver_later
-          rescue Net::SMTPError => ex
-            Rails.logger.error "InquiryMailer: Could not send email to #{email} Exception: #{e.message}"
-          end
-        end
+        )
+      rescue EmailDeliveryError => e
+        Rails.logger.error "InquiryMailer: Could not send email to additional recipients #{self.additional_recipients}. Exception: #{e.message}"
       end
     end
 
@@ -461,20 +449,9 @@ def notify_processors
           self,
           self.process_steps.last,
           self.requester,
-        ).deliver_later
-      rescue Net::SMTPError => e
-        self.processors.each do |p|
-          begin
-            InquiryMailer.notification_email_processors(
-              [p.email],
-              self,
-              self.process_steps.last,
-              self.requester,
-            ).deliver_later
-          rescue Net::SMTPError => ex
-            Rails.logger.error "InquiryMailer: Could not send email to requester #{p.email}. Exception: #{ex.message}"
-          end
-        end
+        )
+      rescue EmailDeliveryError => e
+        Rails.logger.error "InquiryMailer: Could not send email to processors #{(self.processors.map { |p| p.email }).compact}. Exception: #{e.message}"
       end
     end