diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d5c56119..882a4b12 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ This readme file is used mostly to document project dependencies
 
 ## Production build
 
-- provide secrets: 'secrets/db_password.txt' and 'django_key.txt'
+- provide secrets: 'secrets/db_password.txt', 'django_key.txt', 'email_host.txt', 'email_password.txt', 'email_user.txt'
 - setup domain names for application and API in configs: 'frontend\env\.env.production', 'rsconcept\backend\.env.dev', 'nginx\production.conf'
 - provide privacy policy document in PDF: 'frontend/public/privacy.pdf'
 - use certbot to obtain certificates via 'docker compose -f "docker-compose-prod.yml" run --rm certbot certonly --webroot --webroot-path /var/www/certbot/ -d portal.acconcept.ru api.portal.acconcept.ru'
diff --git a/rsconcept/backend/project/settings.py b/rsconcept/backend/project/settings.py
index ee59965e..e2b573bc 100644
--- a/rsconcept/backend/project/settings.py
+++ b/rsconcept/backend/project/settings.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/ref/settings/
 import os
 from pathlib import Path
 
+_TRUE_VARIANTS = [True, 'True', '1']
+
 # Build paths inside the project like this: BASE_DIR / 'subdir'.
 BASE_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
 
@@ -24,7 +26,7 @@ BASE_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
 SECRET_KEY = os.environ.get('SECRET_KEY', 'not-a-secret')
 
 # SECURITY WARNING: don't run with debug turned on in production!
-DEBUG = os.environ.get('DEBUG', True) in [True, 'True', '1']
+DEBUG = os.environ.get('DEBUG', True) in _TRUE_VARIANTS
 
 ALLOWED_HOSTS = os.environ.get('ALLOWED_HOSTS', '*').split(';')
 INTERNAL_IPS = ['127.0.0.1'] if DEBUG else []
@@ -32,8 +34,8 @@ INTERNAL_IPS = ['127.0.0.1'] if DEBUG else []
 # MAIL SETUP
 EMAIL_HOST = os.environ.get('EMAIL_HOST', 'localhost')
 EMAIL_PORT = os.environ.get('EMAIL_PORT', '1025')
-EMAIL_USE_SSL = os.environ.get('EMAIL_SSL', False)
-EMAIL_USE_TLS = os.environ.get('EMAIL_TLS', False)
+EMAIL_USE_SSL = os.environ.get('EMAIL_SSL', False) in _TRUE_VARIANTS
+EMAIL_USE_TLS = os.environ.get('EMAIL_TLS', False) in _TRUE_VARIANTS
 EMAIL_HOST_USER = os.environ.get('EMAIL_HOST_USER', '')
 EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = os.environ.get('EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD', '')
 EMAIL_BACKEND = \