diff --git a/cf-execd/cf-execd-runner.c b/cf-execd/cf-execd-runner.c
index 75b7ebcc5d..bf14a1cbe4 100644
--- a/cf-execd/cf-execd-runner.c
+++ b/cf-execd/cf-execd-runner.c
@@ -564,6 +564,7 @@ static bool CompareResultEqualOrFiltered(const ExecConfig *config,
 #ifndef TEST_CF_EXECD
 int ConnectToSmtpSocket(const ExecConfig *config)
 {
+    assert(config != NULL);
     struct hostent *hp = gethostbyname(config->mail_server);
     if (!hp)
     {
@@ -572,17 +573,10 @@ int ConnectToSmtpSocket(const ExecConfig *config)
         return -1;
     }
 
-    struct servent *server = getservbyname("smtp", "tcp");
-    if (!server)
-    {
-        Log(LOG_LEVEL_ERR, "Mail report: unable to lookup smtp service. (getservbyname: %s)", GetErrorStr());
-        return -1;
-    }
-
     struct sockaddr_in raddr;
     memset(&raddr, 0, sizeof(raddr));
 
-    raddr.sin_port = (unsigned int) server->s_port;
+    raddr.sin_port = config->mail_port;
     raddr.sin_addr.s_addr = ((struct in_addr *) (hp->h_addr))->s_addr;
     raddr.sin_family = AF_INET;
 
diff --git a/cf-execd/exec-config.c b/cf-execd/exec-config.c
index 433b48a08e..31d7381d8f 100644
--- a/cf-execd/exec-config.c
+++ b/cf-execd/exec-config.c
@@ -151,6 +151,17 @@ ExecConfig *ExecConfigNew(bool scheduled_run, const EvalContext *ctx, const Poli
     exec_config->ip_address = xstrdup(VIPADDRESS);
     exec_config->ip_addresses = GetIpAddresses(ctx);
 
+    struct servent *server = getservbyname("smtp", "tcp");
+    if (!server)
+    {
+        exec_config->mail_port = 25;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        exec_config->mail_port = (unsigned int) server->s_port;
+    }
+
+
     Seq *constraints = ControlBodyConstraints(policy, AGENT_TYPE_EXECUTOR);
     if (constraints)
     {
@@ -199,6 +210,11 @@ ExecConfig *ExecConfigNew(bool scheduled_run, const EvalContext *ctx, const Poli
                 exec_config->mail_server = xstrdup(value);
                 Log(LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG, "smtpserver '%s'", exec_config->mail_server);
             }
+            else if (strcmp(cp->lval, CFEX_CONTROLBODY[EXEC_CONTROL_SMTPPORT].lval) == 0)
+            {
+                exec_config->mail_port = IntFromString(value);
+                Log(LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG, "smtpport '%d'", exec_config->mail_port);
+            }
             else if (strcmp(cp->lval, CFEX_CONTROLBODY[EXEC_CONTROL_EXECCOMMAND].lval) == 0)
             {
                 free(exec_config->exec_command);
@@ -237,12 +253,14 @@ ExecConfig *ExecConfigNew(bool scheduled_run, const EvalContext *ctx, const Poli
 
 ExecConfig *ExecConfigCopy(const ExecConfig *config)
 {
+    assert(config != NULL);
     ExecConfig *copy = xcalloc(1, sizeof(ExecConfig));
 
     copy->scheduled_run = config->scheduled_run;
     copy->exec_command = xstrdup(config->exec_command);
     copy->agent_expireafter = config->agent_expireafter;
     copy->mail_server = xstrdup(config->mail_server);
+    copy->mail_port = config->mail_port;
     copy->mail_from_address = xstrdup(config->mail_from_address);
     copy->mail_to_address = xstrdup(config->mail_to_address);
     copy->mail_subject = xstrdup(config->mail_subject);
diff --git a/cf-execd/exec-config.h b/cf-execd/exec-config.h
index 5d7f3769fd..74c118a9d3 100644
--- a/cf-execd/exec-config.h
+++ b/cf-execd/exec-config.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ typedef struct
     char *mail_to_address;
     char *mail_subject;
     int mail_max_lines;
+    unsigned int mail_port;
     // These two contain regular expression strings.
     Seq *mailfilter_include;
     Seq *mailfilter_exclude;
diff --git a/libpromises/cf3.defs.h b/libpromises/cf3.defs.h
index fe02dba7c3..71ca9f7f3b 100644
--- a/libpromises/cf3.defs.h
+++ b/libpromises/cf3.defs.h
@@ -515,6 +515,7 @@ typedef enum
     EXEC_CONTROL_EXECCOMMAND,
     EXEC_CONTROL_AGENT_EXPIREAFTER,
     EXEC_CONTROL_RUNAGENT_ALLOW_USERS,
+    EXEC_CONTROL_SMTPPORT,
     EXEC_CONTROL_NONE
 } ExecControl;
 
diff --git a/libpromises/mod_common.c b/libpromises/mod_common.c
index 17e0485b5e..3d41cd4270 100644
--- a/libpromises/mod_common.c
+++ b/libpromises/mod_common.c
@@ -394,6 +394,7 @@ const ConstraintSyntax CFEX_CONTROLBODY[] = /* enum cfexcontrol */
     ConstraintSyntaxNewString("exec_command", CF_ABSPATHRANGE,"The full path and command to the executable run by default (overriding builtin)", SYNTAX_STATUS_NORMAL),
     ConstraintSyntaxNewInt("agent_expireafter", "0,10080", "Maximum agent runtime (in minutes). Default value: 120", SYNTAX_STATUS_NORMAL),
     ConstraintSyntaxNewStringList("runagent_socket_allow_users", "", "Users allowed to work with the runagent.socket to trigger agent runs", SYNTAX_STATUS_NORMAL),
+    ConstraintSyntaxNewInt("smtpport", "0,10080", "Port used for sending mail", SYNTAX_STATUS_NORMAL),
     ConstraintSyntaxNewNull()
 };
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/exec-config-test.c b/tests/unit/exec-config-test.c
index 8e4de9662c..0bb662ef49 100644
--- a/tests/unit/exec-config-test.c
+++ b/tests/unit/exec-config-test.c
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ static void exec_config_empty_cb(const EvalContext *ctx, const Policy *policy)
     /* FIXME: exec-config should provide default subject */
     assert_string_equal("", config->mail_subject);
     assert_int_equal(30, config->mail_max_lines);
+    assert_int_equal(25, config->mail_port);
     assert_string_equal("localhost.localdomain", config->fq_name);
     assert_string_equal("127.0.0.100", config->ip_address);
     assert_string_equal("127.0.0.100 127.0.0.101", config->ip_addresses);
@@ -123,6 +124,7 @@ static void CheckFullExecConfig(const ExecConfig *config)
     assert_string_equal("cfengine_mail@example.org", config->mail_to_address);
     assert_string_equal("Test [localhost/127.0.0.1]", config->mail_subject);
     assert_int_equal(50, config->mail_max_lines);
+    assert_int_equal(25, config->mail_port);
     assert_string_equal("localhost.localdomain", config->fq_name);
     assert_string_equal("127.0.0.100", config->ip_address);
     assert_string_equal("127.0.0.100 127.0.0.101", config->ip_addresses);