diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/controllers/admin-email-index.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/controllers/admin-email-index.js.es6
index 27b7bb498cf..1bab3fe2979 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/controllers/admin-email-index.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/controllers/admin-email-index.js.es6
@@ -28,30 +28,25 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend({
         sentTestEmail: false
       });
 
-      var self = this;
       ajax("/admin/email/test", {
         type: "POST",
         data: { email_address: this.get("testEmailAddress") }
       })
-        .then(
-          function() {
-            self.set("sentTestEmail", true);
-          },
-          function(e) {
-            if (e.responseJSON && e.responseJSON.errors) {
-              bootbox.alert(
-                I18n.t("admin.email.error", {
-                  server_error: e.responseJSON.errors[0]
-                })
-              );
-            } else {
-              bootbox.alert(I18n.t("admin.email.test_error"));
-            }
-          }
+        .then(response =>
+          this.set("sentTestEmailMessage", response.send_test_email_message)
         )
-        .finally(function() {
-          self.set("sendingEmail", false);
-        });
+        .catch(e => {
+          if (e.responseJSON && e.responseJSON.errors) {
+            bootbox.alert(
+              I18n.t("admin.email.error", {
+                server_error: e.responseJSON.errors[0]
+              })
+            );
+          } else {
+            bootbox.alert(I18n.t("admin.email.test_error"));
+          }
+        })
+        .finally(() => this.set("sendingEmail", false));
     }
   }
 });
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/templates/email-index.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/templates/email-index.hbs
index 80b3d5d062d..c21e3a5ca63 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/admin/templates/email-index.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/admin/templates/email-index.hbs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   </div>
   <div class='controls'>
     <button class='btn btn-primary' {{action "sendTestEmail"}} disabled={{sendTestEmailDisabled}}>{{i18n 'admin.email.send_test'}}</button>
-    {{#if sentTestEmail}}<span class='result-message'>{{i18n 'admin.email.sent_test'}}</span>{{/if}}
+    {{#if sentTestEmailMessage}}<span class='result-message'>{{sentTestEmailMessage}}</span>{{/if}}
   </div>
   {{/if}}
 </div>
diff --git a/app/controllers/admin/email_controller.rb b/app/controllers/admin/email_controller.rb
index c626ffb2254..59d91fbc0ad 100644
--- a/app/controllers/admin/email_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/admin/email_controller.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,13 @@ class Admin::EmailController < Admin::AdminController
     params.require(:email_address)
     begin
       Jobs::TestEmail.new.execute(to_address: params[:email_address])
-      render body: nil
+      if SiteSetting.disable_emails == "yes"
+        render json: { sent_test_email_message: I18n.t("admin.email.sent_test_disabled") }
+      elsif SiteSetting.disable_emails == "non-staff" && !User.find_by_email(params[:email_address])&.staff?
+        render json: { sent_test_email_message: I18n.t("admin.email.sent_test_disabled_for_non_staff") }
+      else
+        render json: { sent_test_email_message: I18n.t("admin.email.sent_test") }
+      end
     rescue => e
       render json: { errors: [e.message] }, status: 422
     end
diff --git a/config/locales/server.en.yml b/config/locales/server.en.yml
index 8c4eca02b15..784ed97e34d 100644
--- a/config/locales/server.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/server.en.yml
@@ -1963,6 +1963,12 @@ en:
       totp: "Use an authenticator app instead"
       backup_code: "Use a backup code instead"
 
+  admin:
+    email:
+      sent_test: "sent!"
+      sent_test_disabled: "cannot send because emails are disabled"
+      sent_test_disabled_for_non_staff: "cannot send because emails are disabled for non-staff"
+
   user:
     deactivated: "Was deactivated due to too many bounced emails to '%{email}'."
     deactivated_by_staff: "Deactivated by staff"
diff --git a/spec/requests/admin/email_controller_spec.rb b/spec/requests/admin/email_controller_spec.rb
index e59f3cc125a..a6d30ba958f 100644
--- a/spec/requests/admin/email_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/admin/email_controller_spec.rb
@@ -106,6 +106,41 @@ describe Admin::EmailController do
         expect(ActionMailer::Base.deliveries.map(&:to).flatten).to include('eviltrout@test.domain')
       end
     end
+
+    context 'with SiteSetting.disable_emails' do
+      let(:eviltrout) { Fabricate(:evil_trout) }
+      let(:admin) { Fabricate(:admin) }
+
+      it 'does not sends mail to anyone when setting is "yes"' do
+        SiteSetting.disable_emails = 'yes'
+
+        post "/admin/email/test.json", params: { email_address: admin.email }
+
+        incoming = JSON.parse(response.body)
+        expect(incoming['sent_test_email_message']).to eq(I18n.t("admin.email.sent_test_disabled"))
+      end
+
+      it 'sends mail to staff only when setting is "non-staff"' do
+        SiteSetting.disable_emails = 'non-staff'
+
+        post "/admin/email/test.json", params: { email_address: admin.email }
+        incoming = JSON.parse(response.body)
+        expect(incoming['sent_test_email_message']).to eq(I18n.t("admin.email.sent_test"))
+
+        post "/admin/email/test.json", params: { email_address: eviltrout.email }
+        incoming = JSON.parse(response.body)
+        expect(incoming['sent_test_email_message']).to eq(I18n.t("admin.email.sent_test_disabled_for_non_staff"))
+      end
+
+      it 'sends mail to everyone when setting is "no"' do
+        SiteSetting.disable_emails = 'no'
+
+        post "/admin/email/test.json", params: { email_address: eviltrout.email }
+
+        incoming = JSON.parse(response.body)
+        expect(incoming['sent_test_email_message']).to eq(I18n.t("admin.email.sent_test"))
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   describe '#preview_digest' do