diff --git a/config/application.rb b/config/application.rb
index 6f8c5343..3118ee79 100644
--- a/config/application.rb
+++ b/config/application.rb
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ module Greenlight
     end
 
     # Determine if GreenLight should enable email verification
-    config.enable_email_verification = (ENV['GREENLIGHT_MAIL_NOTIFICATIONS'] == "true")
+    config.enable_email_verification = (ENV['ALLOW_MAIL_NOTIFICATIONS'] == "true")
 
     # Determine if GreenLight should allow non-omniauth signup/login.
     config.allow_user_signup = (ENV['ALLOW_GREENLIGHT_ACCOUNTS'] == "true")
diff --git a/sample.env b/sample.env
index 7b47ab2c..94391047 100644
--- a/sample.env
+++ b/sample.env
@@ -66,19 +66,23 @@ ALLOW_GREENLIGHT_ACCOUNTS=true
 #
 # SMTP variables can be taken from the list in the following table:
 #
-#   (SMTP_SERVER= SMTP SETTINGS)
-#   (SMTP_DOMAIN= URL)
+#   ALLOW_MAIL_NOTIFICATIONS=true
+#   SMTP_SERVER=smtp.gmail.com
+#   SMTP_PORT=587
+#   SMTP_DOMAIN=gmail.com
+#   SMTP_USERNAME=<youremail@gmail.com>
+#   SMTP_PASSWORD=<yourpassword>
+#   SMTP_AUTH=plain
+#   SMTP_STARTTLS_AUTO=true
 #
-#   https://serversmtp.com/smtp-server-address/
-#
-GREENLIGHT_MAIL_NOTIFICATIONS=true
-SMTP_SERVER=smtp.gmail.com
-SMTP_PORT=587
-SMTP_DOMAIN=gmail.com
-SMTP_USERNAME=youremail@gmail.com
-SMTP_PASSWORD=yourpassword
-SMTP_AUTH=plain
-SMTP_STARTTLS_AUTO=true
+ALLOW_MAIL_NOTIFICATIONS=
+SMTP_SERVER=
+SMTP_PORT=
+SMTP_DOMAIN=
+SMTP_USERNAME=
+SMTP_PASSWORD=
+SMTP_AUTH=
+SMTP_STARTTLS_AUTO=
 
 # Prefix for the applications root URL.
 # Useful for deploying the application to a subdirectory, which is highly recommended