diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.dev.yml b/docker/docker-compose.dev.yml
index 83d9c95..bd32c9e 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose.dev.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.dev.yml
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ services:
     env_file:
       - ../.env
     environment:
-      - DATABASE_URL=postgresql://${POSTGRES_USER:-mopc}:${POSTGRES_PASSWORD:-devpassword}@postgres:5432/${POSTGRES_DB:-mopc}
+      - DATABASE_URL=postgresql://${POSTGRES_USER:-mopc}:${POSTGRES_PASSWORD:-devpassword}@postgres:5432/${POSTGRES_DB:-mopc}?connection_limit=10&pool_timeout=30
       - NEXTAUTH_URL=${NEXTAUTH_URL:-http://localhost:3000}
       - NEXTAUTH_SECRET=${NEXTAUTH_SECRET:-dev-secret-key-for-local-development-only}
       - AUTH_SECRET=${AUTH_SECRET:-dev-secret-key-for-local-development-only}
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.yml b/docker/docker-compose.yml
index e584d1e..81bba41 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.yml
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ services:
       - .env
     environment:
       - NODE_ENV=production
-      - DATABASE_URL=postgresql://mopc:${DB_PASSWORD}@postgres:5432/mopc
+      - DATABASE_URL=postgresql://mopc:${DB_PASSWORD}@postgres:5432/mopc?connection_limit=10&pool_timeout=30
       - NEXTAUTH_URL=${NEXTAUTH_URL}
       - NEXTAUTH_SECRET=${NEXTAUTH_SECRET}
       - AUTH_SECRET=${NEXTAUTH_SECRET}
diff --git a/docker/docker-entrypoint.sh b/docker/docker-entrypoint.sh
index f01577b..47f4d5b 100644
--- a/docker/docker-entrypoint.sh
+++ b/docker/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -59,4 +59,18 @@ else
 fi
 
 echo "==> Starting application..."
-exec node server.js
+
+# Graceful shutdown: forward SIGTERM/SIGINT to the Node process
+# so in-flight requests can complete before the container exits.
+shutdown() {
+  echo "==> Received shutdown signal, stopping gracefully..."
+  kill -TERM "$NODE_PID" 2>/dev/null
+  wait "$NODE_PID"
+  exit $?
+}
+
+trap shutdown TERM INT
+
+node server.js &
+NODE_PID=$!
+wait "$NODE_PID"
diff --git a/prisma/schema.prisma b/prisma/schema.prisma
index db82af3..a4f36a3 100644
--- a/prisma/schema.prisma
+++ b/prisma/schema.prisma
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ generator client {
 
 datasource db {
   provider = "postgresql"
+  // connection_limit and pool_timeout are set via query params in DATABASE_URL:
+  //   ?connection_limit=10&pool_timeout=30
+  // Defaults: connection_limit = num_cpus * 2 + 1, pool_timeout = 10s.
+  // Override in .env for production to prevent connection exhaustion.
   url      = env("DATABASE_URL")
 }
 
diff --git a/src/components/settings/email-settings-form.tsx b/src/components/settings/email-settings-form.tsx
index ae5aec7..7e5dbed 100644
--- a/src/components/settings/email-settings-form.tsx
+++ b/src/components/settings/email-settings-form.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 'use client'
 
-import { useState } from 'react'
 import { useForm } from 'react-hook-form'
 import { zodResolver } from '@hookform/resolvers/zod'
 import { z } from 'zod'
@@ -18,15 +17,6 @@ import {
   FormLabel,
   FormMessage,
 } from '@/components/ui/form'
-import {
-  Dialog,
-  DialogContent,
-  DialogDescription,
-  DialogFooter,
-  DialogHeader,
-  DialogTitle,
-  DialogTrigger,
-} from '@/components/ui/dialog'
 
 const formSchema = z.object({
   smtp_host: z.string().min(1, 'SMTP host is required'),
@@ -51,8 +41,6 @@ interface EmailSettingsFormProps {
 }
 
 export function EmailSettingsForm({ settings }: EmailSettingsFormProps) {
-  const [testDialogOpen, setTestDialogOpen] = useState(false)
-  const [testEmail, setTestEmail] = useState('')
   const utils = trpc.useUtils()
 
   const form = useForm<FormValues>({
@@ -77,17 +65,16 @@ export function EmailSettingsForm({ settings }: EmailSettingsFormProps) {
     },
   })
 
-  const sendTestEmail = trpc.settings.testEmailConnection.useMutation({
+  const verifyConnection = trpc.settings.testEmailConnection.useMutation({
     onSuccess: (result) => {
-      setTestDialogOpen(false)
       if (result.success) {
-        toast.success('Test email sent successfully')
+        toast.success('SMTP connection verified successfully')
       } else {
-        toast.error(`Failed to send test email: ${result.error}`)
+        toast.error(`SMTP verification failed: ${result.error}`)
       }
     },
     onError: (error) => {
-      toast.error(`Test failed: ${error.message}`)
+      toast.error(`Verification failed: ${error.message}`)
     },
   })
 
@@ -107,12 +94,8 @@ export function EmailSettingsForm({ settings }: EmailSettingsFormProps) {
     updateSettings.mutate({ settings: settingsToUpdate })
   }
 
-  const handleSendTest = () => {
-    if (!testEmail) {
-      toast.error('Please enter an email address')
-      return
-    }
-    sendTestEmail.mutate({ testEmail })
+  const handleVerifyConnection = () => {
+    verifyConnection.mutate()
   }
 
   return (
@@ -243,49 +226,24 @@ export function EmailSettingsForm({ settings }: EmailSettingsFormProps) {
             )}
           </Button>
 
-          <Dialog open={testDialogOpen} onOpenChange={setTestDialogOpen}>
-            <DialogTrigger asChild>
-              <Button type="button" variant="outline">
+          <Button
+            type="button"
+            variant="outline"
+            onClick={handleVerifyConnection}
+            disabled={verifyConnection.isPending}
+          >
+            {verifyConnection.isPending ? (
+              <>
+                <Loader2 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
+                Verifying...
+              </>
+            ) : (
+              <>
                 <Send className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-                Send Test Email
-              </Button>
-            </DialogTrigger>
-            <DialogContent>
-              <DialogHeader>
-                <DialogTitle>Send Test Email</DialogTitle>
-                <DialogDescription>
-                  Enter an email address to receive a test email
-                </DialogDescription>
-              </DialogHeader>
-              <Input
-                type="email"
-                placeholder="test@example.com"
-                value={testEmail}
-                onChange={(e) => setTestEmail(e.target.value)}
-              />
-              <DialogFooter>
-                <Button
-                  variant="outline"
-                  onClick={() => setTestDialogOpen(false)}
-                >
-                  Cancel
-                </Button>
-                <Button
-                  onClick={handleSendTest}
-                  disabled={sendTestEmail.isPending}
-                >
-                  {sendTestEmail.isPending ? (
-                    <>
-                      <Loader2 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
-                      Sending...
-                    </>
-                  ) : (
-                    'Send Test'
-                  )}
-                </Button>
-              </DialogFooter>
-            </DialogContent>
-          </Dialog>
+                Verify Connection
+              </>
+            )}
+          </Button>
         </div>
       </form>
     </Form>
diff --git a/src/server/routers/settings.ts b/src/server/routers/settings.ts
index 5c6e80b..10ab201 100644
--- a/src/server/routers/settings.ts
+++ b/src/server/routers/settings.ts
@@ -322,12 +322,11 @@ export const settingsRouter = router({
    * Test email connection
    */
   testEmailConnection: superAdminProcedure
-    .input(z.object({ testEmail: z.string().email() }))
-    .mutation(async ({ ctx, input }) => {
+    .mutation(async () => {
       try {
-        const { sendTestEmail } = await import('@/lib/email')
-        const success = await sendTestEmail(input.testEmail)
-        return { success, error: success ? null : 'Failed to send test email' }
+        const { verifyEmailConnection } = await import('@/lib/email')
+        const success = await verifyEmailConnection()
+        return { success, error: success ? null : 'SMTP connection verification failed' }
       } catch (error) {
         const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error'
         return { success: false, error: `Email configuration error: ${message}` }