diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/mail/MailClient.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/mail/MailClient.java
index 255f81df3f2374e569ecca5d53e2c0460c4472be..3a28e070840a10bea0b206cd0fccfbbe5beee7b1 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/mail/MailClient.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/mail/MailClient.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import javax.mail.internet.MimeBodyPart;
 import javax.mail.internet.MimeMessage;
 import javax.mail.internet.MimeMultipart;
 
+import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
 import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.base.exceptions.CheckedExceptionTunnel;
@@ -135,7 +136,7 @@ public final class MailClient extends Authenticator implements IMailClient
         {
             properties.put(JavaMailProperties.MAIL_SMTP_HOST, smtpHost);
         }
-        if (smtpPassword != null && smtpUsername != null)
+        if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(smtpPassword) && StringUtils.isNotBlank(smtpUsername))
         {
             properties.put(JavaMailProperties.MAIL_SMTP_AUTH, Boolean.TRUE.toString());
         }
diff --git a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/mail/MailClientParameters.java b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/mail/MailClientParameters.java
index b7d155c68ca7b3ff72d52c91ce154d2df60b9d98..231c5f808000dc34b9fa09439a184439501efbe7 100644
--- a/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/mail/MailClientParameters.java
+++ b/common/source/java/ch/systemsx/cisd/common/mail/MailClientParameters.java
@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ public class MailClientParameters implements Serializable
 
     public final void setSmtpUser(String smtpUser)
     {
+        // Check for Spring injection artefact
+        if (smtpUser != null && smtpUser.startsWith("${"))
+        {
+            this.smtpUser = null;
+        }
         this.smtpUser = smtpUser;
     }
 
@@ -62,6 +67,11 @@ public class MailClientParameters implements Serializable
 
     public final void setSmtpPassword(String smtpPassword)
     {
+        // Check for Spring injection artefact
+        if (smtpPassword != null && smtpPassword.startsWith("${"))
+        {
+            this.smtpPassword = null;
+        }
         this.smtpPassword = smtpPassword;
     }