diff --git a/cms/envs/aws.py b/cms/envs/aws.py
index 9607f9103b..20217deaff 100644
--- a/cms/envs/aws.py
+++ b/cms/envs/aws.py
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ CELERY_QUEUES = {
 with open(ENV_ROOT / CONFIG_PREFIX + "env.json") as env_file:
     ENV_TOKENS = json.load(env_file)
 
+EMAIL_BACKEND = ENV_TOKENS.get('EMAIL_BACKEND', EMAIL_BACKEND)
+EMAIL_FILE_PATH = ENV_TOKENS.get('EMAIL_FILE_PATH', None)
 LMS_BASE = ENV_TOKENS.get('LMS_BASE')
 # Note that MITX_FEATURES['PREVIEW_LMS_BASE'] gets read in from the environment file.
 
diff --git a/lms/envs/aws.py b/lms/envs/aws.py
index a991b97fb5..79178e27a3 100644
--- a/lms/envs/aws.py
+++ b/lms/envs/aws.py
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ with open(ENV_ROOT / CONFIG_PREFIX + "env.json") as env_file:
     ENV_TOKENS = json.load(env_file)
 
 PLATFORM_NAME = ENV_TOKENS.get('PLATFORM_NAME', PLATFORM_NAME)
+EMAIL_BACKEND = ENV_TOKENS.get('EMAIL_BACKEND', EMAIL_BACKEND)
+EMAIL_FILE_PATH = ENV_TOKENS.get('EMAIL_FILE_PATH', None)
 
 SITE_NAME = ENV_TOKENS['SITE_NAME']
 SESSION_COOKIE_DOMAIN = ENV_TOKENS.get('SESSION_COOKIE_DOMAIN')