SSL => 1);
                        }
                }
-               else {
+               elsif (!$smtp) {
                        $smtp_server_port ||= 25;
                        $smtp ||= Net::SMTP->new($smtp_server,
                                                 Hello => $smtp_domain,
                                        $smtp->starttls(ssl_verify_params())
                                                or die sprintf(__("STARTTLS failed! %s"), IO::Socket::SSL::errstr());
                                }
-                               $smtp_encryption = '';
                                # Send EHLO again to receive fresh
                                # supported commands
                                $smtp->hello($smtp_domain);