diff --git a/INSTALLATION.md b/INSTALLATION.md
index f6a09007c14eaa5736fedb3ce6752ba901b2db4a..cfc757467c4912a48b50003b8eeb20b950d0e30f 100644
--- a/INSTALLATION.md
+++ b/INSTALLATION.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 Boolean type variables use consider `true` and `yes` as truthy, and `false` and `no` as falsy.
 
-- `INJECT_DEBUG`: _boolean, default=false_ - Run the backend in debug mode. If set, email sending is disabled. **Do not set in production.**
+- `INJECT_DEBUG`: _boolean, default=false_ - Run the backend in debug mode. If set, email sending is disabled and emails are printed in the console. **Do not set in production.**
 - `INJECT_HOST_ADDRESSES`: _string, default=localhost_ - A comma-separated list of allowed hosts.
 - `INJECT_CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS`: _string, default=http://localhost_ - A comma-separated list of origins (domains) that are authorized to make cross-site HTTP requests.
 - `INJECT_EMAIL_HOST`: _string, default=""_ - SMTP server address.
diff --git a/ttxbackend/settings.py b/ttxbackend/settings.py
index aa47f93f9bb609829ed16f5e04f51e91eb424b54..59381aaae83e4cae6522f719feda95c54fa506a1 100644
--- a/ttxbackend/settings.py
+++ b/ttxbackend/settings.py
@@ -235,7 +235,11 @@ SESSION_EXPIRE_AT_BROWSER_CLOSE = True
 AUTHENTICATION_BACKENDS = ["aai.backend.CustomAuthBackend"]
 
 # Email client
-EMAIL_BACKEND = "django.core.mail.backends.smtp.EmailBackend"
+EMAIL_BACKEND = (
+    "django.core.mail.backends.console.EmailBackend"
+    if DEBUG
+    else "django.core.mail.backends.smtp.EmailBackend"
+)
 EMAIL_HOST = os.environ.get("INJECT_EMAIL_HOST", "")
 if email_port := os.environ.get("INJECT_EMAIL_PORT"):
     EMAIL_PORT = int(email_port)
diff --git a/user/email/email_sender.py b/user/email/email_sender.py
index af7a1ed9ea311c4bbf14b45c7bfcd7a9e44a6013..82afb3e4427eb87e7069b2f0e59ee0ce2b8f007b 100644
--- a/user/email/email_sender.py
+++ b/user/email/email_sender.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from email.mime.image import MIMEImage
 from common_lib.logger import logger
 
 from user.models import User
-from ttxbackend.settings import EMAIL_SENDER_ADDRESS, DOMAIN
+from ttxbackend.settings import EMAIL_SENDER_ADDRESS, DOMAIN, DEBUG
 
 
 def send_credentials(new_users: List[Tuple[User, str]]):
@@ -27,26 +27,33 @@ def send_credentials(new_users: List[Tuple[User, str]]):
         message = EmailMultiAlternatives(
             subject, text_content, EMAIL_SENDER_ADDRESS, [user.username]
         )
-        # attach logo
-        fp = open("user/templates/inject-logo.png", "rb")
-        msg_image = MIMEImage(fp.read())
-        fp.close()
-        msg_image.add_header("Content-ID", "<logo-image>")
-        msg_image.add_header(
-            "Content-Disposition", "attachment; filename=inject-logo.png"
-        )
-        message.mixed_subtype = "related"
-        message.attach(msg_image)
+        if not DEBUG:
+            # attach logo
+            fp = open("user/templates/inject-logo.png", "rb")
+            msg_image = MIMEImage(fp.read())
+            fp.close()
+            msg_image.add_header("Content-ID", "<logo-image>")
+            msg_image.add_header(
+                "Content-Disposition", "attachment; filename=inject-logo.png"
+            )
+            message.mixed_subtype = "related"
+            message.attach(msg_image)
 
-        # attach HTML content
-        message.attach_alternative(html_content, "text/html")
+            # attach HTML content
+            message.attach_alternative(html_content, "text/html")
         messages.append(message)
 
     try:
         connection = get_connection(fail_silently=False)
-        connection.send_messages(messages)
+        num_sent = connection.send_messages(messages)
+        logger.info(
+            f"{num_sent} emails with credentials were "
+            + ("printed to console" if DEBUG else "sent via SMTP server")
+        )
     except Exception as e:
-        logger.error(f"Failed to send credentials via SMTP server: {e}")
+        logger.error(
+            f"Failed to send emails with credentials via SMTP server: {e}"
+        )
 
 
 def send_password_change_notification(user: User):