diff --git a/cms/envs/test.py b/cms/envs/test.py
index 0a7b75f772..3b08d4f61d 100644
--- a/cms/envs/test.py
+++ b/cms/envs/test.py
@@ -338,3 +338,4 @@ 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
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e745c4ab20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/djangoapps/student/tasks.py
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+"""
+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
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1c568ae416
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/djangoapps/student/tests/test_tasks.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+"""
+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 b63d293999..29519860f3 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ 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
@@ -1775,12 +1776,10 @@ 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
@@ -1791,32 +1790,7 @@ def create_account_with_params(request, params):
             'email_from_address',
             settings.DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL
         )
-        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
-                )
-
+        send_activation_email.delay(user, subject, message, from_address)
     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 5bce4db235..47adc782f9 100644
--- a/lms/envs/common.py
+++ b/lms/envs/common.py
@@ -372,6 +372,7 @@ 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 #############################