diff --git a/app/actions/contact.ts b/app/actions/contact.ts
index f1ee3c57..73deff12 100644
--- a/app/actions/contact.ts
+++ b/app/actions/contact.ts
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ export async function sendContactFormAction(formData: FormData) {
     );
 
     if (!isTestSubmission) {
+      logger.info('Sending internal notification', { recipients: config.mail.recipients });
       const notificationResult = await sendEmail({
         replyTo: email,
         subject: notificationSubject,
@@ -97,14 +98,18 @@ export async function sendContactFormAction(formData: FormData) {
           messageId: notificationResult.messageId,
         });
       } else {
-        logger.error('Notification email FAILED', {
+        logger.error('Notification email DELIVERY FAILED', {
           error: notificationResult.error,
           subject: notificationSubject,
-          email,
+          recipients: config.mail.recipients,
         });
         services.errors.captureException(
           new Error(`Notification email failed: ${notificationResult.error}`),
-          { action: 'sendContactFormAction_notification', email },
+          { 
+            action: 'sendContactFormAction_notification', 
+            email, 
+            recipients: config.mail.recipients 
+          },
         );
       }
     } else {
@@ -121,6 +126,7 @@ export async function sendContactFormAction(formData: FormData) {
     );
 
     if (!isTestSubmission) {
+      logger.info('Sending customer confirmation', { to: email });
       const confirmationResult = await sendEmail({
         to: email,
         subject: confirmationSubject,
@@ -132,7 +138,7 @@ export async function sendContactFormAction(formData: FormData) {
           messageId: confirmationResult.messageId,
         });
       } else {
-        logger.error('Confirmation email FAILED', {
+        logger.error('Confirmation email DELIVERY FAILED', {
           error: confirmationResult.error,
           subject: confirmationSubject,
           to: email,
diff --git a/lib/env.ts b/lib/env.ts
index f6a4ed1d..b989cc84 100644
--- a/lib/env.ts
+++ b/lib/env.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ const envExtension = {
   MAIL_USERNAME: z.string().optional(),
   MAIL_PASSWORD: z.string().optional(),
   MAIL_FROM: z.string().optional(),
-  MAIL_RECIPIENTS: z.string().optional(),
+  MAIL_RECIPIENTS: z.string().trim().optional(),
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/mail/mailer.ts b/lib/mail/mailer.ts
index ffe8f5d1..d766b7dc 100644
--- a/lib/mail/mailer.ts
+++ b/lib/mail/mailer.ts
@@ -32,16 +32,27 @@ interface SendEmailOptions {
 }
 
 export async function sendEmail({ to, replyTo, subject, html }: SendEmailOptions) {
-  const recipients = to || config.mail.recipients;
   const logger = getServerAppServices().logger.child({ component: 'mailer' });
+  
+  // Resolve recipients: priority to 'to' override, fallback to global MAIL_RECIPIENTS
+  const resolvedTo = to || config.mail.recipients;
+  
+  // Normalize recipients (handle arrays or comma-strings)
+  const recipients = Array.isArray(resolvedTo) 
+    ? resolvedTo.join(', ') 
+    : (resolvedTo?.toString() || '');
 
-  if (!recipients) {
-    logger.error('No email recipients configured (MAIL_RECIPIENTS is empty and no "to" provided)', { subject });
+  if (!recipients || recipients.trim() === '') {
+    logger.error('Email delivery ABORTED: No recipients configured', { 
+      subject, 
+      providedTo: to,
+      configRecipients: config.mail.recipients 
+    });
     return { success: false as const, error: 'No recipients configured' };
   }
 
   if (!config.mail.from) {
-    logger.error('MAIL_FROM is not configured — cannot send email', { subject, recipients });
+    logger.error('Email delivery ABORTED: MAIL_FROM is missing', { subject, recipients });
     return { success: false as const, error: 'MAIL_FROM is not configured' };
   }
 
@@ -53,14 +64,36 @@ export async function sendEmail({ to, replyTo, subject, html }: SendEmailOptions
     html,
   };
 
-
   try {
-    const info = await getTransporter().sendMail(mailOptions);
-    logger.info('Email sent successfully', { messageId: info.messageId, subject, recipients });
+    const transporter = getTransporter();
+    logger.info('Attempting to send email via SMTP', { 
+      host: config.mail.host,
+      subject, 
+      recipients,
+      hasReplyTo: !!replyTo 
+    });
+
+    const info = await transporter.sendMail(mailOptions);
+    
+    logger.info('Email sent successfully', { 
+      messageId: info.messageId, 
+      subject, 
+      recipients,
+      response: info.response 
+    });
+    
     return { success: true, messageId: info.messageId };
   } catch (error) {
     const errorMsg = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
-    logger.error('Error sending email', { error: errorMsg, subject, recipients });
+    logger.error('SMTP Transport failed', { 
+      error: errorMsg, 
+      subject, 
+      recipients,
+      config: {
+        host: config.mail.host,
+        user: config.mail.user ? '***' : 'not set'
+      }
+    });
     return { success: false, error: errorMsg };
   }
 }