diff --git a/core/server/data/schema/default-settings.json b/core/server/data/schema/default-settings.json
index 88b3c8c966..12c79739bb 100644
--- a/core/server/data/schema/default-settings.json
+++ b/core/server/data/schema/default-settings.json
@@ -194,6 +194,9 @@
         "members_session_secret": {
             "defaultValue": null
         },
+        "members_email_auth_secret": {
+            "defaultValue": null
+        },
         "default_content_visibility": {
             "defaultValue": "public"
         },
diff --git a/core/server/models/settings.js b/core/server/models/settings.js
index 5de36857b5..ef8fae67ed 100644
--- a/core/server/models/settings.js
+++ b/core/server/models/settings.js
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ function parseDefaultSettings() {
             members_session_secret: () => crypto.randomBytes(32).toString('hex'),
             theme_session_secret: () => crypto.randomBytes(32).toString('hex'),
             members_public_key: () => getMembersKey('public'),
-            members_private_key: () => getMembersKey('private')
+            members_private_key: () => getMembersKey('private'),
+            members_email_auth_secret: () => crypto.randomBytes(64).toString('hex')
         };
 
     _.each(defaultSettingsInCategories, function each(settings, categoryName) {
diff --git a/core/test/unit/models/settings_spec.js b/core/test/unit/models/settings_spec.js
index ced845cb2d..d1f751027b 100644
--- a/core/test/unit/models/settings_spec.js
+++ b/core/test/unit/models/settings_spec.js
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ describe('Unit: models/settings', function () {
 
             return models.Settings.populateDefaults()
                 .then(() => {
-                    eventSpy.callCount.should.equal(80);
+                    eventSpy.callCount.should.equal(82);
 
                     eventSpy.args[1][0].should.equal('settings.db_hash.added');
                     eventSpy.args[1][1].attributes.type.should.equal('core');
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ describe('Unit: models/settings', function () {
 
             return models.Settings.populateDefaults()
                 .then(() => {
-                    eventSpy.callCount.should.equal(78);
+                    eventSpy.callCount.should.equal(80);
 
                     eventSpy.args[13][0].should.equal('settings.logo.added');
                 });