diff --git a/cms/envs/test.py b/cms/envs/test.py
index 3b08d4f61d..0a7b75f772 100644
--- a/cms/envs/test.py
+++ b/cms/envs/test.py
@@ -338,4 +338,3 @@ OAUTH2_PROVIDER_APPLICATION_MODEL = 'oauth2_provider.Application'
 
 # Used with Email sending
 RETRY_ACTIVATION_EMAIL_MAX_ATTEMPTS = 5
-RETRY_ACTIVATION_EMAIL_TIMEOUT = 0.5
diff --git a/common/djangoapps/student/tasks.py b/common/djangoapps/student/tasks.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e745c4ab20..0000000000
--- a/common/djangoapps/student/tasks.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,55 +0,0 @@
-"""
-This file contains celery tasks for sending email
-"""
-from django.conf import settings
-from django.core import mail
-
-from celery.task import task  # pylint: disable=no-name-in-module, import-error
-from celery.utils.log import get_task_logger  # pylint: disable=no-name-in-module, import-error
-from celery.exceptions import MaxRetriesExceededError
-from boto.exception import NoAuthHandlerFound
-log = get_task_logger(__name__)
-
-
-@task(bind=True)
-def send_activation_email(self, user, subject, message, from_address):
-    """
-    Sending an activation email to the users.
-    """
-    max_retries = settings.RETRY_ACTIVATION_EMAIL_MAX_ATTEMPTS
-    retries = self.request.retries + 1
-    dest_addr = user.email
-    try:
-        if settings.FEATURES.get('REROUTE_ACTIVATION_EMAIL'):
-            dest_addr = settings.FEATURES['REROUTE_ACTIVATION_EMAIL']
-            message = ("Activation for %s (%s): %s\n" % (user, user.email, user.profile.name) +
-                       '-' * 80 + '\n\n' + message)
-            mail.send_mail(subject, message, from_address, [dest_addr], fail_silently=False)
-        else:
-            user.email_user(subject, message, from_address)
-        # Log that the Activation Email has been sent to user without an exception
-        log.info("Activataion Email has been sent to User {user_email}".format(
-            user_email=dest_addr
-        ))
-    except NoAuthHandlerFound:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
-        log.info('Retrying sending email to user {dest_addr}, attempt # {attempt} of {max_attempts}'. format(
-            dest_addr=dest_addr,
-            attempt=retries,
-            max_attempts=max_retries + 1
-        ))
-        try:
-            self.retry(countdown=settings.RETRY_ACTIVATION_EMAIL_TIMEOUT, max_retries=max_retries)
-        except MaxRetriesExceededError:
-            log.error(
-                'Unable to send activation email to user from "%s" to "%s"',
-                from_address,
-                dest_addr,
-                exc_info=True
-            )
-    except:  # pylint: disable=bare-except
-        log.exception(
-            'Unable to send activation email to user from "%s" to "%s"',
-            from_address,
-            dest_addr,
-            exc_info=True
-        )
diff --git a/common/djangoapps/student/tests/test_tasks.py b/common/djangoapps/student/tests/test_tasks.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 1c568ae416..0000000000
--- a/common/djangoapps/student/tests/test_tasks.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,47 +0,0 @@
-"""
-Tests for the Sending activation email celery tasks
-"""
-
-import mock
-
-from django.test import TestCase
-from django.conf import settings
-from student.tasks import send_activation_email
-from boto.exception import NoAuthHandlerFound
-
-
-class SendActivationEmailTestCase(TestCase):
-    """
-    Test for send activation email to user
-    """
-    @mock.patch('time.sleep', mock.Mock(return_value=None))
-    @mock.patch('student.tasks.log')
-    @mock.patch('django.contrib.auth.models.User')
-    def test_send_email(self, mock_user, mock_log):
-        """
-        Tests retries when the activation email doesn't send
-        """
-        from_address = 'task_testing@edX.com'
-        mock_user.email_user.side_effect = NoAuthHandlerFound
-        email_max_attempts = settings.RETRY_ACTIVATION_EMAIL_MAX_ATTEMPTS + 1
-
-        send_activation_email.delay(mock_user, 'Task_test', 'Task_test_message', from_address)
-
-        # Asserts sending email retry logging.
-        for attempt in xrange(1, email_max_attempts):
-            mock_log.info.assert_any_call(
-                'Retrying sending email to user {dest_addr}, attempt # {attempt} of {max_attempts}'.format(
-                    dest_addr=mock_user.email,
-                    attempt=attempt,
-                    max_attempts=email_max_attempts
-                ))
-        self.assertEquals(mock_log.info.call_count, 6)
-
-        # Asserts that the error was logged on crossing max retry attempts.
-        mock_log.error.assert_called_with(
-            'Unable to send activation email to user from "%s" to "%s"',
-            from_address,
-            mock_user.email,
-            exc_info=True
-        )
-        self.assertEquals(mock_log.error.call_count, 1)
diff --git a/common/djangoapps/student/views.py b/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
index 29519860f3..b63d293999 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ from student.models import (
     DashboardConfiguration, LinkedInAddToProfileConfiguration, ManualEnrollmentAudit, ALLOWEDTOENROLL_TO_ENROLLED,
     LogoutViewConfiguration)
 from student.forms import AccountCreationForm, PasswordResetFormNoActive, get_registration_extension_form
-from student.tasks import send_activation_email
 from lms.djangoapps.commerce.utils import EcommerceService  # pylint: disable=import-error
 from lms.djangoapps.verify_student.models import SoftwareSecurePhotoVerification  # pylint: disable=import-error
 from bulk_email.models import Optout, BulkEmailFlag  # pylint: disable=import-error
@@ -1776,10 +1775,12 @@ def create_account_with_params(request, params):
         )
     )
     if send_email:
+        dest_addr = user.email
         context = {
             'name': profile.name,
             'key': registration.activation_key,
         }
+
         # composes activation email
         subject = render_to_string('emails/activation_email_subject.txt', context)
         # Email subject *must not* contain newlines
@@ -1790,7 +1791,32 @@ def create_account_with_params(request, params):
             'email_from_address',
             settings.DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL
         )
-        send_activation_email.delay(user, subject, message, from_address)
+        retries = settings.RETRY_ACTIVATION_EMAIL_MAX_ATTEMPTS
+        while retries:
+            try:
+                if settings.FEATURES.get('REROUTE_ACTIVATION_EMAIL'):
+                    dest_addr = settings.FEATURES['REROUTE_ACTIVATION_EMAIL']
+                    message = ("Activation for %s (%s): %s\n" % (user, user.email, profile.name) +
+                               '-' * 80 + '\n\n' + message)
+                    mail.send_mail(subject, message, from_address, [dest_addr], fail_silently=False)
+                else:
+                    user.email_user(subject, message, from_address)
+                # Log that the Activation Email has been sent to user without an exception
+                log.info("Activataion Email has been sent to User {user_email}".format(
+                    user_email=dest_addr
+                ))
+                break
+            except Exception:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
+                retries -= 1
+                if retries <= 0:
+                    break
+                log.error(
+                    u'Unable to send activation email to user from "%s" to "%s"',
+                    from_address,
+                    dest_addr,
+                    exc_info=True
+                )
+
     else:
         registration.activate()
         _enroll_user_in_pending_courses(user)  # Enroll student in any pending courses
diff --git a/lms/envs/common.py b/lms/envs/common.py
index 47adc782f9..5bce4db235 100644
--- a/lms/envs/common.py
+++ b/lms/envs/common.py
@@ -372,7 +372,6 @@ XQUEUE_WAITTIME_BETWEEN_REQUESTS = 5  # seconds
 
 # Used with Email sending
 RETRY_ACTIVATION_EMAIL_MAX_ATTEMPTS = 5
-RETRY_ACTIVATION_EMAIL_TIMEOUT = 0.5
 
 
 ############################# SET PATH INFORMATION #############################