diff --git a/mpcontribs-api/mpcontribs/api/__init__.py b/mpcontribs-api/mpcontribs/api/__init__.py
index 516e27dc6..6e76e50a8 100644
--- a/mpcontribs-api/mpcontribs/api/__init__.py
+++ b/mpcontribs-api/mpcontribs/api/__init__.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 invalidChars = set(punctuation.replace("*", ""))
 invalidChars.add(" ")
 is_gunicorn = "gunicorn" in os.environ.get("SERVER_SOFTWARE", "")
-sns_client = boto3.client("sns")
+ses_client = boto3.client("ses")
 
 # NOTE not including Size below (special for arrays)
 FILTERS = {
@@ -99,8 +99,15 @@ def valid_dict(dct):
     remap(dct, visit=visit, enter=enter)
 
 
-def send_email(to, subject, template):
-    sns_client.publish(TopicArn=to, Message=template, Subject=subject)
+def send_email(to, subject, html):
+    ses_client.send_email(
+        Source=current_app.config["MAIL_DEFAULT_SENDER"],
+        Destination={"ToAddresses": [to]},
+        Message={
+            "Subject": {"Data": subject},
+            "Body": {"Html": {"Data": html}}
+        }
+    )
 
 
 def get_collections(db):
diff --git a/mpcontribs-api/mpcontribs/api/projects/document.py b/mpcontribs-api/mpcontribs/api/projects/document.py
index 4ae73e721..19d739bf3 100644
--- a/mpcontribs-api/mpcontribs/api/projects/document.py
+++ b/mpcontribs-api/mpcontribs/api/projects/document.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
     StringField, BooleanField, DictField, URLField, EmailField,
     FloatField, IntField, EmbeddedDocumentListField, EmbeddedDocumentField
 )
-from mpcontribs.api import send_email, sns_client, valid_key, valid_dict, delimiter, enter
+from mpcontribs.api import send_email, valid_key, valid_dict, delimiter, enter
 
 PROVIDERS = {"github", "google", "facebook", "microsoft", "amazon"}
 MAX_COLUMNS = 50
@@ -196,15 +196,7 @@ def post_save(cls, sender, document, **kwargs):
             html = render_template(
                 "admin_email.html", doc=doc_yaml, link=link, hours=hours
             )
-            send_email(admin_topic, subject, html)
-            resp = sns_client.create_topic(
-                Name=f"mpcontribs_{document.name}",
-                Attributes={"DisplayName": f"MPContribs {document.title}"},
-            )
-            endpoint = document.owner.split(":", 1)[1]
-            sns_client.subscribe(
-                TopicArn=resp["TopicArn"], Protocol="email", Endpoint=endpoint
-            )
+            send_email(admin_email, subject, html)
         else:
             delta_set, delta_unset = document._delta()
 
@@ -219,10 +211,8 @@ def post_save(cls, sender, document, **kwargs):
                     host=portal,
                     project=document.name
                 )
-                topic_arn = ":".join(
-                    admin_topic.split(":")[:-1] + ["mpcontribs_" + document.name]
-                )
-                send_email(topic_arn, subject, html)
+                owner_email = document.owner.split(":", 1)[1]
+                send_email(owner_email, subject, html)
 
             if "columns" in delta_set or "columns" in delta_unset or (
                 not delta_set and not delta_unset
@@ -307,11 +297,8 @@ def post_delete(cls, sender, document, **kwargs):
             "owner_email.html", approved=False,
             admin_email=admin_email, project=document.name
         )
-        topic_arn = ":".join(
-            admin_topic.split(":")[:-1] + ["mpcontribs_" + document.name]
-        )
-        send_email(topic_arn, subject, html)
-        sns_client.delete_topic(TopicArn=topic_arn)
+        owner_email = document.owner.split(":", 1)[1]
+        send_email(owner_email, subject, html)
 
 
 register_field(ProviderEmailField, ProviderEmail, available_params=(params.LengthParam,))