[#46431] - [5.4] Fix for envelope-from & return path alignment with From in MailTemplateFactory
- Fixed in Code Base
- 26 Nov 2025
- Medium
- Build: 5.4-dev
- # 46431
- Diff
- TLWebdesignNL:5.4-dev
User tests: Successful: Unsuccessful:
Pull Request for Issue #46419.
Summary of Changes
Remove the false flag for "auto" on the setFrom method from PHPMailer in the MailTemplateFactory. This will improve the standard Joomla e-mail deliverability because now the Return-Path, envelope-from and From are aligned.
By default Joomla was setting this "auto" flag to false. Although PHPMailer's default is "true".
The behaviour won't change for reply-to. E-mail clients already use From as the fallback if there is no reply-to set.
Bounces now are sent to the wrong place for instance user@server.com instead of the "from mail" set in the configuration, this fix solves that issue.
With this fix SPF and DMARC domains will now be aligned and with that improve e-mail deliverability.
Testing Instructions
Set your "Mailer" to PHP Mail in Global Configuration -> Server -> Mail -> Mailer
Send an e-mail using the test e-mail from the configuration or do a lost password check.
Check e-mail headers and see that headers don't align.
Actual result BEFORE applying this Pull Request
Return-Path and envelope-from DON'T match the From.
Return-Path: <user1@srv1.example.nl>
(envelope-from <user1@srv1.example.nl>)
From: Example Name <noreply@domain.nl>
Expected result AFTER applying this Pull Request
Return-Path and envelope-from DO match the From.
Return-Path: <noreply@domain.nl>
(envelope-from <noreply@domain.nl>)
From: Example Name <noreply@domain.nl>
Link to documentations
Please select:
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Documentation link for docs.joomla.org:
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No documentation changes for docs.joomla.org needed
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Pull Request link for manual.joomla.org:
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No documentation changes for manual.joomla.org needed
| Status | New | ⇒ | Pending |
joomla-cms-bot
- | Category | ⇒ | Libraries |
| Title |
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Hi @brianteeman did you use SMTP? according to your headers it looks like you did. This test is about PHPMailer not SMTP. I'll update my instruction to make that more clear. Thanks for testing!
I have tested this item ✅ successfully on 5e090e7
I have successfully tested this. The BEFORE and AFTER match PR description - thanks @TLWebdesign.
(In my case, it didn't alter my SPF, DKIM, etc results they were before and after PASS but cool for those configs where it would cause issues)
Thanks for the contribution :)
This comment was created with the J!Tracker Application at issues.joomla.org/tracker/joomla-cms/46431.
I have tested this item ✅ successfully on 5e090e7
Tested with JBT and Patch Tester, but not seen in MailDev (it may be related to the Return-Path is only added after SMTP delivery into the mailbox). But seen before the PR in Joomla log file:
2025-11-22T18:22:30+00:00 ERROR 57.128.19.244 mail Error in Mail API: Envelope sender:
And after applying this PR:
2025-11-22T18:22:44+00:00 ERROR 57.128.19.244 mail Error in Mail API: Envelope sender: jbt-54@test.com
This comment was created with the J!Tracker Application at issues.joomla.org/tracker/joomla-cms/46431.
| Status | Pending | ⇒ | Ready to Commit |
RTC
This comment was created with the J!Tracker Application at issues.joomla.org/tracker/joomla-cms/46431.
| Labels |
Added:
RTC
bug
PR-5.4-dev
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| Status | Ready to Commit | ⇒ | Fixed in Code Base |
| Closed_Date | 0000-00-00 00:00:00 | ⇒ | 2025-11-26 16:34:24 |
| Closed_By | ⇒ | richard67 |
Thanks @TLWebdesign for this PR, and thanks @exlemor and @muhme for testing.
For all people, where setting the sender ($mailer->setSender()) is not working anymore since this got merged and land here. You can add the following code in your extension till the issue gets fixed:
if ($mailer instanceof Mail) {
$mailer->Sender = $mailer->From;
}
As I wrote, $mailer->setSender()
As I wrote, $mailer->setSender()
Ok but in what contex? Because i only touched mailerFactory not Mail itself. Have you opened a bug report with instructions so i can test it?
No, but create a mailer from the factory, call setSender and you will see that it has no effect.
Hello everyone, this topic is not mine, I can only report from practical experience. My customer (Ionos) is no longer receiving emails with the changes. (Sender==Recipient -> com_contact)
This is very bad and has caused a lot of trouble
so the obvious question @angieradtke is did you test this pull request to see if it solves the problem for you
so the obvious question @angieradtke is did you test this pull request to see if it solves the problem for you
I test this in online project - I removed the added code and it works again. Emailing via com_contact is a fundamental part of the project.
Yes this is the case indeed. And release managers will discuss tonight in mainteners meeting how to deal with this. So the problem is when you have a contact with the same e-mail address as the "from" e-mail address configured in the global configuration. AND your are using an external e-mail like your own exchange (in angies case) AND use phpmailer AND your e-mail server doesn't allow you to do it this way this "fix" causes your e-mail to be rejected. Easiest fix for now is just changing the e-mail address in global configuration to not be the same as your contact address. It's an anti spoof measure that is triggered this way. Becuase phpmailer is sending as external server an e-mail from-> to with same address.
And release managers will discuss tonight in mainteners meeting how to deal with this.
@TLWebdesign Tomorrow.
You're right. Tomorrow wednesday. I have my days mixed up.
I dont see any difference with the headers after applying this PR