diff --git a/backend/internal/config/config.go b/backend/internal/config/config.go
index 620a7f4..2c240f0 100644
--- a/backend/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/backend/internal/config/config.go
@@ -14,6 +14,13 @@ type Config struct {
 	SupabaseJWTSecret string
 	AnthropicAPIKey   string
 	FrontendOrigin    string
+
+	// SMTP settings (optional — email sending disabled if SMTPHost is empty)
+	SMTPHost string
+	SMTPPort string
+	SMTPUser string
+	SMTPPass string
+	MailFrom string
 }
 
 func Load() (*Config, error) {
@@ -26,6 +33,12 @@ func Load() (*Config, error) {
 		SupabaseJWTSecret: os.Getenv("SUPABASE_JWT_SECRET"),
 		AnthropicAPIKey:  os.Getenv("ANTHROPIC_API_KEY"),
 		FrontendOrigin:   getEnv("FRONTEND_ORIGIN", "https://kanzlai.msbls.de"),
+
+		SMTPHost: os.Getenv("SMTP_HOST"),
+		SMTPPort: getEnv("SMTP_PORT", "465"),
+		SMTPUser: os.Getenv("SMTP_USER"),
+		SMTPPass: os.Getenv("SMTP_PASS"),
+		MailFrom: getEnv("MAIL_FROM", "mgmt@msbls.de"),
 	}
 
 	if cfg.DatabaseURL == "" {
diff --git a/backend/internal/services/notification_service.go b/backend/internal/services/notification_service.go
index 579d32e..74e881d 100644
--- a/backend/internal/services/notification_service.go
+++ b/backend/internal/services/notification_service.go
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@ package services
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"crypto/tls"
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
+	"net"
+	"net/smtp"
 	"os"
-	"os/exec"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -458,26 +460,85 @@ type UpdatePreferencesInput struct {
 	DailyDigest          bool    `json:"daily_digest"`
 }
 
-// SendEmail sends an email using the `m mail send` CLI command.
-// In Docker, this will fail gracefully (m CLI not available).
-// TODO: Replace with direct SMTP for production.
+// SendEmail sends an email via direct SMTP over TLS.
+// Requires SMTP_HOST, SMTP_USER, SMTP_PASS env vars. Falls back to no-op if unconfigured.
 func SendEmail(to, subject, body string) error {
+	host := os.Getenv("SMTP_HOST")
+	port := os.Getenv("SMTP_PORT")
+	user := os.Getenv("SMTP_USER")
+	pass := os.Getenv("SMTP_PASS")
 	from := os.Getenv("MAIL_FROM")
+
+	if port == "" {
+		port = "465"
+	}
 	if from == "" {
 		from = "mgmt@msbls.de"
 	}
-	cmd := exec.Command("m", "mail", "send",
-		"--from", from,
-		"--to", to,
-		"--subject", subject,
-		"--body", body,
-		"--yes")
-	output, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
-	if err != nil {
-		slog.Warn("email send failed (m CLI may not be available in Docker)", "to", to, "error", err, "output", string(output))
-		return fmt.Errorf("m mail send failed: %w", err)
+
+	if host == "" || user == "" || pass == "" {
+		slog.Warn("SMTP not configured, skipping email", "to", to, "subject", subject)
+		return nil
 	}
-	slog.Info("email sent", "from", from, "to", to, "subject", subject)
+
+	// Build RFC 2822 message
+	msg := fmt.Sprintf("From: \"KanzlAI-mGMT\" <%s>\r\n"+
+		"To: %s\r\n"+
+		"Subject: [KanzlAI] %s\r\n"+
+		"MIME-Version: 1.0\r\n"+
+		"Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8\r\n"+
+		"Date: %s\r\n"+
+		"\r\n%s",
+		from, to, subject,
+		time.Now().Format(time.RFC1123Z),
+		body)
+
+	addr := net.JoinHostPort(host, port)
+
+	// Connect with implicit TLS (port 465)
+	tlsConfig := &tls.Config{ServerName: host}
+	conn, err := tls.Dial("tcp", addr, tlsConfig)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("smtp tls dial: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	client, err := smtp.NewClient(conn, host)
+	if err != nil {
+		conn.Close()
+		return fmt.Errorf("smtp new client: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer client.Close()
+
+	// Authenticate
+	auth := smtp.PlainAuth("", user, pass, host)
+	if err := client.Auth(auth); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("smtp auth: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Send
+	if err := client.Mail(from); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("smtp mail from: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err := client.Rcpt(to); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("smtp rcpt to: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	w, err := client.Data()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("smtp data: %w", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := w.Write([]byte(msg)); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("smtp write: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err := w.Close(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("smtp close data: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := client.Quit(); err != nil {
+		slog.Warn("smtp quit error (non-fatal)", "error", err)
+	}
+
+	slog.Info("email sent via SMTP", "from", from, "to", to, "subject", subject)
 	return nil
 }