diff --git a/poverty-mapping/src/api/auth/mail_helper.php b/poverty-mapping/src/api/auth/mail_helper.php
index 3e9372f..57c5beb 100644
--- a/poverty-mapping/src/api/auth/mail_helper.php
+++ b/poverty-mapping/src/api/auth/mail_helper.php
@@ -34,12 +34,21 @@ function send_mail_phpmailer($to, $subject, $body, $isHtml = false){
         
         if($smtpHost){
             $mail->isSMTP();
-            $mail->Host       = $smtpHost;
+            $mail->Host       = gethostbyname($smtpHost); // Force IPv4
             $mail->SMTPAuth   = true;
             $mail->Username   = $smtpUser;
             $mail->Password   = $smtpPass;
             $mail->Port       = intval($smtpPort);
             
+            // Bypass SSL verification issues with IP hostname in Docker
+            $mail->SMTPOptions = array(
+                'ssl' => array(
+                    'verify_peer' => false,
+                    'verify_peer_name' => false,
+                    'allow_self_signed' => true
+                )
+            );
+            
             if(strtolower($smtpEnc) === 'ssl'){
                 $mail->SMTPSecure = PHPMailer::ENCRYPTION_SMTPS;
             } elseif(strtolower($smtpEnc) === 'tls'){
diff --git a/poverty-mapping/src/api/auth/send_verification_code.php b/poverty-mapping/src/api/auth/send_verification_code.php
index 3f9780d..f58b404 100644
--- a/poverty-mapping/src/api/auth/send_verification_code.php
+++ b/poverty-mapping/src/api/auth/send_verification_code.php
@@ -92,18 +92,21 @@ try{
 
 // Update/Insert attempts on database
 if($row){
-	$newAttempts = ($row['locked_until'] && $nowTime >= strtotime($row['locked_until'])) ? 1 : ($row['attempts'] + 1);
-	$newLockedUntil = ($newAttempts >= 3) ? date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $nowTime + 24 * 3600) : null;
+	$newAttempts = $row['attempts'];
+	if($mailSuccess){
+		$newAttempts = ($row['locked_until'] && $nowTime >= strtotime($row['locked_until'])) ? 1 : ($row['attempts'] + 1);
+	}
+	$newLockedUntil = ($newAttempts >= 3) ? date('Y-m-d H:i:s', $nowTime + 24 * 3600) : $row['locked_until'];
 	
 	$up = $conn->prepare("UPDATE verification_attempts SET attempts = ?, last_attempt_at = ?, locked_until = ?, code_hash = ?, expires_at = ? WHERE email = ?");
 	$up->bind_param('isssss', $newAttempts, $nowStr, $newLockedUntil, $codeHash, $expiresAt, $email);
 	$up->execute();
 	$up->close();
 } else {
-	$one = 1;
+	$attemptsVal = $mailSuccess ? 1 : 0;
 	$nullVal = null;
 	$ins = $conn->prepare("INSERT INTO verification_attempts (email, attempts, last_attempt_at, locked_until, code_hash, expires_at) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)");
-	$ins->bind_param('sissss', $email, $one, $nowStr, $nullVal, $codeHash, $expiresAt);
+	$ins->bind_param('sissss', $email, $attemptsVal, $nowStr, $nullVal, $codeHash, $expiresAt);
 	$ins->execute();
 	$ins->close();
 }