diff --git a/lib/spree/core/mail_settings.rb b/lib/spree/core/mail_settings.rb
index 07d8dbee7a..0373f7fac7 100644
--- a/lib/spree/core/mail_settings.rb
+++ b/lib/spree/core/mail_settings.rb
@@ -20,18 +20,14 @@ module Spree
       private
 
       def mail_server_settings
-        settings = if need_authentication?
-                     basic_settings.merge(user_credentials)
-                   else
-                     basic_settings
-                   end
+        settings = basic_settings.merge(user_credentials)
 
         settings.merge(enable_starttls_auto: secure_connection?)
       end
 
       def user_credentials
-        { user_name: Config.smtp_username,
-          password: Config.smtp_password }
+        { user_name: Config.smtp_username.presence,
+          password: Config.smtp_password.presence }
       end
 
       def basic_settings
@@ -42,13 +38,10 @@ module Spree
       end
 
       def authentication
-        return unless need_authentication?
-
-        Config.mail_auth_type.presence
-      end
-
-      def need_authentication?
-        Config.mail_auth_type != 'None'
+        # "None" is an option in the UI but not a real authentication type.
+        # We should remove it from our host configurations but I'm keeping
+        # this check for backwards-compatibility for now.
+        Config.mail_auth_type.presence unless Config.mail_auth_type == "None"
       end
 
       def secure_connection?
diff --git a/spec/lib/spree/core/mail_settings_spec.rb b/spec/lib/spree/core/mail_settings_spec.rb
index d1a2fc99b4..6a40495695 100644
--- a/spec/lib/spree/core/mail_settings_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/spree/core/mail_settings_spec.rb
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ module Spree
       let!(:subject) { MailSettings.new }
 
       context "overrides appplication defaults" do
-        context "authentication method is none" do
+        context "authentication method is login" do
           before do
             Config.mail_host = "smtp.example.com"
             Config.mail_domain = "example.com"
             Config.mail_port = 123
-            Config.mail_auth_type = MailSettings::SECURE_CONNECTION_TYPES[0]
+            Config.mail_auth_type = "login"
             Config.smtp_username = "schof"
             Config.smtp_password = "hellospree!"
             Config.secure_connection_type = "TLS"
@@ -23,31 +23,22 @@ module Spree
           it { expect(ActionMailer::Base.smtp_settings[:address]).to eq "smtp.example.com" }
           it { expect(ActionMailer::Base.smtp_settings[:domain]).to eq "example.com" }
           it { expect(ActionMailer::Base.smtp_settings[:port]).to eq 123 }
-          it { expect(ActionMailer::Base.smtp_settings[:authentication]).to eq nil }
+          it { expect(ActionMailer::Base.smtp_settings[:authentication]).to eq "login" }
           it { expect(ActionMailer::Base.smtp_settings[:enable_starttls_auto]).to be_truthy }
-
-          it "doesnt touch user name config" do
-            expect(ActionMailer::Base.smtp_settings[:user_name]).to be_nil
-          end
-
-          it "doesnt touch password config" do
-            expect(ActionMailer::Base.smtp_settings[:password]).to be_nil
-          end
-        end
-      end
-
-      context "when mail_auth_type is other than none" do
-        before do
-          Config.mail_auth_type = "login"
-          Config.smtp_username = "schof"
-          Config.smtp_password = "hellospree!"
-          subject.override!
-        end
-
-        context "overrides user credentials" do
           it { expect(ActionMailer::Base.smtp_settings[:user_name]).to eq "schof" }
           it { expect(ActionMailer::Base.smtp_settings[:password]).to eq "hellospree!" }
         end
+
+        context "authentication method is none" do
+          before do
+            Config.mail_auth_type = "None"
+            subject.override!
+          end
+
+          it "doesn't store 'None' as auth method" do
+            expect(ActionMailer::Base.smtp_settings[:authentication]).to eq nil
+          end
+        end
       end
     end
   end