diff --git a/kallithea/lib/celerylib/tasks.py b/kallithea/lib/celerylib/tasks.py
--- a/kallithea/lib/celerylib/tasks.py
+++ b/kallithea/lib/celerylib/tasks.py
@@ -269,6 +269,7 @@ def send_email(recipients, subject, body
     """
     log = get_logger(send_email)
     DBS = get_session()
+    assert isinstance(recipients, list), recipients
 
     email_config = config
     subject = "%s %s" % (email_config.get('email_prefix', ''), subject)
@@ -277,6 +278,7 @@ def send_email(recipients, subject, body
         admins = [u.email for u in User.query()
                   .filter(User.admin == True).all()]
         recipients = [email_config.get('email_to')] + admins
+        log.warning("recipients not specified for '%s' - sending to admins %s", subject, ' '.join(recipients))
 
     mail_from = email_config.get('app_email_from', 'Kallithea')
     user = email_config.get('smtp_username')
@@ -289,7 +291,9 @@ def send_email(recipients, subject, body
     smtp_auth = email_config.get('smtp_auth')
 
     if not mail_server:
-        log.error("SMTP mail server not configured - cannot send mail")
+        log.error("SMTP mail server not configured - cannot send mail '%s' to %s", subject, ' '.join(recipients))
+        log.warning("body:\n%s", body)
+        log.warning("html:\n%s", html_body)
         return False
 
     try:
diff --git a/kallithea/lib/rcmail/smtp_mailer.py b/kallithea/lib/rcmail/smtp_mailer.py
--- a/kallithea/lib/rcmail/smtp_mailer.py
+++ b/kallithea/lib/rcmail/smtp_mailer.py
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class SmtpMailer(object):
             smtp_serv.login(self.user, self.passwd)
 
         smtp_serv.sendmail(msg.sender, msg.send_to, raw_msg.as_string())
-        logging.info('MAIL SEND TO: %s' % recipients)
+        logging.info('MAIL SENT TO: %s' % recipients)
 
         try:
             smtp_serv.quit()
diff --git a/kallithea/model/notification.py b/kallithea/model/notification.py
--- a/kallithea/model/notification.py
+++ b/kallithea/model/notification.py
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ class NotificationModel(BaseModel):
             email_body_html = EmailNotificationModel()\
                                 .get_email_tmpl(type_, **kwargs)
 
-            run_task(tasks.send_email, rec.email, email_subject, email_body,
+            run_task(tasks.send_email, [rec.email], email_subject, email_body,
                      email_body_html)
 
         return notif
diff --git a/kallithea/model/user.py b/kallithea/model/user.py
--- a/kallithea/model/user.py
+++ b/kallithea/model/user.py
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ class UserModel(BaseModel):
                                                     **{'user': user.short_contact,
                                                        'reset_url': link})
                 log.debug('sending email')
-                run_task(tasks.send_email, user_email,
+                run_task(tasks.send_email, [user_email],
                          _("Password reset link"), body, body)
                 log.info('send new password mail to %s' % user_email)
             else:
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ class UserModel(BaseModel):
                 raise Exception('unable to generate new password')
 
             pre_db = False
-            run_task(tasks.send_email, user_email,
+            run_task(tasks.send_email, [user_email],
                      _('Your new password'),
                      _('Your new Kallithea password:%s') % (new_passwd,))
             log.info('send new password mail to %s' % user_email)