diff --git a/lib/SimpleSAML/Utils/EMail.php b/lib/SimpleSAML/Utils/EMail.php
index 9fe368661600c4079abaacffc5ba48d033e2be69..1bfd67b86950d4fd1a96fbf62d799cb7047a4b0a 100644
--- a/lib/SimpleSAML/Utils/EMail.php
+++ b/lib/SimpleSAML/Utils/EMail.php
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ class EMail
 
         $config = Configuration::getInstance();
         $EMail->setTransportMethod(
-            $config->getString('mail.transport.method', ''),
+            $config->getString('mail.transport.method', 'mail'),
             $config->getArrayize('mail.transport.options', [])
         );