diff --git a/apprise/plugins/NotifyEmail.py b/apprise/plugins/NotifyEmail.py
index e9b9a32b..381d4dc5 100644
--- a/apprise/plugins/NotifyEmail.py
+++ b/apprise/plugins/NotifyEmail.py
@@ -253,6 +253,8 @@ class NotifyEmail(NotifyBase):
                                 .strftime("%a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S +0000")
         email['X-Application'] = self.app_id
 
+        # bind the socket variable to the current namespace
+        socket = None
         try:
             self.logger.debug('Connecting to remote SMTP server...')
             socket = smtplib.SMTP(
@@ -289,7 +291,8 @@ class NotifyEmail(NotifyBase):
 
         finally:
             # Gracefully terminate the connection with the server
-            socket.quit()
+            if socket is not None: # pragma: no branch
+                socket.quit()
 
         return True
 
diff --git a/test/test_email_plugin.py b/test/test_email_plugin.py
index f5068987..5c8eb859 100644
--- a/test/test_email_plugin.py
+++ b/test/test_email_plugin.py
@@ -290,3 +290,57 @@ def test_webbase_lookup(mock_smtp):
     assert obj.secure is True
     assert obj.port == 123
     assert obj.smtp_host == 'smtp.l2g.com'
+
+@mock.patch('smtplib.SMTP')
+def test_smtplib_init_fail(mock_smtplib):
+    """
+    API: Test exception handling when calling smtplib.SMTP()
+
+    """
+
+    from apprise.plugins import NotifyEmailBase
+
+    obj = Apprise.instantiate(
+        'mailto://user:pass@gmail.com', suppress_exceptions=False)
+    assert(isinstance(obj, plugins.NotifyEmail))
+
+    # Support Exception handling of smtplib.SMTP
+    mock_smtplib.side_effect = TypeError('Test')
+
+    try:
+        obj.notify(
+            title='test', body='body',
+            notify_type=NotifyType.INFO)
+
+        # We should have thrown an exception
+        assert False
+
+    except TypeError:
+        # Exception thrown as expected
+        assert True
+
+    except Exception:
+        # Un-Expected
+        assert False
+
+
+@mock.patch('smtplib.SMTP')
+def test_smtplib_send_okay(mock_smtplib):
+    """
+    API: Test a successfully sent email
+
+    """
+
+    from apprise.plugins import NotifyEmailBase
+
+    obj = Apprise.instantiate(
+        'mailto://user:pass@gmail.com', suppress_exceptions=False)
+    assert(isinstance(obj, plugins.NotifyEmail))
+
+    # Support an email simulation where we can correctly quit
+    mock_smtplib.starttls.return_value = True
+    mock_smtplib.login.return_value = True
+    mock_smtplib.sendmail.return_value = True
+    mock_smtplib.quit.return_value = True
+
+    obj.notify(title='test', body='body', notify_type=NotifyType.INFO)