diff --git a/.env.template b/.env.template
index 6af7e0b..e4b6994 100644
--- a/.env.template
+++ b/.env.template
@@ -21,8 +21,12 @@ TZ=
 #SMTP_USERNAME=
 #SMTP_PASSWORD=
 #SMTP_SECURITY=
-# For fail2ban, YES or NO
+# fail2ban-specific SMTP settings
+# Use TLS to talk to the SMTP server (YES or NO, default NO)
 #SMTP_TLS=
+# Specify whether ssmtp does a EHLO/STARTTLS before starting SSL negotiation (YES or NO, default NO)
+# Should probably be YES if SMTP_SECURITY=starttls above
+#SSMTP_STARTTLS=
 
 
 ### BITWARDEN VARIABLES ###
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index bd17be1..8545f84 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ services:
     - SSMTP_PASSWORD=${SMTP_PASSWORD}
     - SSMTP_HOSTNAME=Bitwarden (${DOMAIN})
     - SSMTP_TLS=${SMTP_TLS}
-    - SSMTP_STARTTLS=YES
+    - SSMTP_STARTTLS
     - TZ