diff --git a/v2/email/email.go b/v2/email/email.go
index 89f3484..ffccabf 100644
--- a/v2/email/email.go
+++ b/v2/email/email.go
@@ -40,12 +40,16 @@ type EmailManager struct {
 	templates map[string]*template.Template
 }
 
-func NewEmailManager(config EmailConfig, fs fs.ReadFileFS) *EmailManager {
+func NewEmailManager(config EmailConfig, fs fs.ReadFileFS) (*EmailManager, error) {
+	if config.Host == "" {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("email: SMTP host is required")
+	}
+
 	return &EmailManager{
 		config:    config,
 		fs:        fs,
 		templates: make(map[string]*template.Template),
-	}
+	}, nil
 }
 
 // SendEmail will send emails to the specified recipients, as long as they are in the whitelist (if any)