diff --git a/py/webnotes/utils/email_lib/send.py b/py/webnotes/utils/email_lib/send.py
index e1b09c0bdb..7818a5c666 100644
--- a/py/webnotes/utils/email_lib/send.py
+++ b/py/webnotes/utils/email_lib/send.py
@@ -144,7 +144,8 @@ class EMail:
 		validate the email ids
 		"""
 		if not self.sender:
-			self.sender = webnotes.conn.get_value('Control Panel',None,'auto_email_id')
+			self.sender = hasattr(conf, 'auto_email_id') \
+					and conf.auto_email_id or 'automail@erpnext.com'
 
 		from webnotes.utils import validate_email_add
 		# validate ids