diff --git a/app/mailers/concerns/mailer_error_concern.rb b/app/mailers/concerns/mailer_error_concern.rb
index aab0e6f7b..99258b3d4 100644
--- a/app/mailers/concerns/mailer_error_concern.rb
+++ b/app/mailers/concerns/mailer_error_concern.rb
@@ -20,12 +20,8 @@ module MailerErrorConcern
     protected
 
     def log_delivery_error(exception)
-      if defined?(message) && message.to.present?
-        EmailEvent.create_from_message!(message, status: "dispatch_error")
-        Sentry.capture_exception(exception, extra: { to: message&.to, subject: message&.subject })
-      else
-        Sentry.capture_exception(exception)
-      end
+      EmailEvent.create_from_message!(message, status: "dispatch_error")
+      Sentry.capture_exception(exception, extra: { to: message.to, subject: message.subject })
 
       # TODO find a way to re attempt the job
     end
diff --git a/app/models/email_event.rb b/app/models/email_event.rb
index 2a2630808..53cca951d 100644
--- a/app/models/email_event.rb
+++ b/app/models/email_event.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ class EmailEvent < ApplicationRecord
 
   class << self
     def create_from_message!(message, status:)
-      message.to.each do |recipient|
+      to = message.to || ["unset"] # no recipients when error occurs *before* setting to: in the mailer
+
+      to.each do |recipient|
         EmailEvent.create!(
           to: pseudonymize_email(recipient),
           subject: message.subject,
diff --git a/app/services/email_delivery_observer.rb b/app/services/email_delivery_observer.rb
index a61b2e56e..c297dcf85 100644
--- a/app/services/email_delivery_observer.rb
+++ b/app/services/email_delivery_observer.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 class EmailDeliveryObserver
   def self.delivered_email(message)
-    return if message.to.nil?
-
     EmailEvent.create_from_message!(message, status: "dispatched")
   end
 end