diff --git a/apps/backend/src/config/dependencyConfigESS.ts b/apps/backend/src/config/dependencyConfigESS.ts
index 9f8d4927e4..816e805996 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/config/dependencyConfigESS.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/config/dependencyConfigESS.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-/* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-empty-function */
 import 'reflect-metadata';
 
 import { DataAccessUsersAuthorization } from '../auth/DataAccessUsersAuthorization';
@@ -65,6 +64,7 @@ import { configureESSDevelopmentEnvironment } from './ess/configureESSEnvironmen
 import { configureGraylogLogger } from './ess/configureGrayLogLogger';
 import { Tokens } from './Tokens';
 import { mapClass, mapValue } from './utils';
+import { SMTPMailService } from '../eventHandlers/MailService/SMTP/SMTPMailService';
 
 mapClass(Tokens.RoleDataSource, PostgresRoleDataSource);
 mapClass(Tokens.AdminDataSource, PostgresAdminDataSourceWithAutoUpgrade);
@@ -130,6 +130,12 @@ mapClass(Tokens.AssetRegistrar, EAMAssetRegistrar);
 
 mapClass(Tokens.MailService, SparkPostMailService);
 
+if (isDevelopment) {
+  mapValue(Tokens.MailService, new SMTPMailService());
+} else {
+  mapClass(Tokens.MailService, SparkPostMailService);
+}
+
 mapValue(Tokens.FapDataColumns, FapDataColumns);
 mapValue(Tokens.FapDataRow, getDataRow);
 mapValue(Tokens.PopulateRow, populateRow);
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/eventHandlers/MailService/SMTP/SMTPMailService.ts b/apps/backend/src/eventHandlers/MailService/SMTP/SMTPMailService.ts
index 12933b258a..33a9334d15 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/eventHandlers/MailService/SMTP/SMTPMailService.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/eventHandlers/MailService/SMTP/SMTPMailService.ts
@@ -105,6 +105,21 @@ export class SMTPMailService extends MailService {
     );
   }
 
+  private async resolveEmailTemplate(identifier: string) {
+    const isNumericIdentifier = /^\d+$/.test(identifier);
+
+    if (isNumericIdentifier) {
+      const byId =
+        await this.emailTemplateDataSource.getEmailTemplate(+identifier);
+
+      if (byId) {
+        return byId;
+      }
+    }
+
+    return this.emailTemplateDataSource.getEmailTemplateByName(identifier);
+  }
+
   private async compileEmailTemplate(options: SendMailOptions): Promise<{
     subject: string;
     body: string;
@@ -113,8 +128,8 @@ export class SMTPMailService extends MailService {
       return { subject: '= ``', body: '' };
     }
 
-    const emailTemplate = await this.emailTemplateDataSource.getEmailTemplate(
-      +options.content.template
+    const emailTemplate = await this.resolveEmailTemplate(
+      options.content.template
     );
 
     if (!emailTemplate) {