diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/settings/local.py b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/settings/local.py
index 7af3f46c6..b3227a2b6 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/settings/local.py
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/config/settings/local.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ SECRET_KEY = env('DJANGO_SECRET_KEY', default='CHANGEME!!!')
 
 EMAIL_PORT = 1025
 {% if cookiecutter.use_mailhog == 'y' and cookiecutter.use_docker == 'y' %}
-EMAIL_HOST = 'mailhog'
+EMAIL_HOST = env("EMAIL_HOST", default='mailhog')
 {% else %}
 EMAIL_HOST = 'localhost'
 EMAIL_BACKEND = env('DJANGO_EMAIL_BACKEND',
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/dev.yml b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/dev.yml
index 490ffc863..c4596d401 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/dev.yml
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/dev.yml
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ services:
       - "8000:8000"
     links:
       - postgres
+{% if cookiecutter.use_mailhog == 'y' %}
+      - mailhog
+{% endif %}
+
 {% if cookiecutter.use_pycharm == 'y' %}
   pycharm:
     build:
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/tests/all.settings b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/tests/all.settings
index 0c3965603..4907ec81b 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/tests/all.settings
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.repo_name}}/tests/all.settings
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ environment_variables:
   SECRET_KEY: cj5^uos4tfCdfghjkf5hq$9$(@-79^e9&x$3vyf#igvsfm4d=+
   CELERY_BROKER_URL: redis://localhost:16379
   DJANGO_EMAIL_BACKEND: django.core.mail.backends.smtp.EmailBackend
+  EMAIL_HOST: localhost
 window_size:
   width: 1024
   height: 600