diff --git a/pkg/server/app/app.go b/pkg/server/app/app.go
index 80754fbe..9c704b57 100644
--- a/pkg/server/app/app.go
+++ b/pkg/server/app/app.go
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ type App struct {
 	EmailBackend        mailer.Backend
 	Files               map[string][]byte
 	HTTP500Page         []byte
-	AppEnv              string
 	WebURL              string
 	DisableRegistration bool
 	Port                string
diff --git a/pkg/server/app/testutils.go b/pkg/server/app/testutils.go
index 8ea6980d..7f0cfb1b 100644
--- a/pkg/server/app/testutils.go
+++ b/pkg/server/app/testutils.go
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ func NewTest() App {
 		EmailTemplates:      mailer.NewTemplates(),
 		EmailBackend:        &testutils.MockEmailbackendImplementation{},
 		HTTP500Page:         assets.MustGetHTTP500ErrorPage(),
-		AppEnv:              "TEST",
 		WebURL:              "http://127.0.0.0.1",
 		Port:                "3000",
 		DisableRegistration: false,
diff --git a/pkg/server/cmd/helpers.go b/pkg/server/cmd/helpers.go
index 3b981dc5..23e7326a 100644
--- a/pkg/server/cmd/helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/server/cmd/helpers.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func initDB(dbPath string) *gorm.DB {
 func initApp(cfg config.Config) app.App {
 	db := initDB(cfg.DBPath)
 
-	emailBackend, err := mailer.NewDefaultBackend(cfg.IsProd())
+	emailBackend, err := mailer.NewDefaultBackend()
 	if err != nil {
 		emailBackend = &mailer.DefaultBackend{Enabled: false}
 	} else {
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ func initApp(cfg config.Config) app.App {
 		EmailTemplates:      mailer.NewTemplates(),
 		EmailBackend:        emailBackend,
 		HTTP500Page:         cfg.HTTP500Page,
-		AppEnv:              cfg.AppEnv,
 		WebURL:              cfg.WebURL,
 		DisableRegistration: cfg.DisableRegistration,
 		Port:                cfg.Port,
diff --git a/pkg/server/cmd/start.go b/pkg/server/cmd/start.go
index c65ac398..465f41ce 100644
--- a/pkg/server/cmd/start.go
+++ b/pkg/server/cmd/start.go
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ import (
 func startCmd(args []string) {
 	fs := setupFlagSet("start", "dnote-server start")
 
-	appEnv := fs.String("appEnv", "", "Application environment (env: APP_ENV, default: PRODUCTION)")
 	port := fs.String("port", "", "Server port (env: PORT, default: 3001)")
 	webURL := fs.String("webUrl", "", "Full URL to server without trailing slash (env: WebURL, default: http://localhost:3001)")
 	dbPath := fs.String("dbPath", "", "Path to SQLite database file (env: DBPath, default: $XDG_DATA_HOME/dnote/server.db)")
@@ -42,7 +41,6 @@ func startCmd(args []string) {
 	fs.Parse(args)
 
 	cfg, err := config.New(config.Params{
-		AppEnv:              *appEnv,
 		Port:                *port,
 		WebURL:              *webURL,
 		DBPath:              *dbPath,
diff --git a/pkg/server/config/config.go b/pkg/server/config/config.go
index 0fbb3617..88b604bc 100644
--- a/pkg/server/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/server/config/config.go
@@ -26,8 +26,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	// AppEnvProduction represents an app environment for production.
-	AppEnvProduction string = "PRODUCTION"
 	// DefaultDBDir is the default directory name for Dnote data
 	DefaultDBDir = "dnote"
 	// DefaultDBFilename is the default database filename
@@ -65,7 +63,6 @@ func getOrEnv(value, envKey, defaultVal string) string {
 
 // Config is an application configuration
 type Config struct {
-	AppEnv              string
 	WebURL              string
 	DisableRegistration bool
 	Port                string
@@ -77,7 +74,6 @@ type Config struct {
 
 // Params are the configuration parameters for creating a new Config
 type Params struct {
-	AppEnv              string
 	Port                string
 	WebURL              string
 	DBPath              string
@@ -89,7 +85,6 @@ type Params struct {
 // Empty string params will fall back to environment variables and defaults.
 func New(p Params) (Config, error) {
 	c := Config{
-		AppEnv:              getOrEnv(p.AppEnv, "APP_ENV", AppEnvProduction),
 		Port:                getOrEnv(p.Port, "PORT", "3001"),
 		WebURL:              getOrEnv(p.WebURL, "WebURL", "http://localhost:3001"),
 		DBPath:              getOrEnv(p.DBPath, "DBPath", DefaultDBPath),
@@ -106,11 +101,6 @@ func New(p Params) (Config, error) {
 	return c, nil
 }
 
-// IsProd checks if the app environment is configured to be production.
-func (c Config) IsProd() bool {
-	return c.AppEnv == AppEnvProduction
-}
-
 func validate(c Config) error {
 	if _, err := url.ParseRequestURI(c.WebURL); err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrapf(ErrWebURLInvalid, "'%s'", c.WebURL)
diff --git a/pkg/server/database/database.go b/pkg/server/database/database.go
index 480807fe..cfb18ab7 100644
--- a/pkg/server/database/database.go
+++ b/pkg/server/database/database.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ var (
 func getDBLogLevel(level string) logger.LogLevel {
 	switch level {
 	case log.LevelDebug:
+		return logger.Info
 	case log.LevelInfo:
 		return logger.Info
 	case log.LevelWarn:
diff --git a/pkg/server/mailer/backend.go b/pkg/server/mailer/backend.go
index e282e03c..b4c0f348 100644
--- a/pkg/server/mailer/backend.go
+++ b/pkg/server/mailer/backend.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func getSMTPParams() (*dialerParams, error) {
 }
 
 // NewDefaultBackend creates a default backend
-func NewDefaultBackend(enabled bool) (*DefaultBackend, error) {
+func NewDefaultBackend() (*DefaultBackend, error) {
 	p, err := getSMTPParams()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func NewDefaultBackend(enabled bool) (*DefaultBackend, error) {
 
 	return &DefaultBackend{
 		Dialer:  &gomailDialer{Dialer: d},
-		Enabled: enabled,
+		Enabled: true,
 	}, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/server/mailer/backend_test.go b/pkg/server/mailer/backend_test.go
index 2838a19d..ba6940d3 100644
--- a/pkg/server/mailer/backend_test.go
+++ b/pkg/server/mailer/backend_test.go
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ func TestNewDefaultBackend(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Setenv("SmtpUsername", "user@example.com")
 		t.Setenv("SmtpPassword", "secret")
 
-		backend, err := NewDefaultBackend(true)
+		backend, err := NewDefaultBackend()
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("NewDefaultBackend failed: %v", err)
 		}
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ func TestNewDefaultBackend(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Setenv("SmtpUsername", "")
 		t.Setenv("SmtpPassword", "")
 
-		_, err := NewDefaultBackend(true)
+		_, err := NewDefaultBackend()
 		if err == nil {
 			t.Error("expected error when SMTP not configured")
 		}