diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/mailing/EmailNotification.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/mailing/EmailNotification.java
index 7aa8031..fbd1bd3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/mailing/EmailNotification.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/mailing/EmailNotification.java
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import java.util.Properties;
 
 import javax.mail.Address;
 import javax.mail.Message;
-import javax.mail.MessagingException;
 import javax.mail.Session;
 import javax.mail.Transport;
 import javax.mail.internet.AddressException;
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ public class EmailNotification {
 	 * The recipients of the email
 	 */
 	private String emailrecipients[];
-	
+
 	private List<InternetAddress> emailRecipientsInCC;
 	/**
 	 * Email's subject
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ public class EmailNotification {
 	 * 
 	 */
 	private HttpServletRequest request;
-	
+
 	private final String MAIL_SERVICE_HOST = "localhost";
 	private String MAIL_SERVICE_PORT = "25";
 	/**
@@ -52,6 +51,7 @@ public class EmailNotification {
 	 * @param recipient an email address
 	 * @param subject the subject of your email
 	 * @param body the body of your email
+	 * @param httpServletRequest the httpServletRequest object if you have it, null otherwise (but the default sender will be applied in this case) 
 	 */
 	public EmailNotification(String recipient, String subject, String body, HttpServletRequest httpServletRequest) { 
 		String[] emailRecipients = new String[1];
@@ -62,20 +62,22 @@ public class EmailNotification {
 	 *  @param recipients an array of email addresses
 	 * @param subject the subject of your email
 	 * @param body the body of your email
+	 * @param httpServletRequest the httpServletRequest object if you have it, null otherwise (but the default sender will be applied in this case) 
 	 */
 	public EmailNotification(String recipients[], String subject, String body, HttpServletRequest httpServletRequest) {
 		init(httpServletRequest, recipients, subject, body);
 	}
-	
+
 	/**
 	 * @param recipients a list of email addresses
 	 * @param subject the subject of your email
 	 * @param body the body of your email
+	 * @param httpServletRequest the httpServletRequest object if you have it, null otherwise (but the default sender will be applied in this case) 
 	 */
 	public EmailNotification(List<String> recipients, String subject, String body, HttpServletRequest httpServletRequest) {
 		init(httpServletRequest, recipients.toArray(new String[recipients.size()]), subject, body);
 	}
-	
+
 	private void init(HttpServletRequest httpServletRequest, String recipients[], String subject, String body) {
 		request = httpServletRequest;
 		emailrecipients = recipients;
@@ -89,7 +91,7 @@ public class EmailNotification {
 		.append("If you have received this communication in error, please notify the <sender> and destroy and delete any copies you may have received.")
 		.append("</div></p>");
 	}
-	
+
 	public void addRecipientInCC(String email) {
 		try {
 			emailRecipientsInCC.add(new InternetAddress(email));
@@ -106,13 +108,20 @@ public class EmailNotification {
 		session.setDebug(true);
 		Message mimeMessage = new MimeMessage(session);
 		try {
+			String emailSender = "";
+			String siteName = "";
 			// EMAIL SENDER
-			String emailSender = PortalContext.getConfiguration().getSenderEmail(request);
-			String siteName = PortalContext.getConfiguration().getGatewayName(request);
+			if (request != null) {
+				emailSender = PortalContext.getConfiguration().getSenderEmail(request);
+				siteName = PortalContext.getConfiguration().getGatewayName(request);
+			} else {
+				emailSender = PortalContext.getConfiguration().getSenderEmail();
+				siteName = PortalContext.getConfiguration().getGatewayName();
+			}
 			Address from = new InternetAddress(emailSender, siteName);
 			mimeMessage.setHeader("Content-Type", "text/html; charset=UTF-8");
 			mimeMessage.setFrom(from);
-		
+
 			// EMAIL RECIPIENTS
 			for (int i=0; i<emailrecipients.length; i++) {
 				Address address = new InternetAddress(emailrecipients[i]);
@@ -126,7 +135,7 @@ public class EmailNotification {
 			mimeMessage.setSubject(emailSubject);
 			mimeMessage.setContent(emailBody.toString(), "text/html; charset=UTF-8");
 			mimeMessage.setSentDate(new Date());
-		
+
 			try {
 				Transport.send(mimeMessage);
 			}
@@ -139,8 +148,8 @@ public class EmailNotification {
 			_log.error("Failed to send the email message.", e);
 		}
 	}
-	
-	
+
+
 }