diff --git a/settings/Controller/CheckSetupController.php b/settings/Controller/CheckSetupController.php
index 2a1401a8a9d..57766f26724 100644
--- a/settings/Controller/CheckSetupController.php
+++ b/settings/Controller/CheckSetupController.php
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ Raw output
 	}
 
 	protected function isPhpMailerUsed(): bool {
-		return $this->config->getSystemValue('mail_smtpmode', 'php') === 'php';
+		return $this->config->getSystemValue('mail_smtpmode') === 'php';
 	}
 
 	protected function hasOpcacheLoaded(): bool {