diff --git a/changelog.d/5596.bugfix b/changelog.d/5596.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..da7ca1ed8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/5596.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Removed the `SYNAPSE_SMTP_*` docker container environment variables. Using these environment variables prevented the docker container from starting in Synapse v1.0, even though they didn't actually allow any functionality anyway. Users are advised to remove `SYNAPSE_SMTP_HOST`, `SYNAPSE_SMTP_PORT`, `SYNAPSE_SMTP_USER`, `SYNAPSE_SMTP_PASSWORD` and `SYNAPSE_SMTP_FROM` environment variables from their docker run commands.
diff --git a/docker/conf/homeserver.yaml b/docker/conf/homeserver.yaml
index b0267b1c60..c1110f0f53 100644
--- a/docker/conf/homeserver.yaml
+++ b/docker/conf/homeserver.yaml
@@ -207,22 +207,3 @@ perspectives:
 
 password_config:
    enabled: true
-
-{% if SYNAPSE_SMTP_HOST %}
-email:
-   enable_notifs: false
-   smtp_host: "{{ SYNAPSE_SMTP_HOST }}"
-   smtp_port: {{ SYNAPSE_SMTP_PORT or "25" }}
-   smtp_user: "{{ SYNAPSE_SMTP_USER }}"
-   smtp_pass: "{{ SYNAPSE_SMTP_PASSWORD }}"
-   require_transport_security: False
-   notif_from: "{{ SYNAPSE_SMTP_FROM or "hostmaster@" + SYNAPSE_SERVER_NAME }}"
-   app_name: Matrix
-   # if template_dir is unset, uses the example templates that are part of
-   # the Synapse distribution.
-   #template_dir: res/templates
-   notif_template_html: notif_mail.html
-   notif_template_text: notif_mail.txt
-   notif_for_new_users: True
-   riot_base_url: "https://{{ SYNAPSE_SERVER_NAME }}"
-{% endif %}