diff --git a/ops/chart/crds/zitadelcluster-crd.yaml b/ops/chart/crds/zitadelcluster-crd.yaml
index 6ab104b..fc7a395 100644
--- a/ops/chart/crds/zitadelcluster-crd.yaml
+++ b/ops/chart/crds/zitadelcluster-crd.yaml
@@ -221,7 +221,6 @@ spec:
                     type: string
                 required:
                 - host
-                - replyToAddress
                 - senderAddress
                 - senderName
                 - tls
diff --git a/src/api/v1alpha1/zitadelcluster_types.go b/src/api/v1alpha1/zitadelcluster_types.go
index 133452c..f977ecc 100644
--- a/src/api/v1alpha1/zitadelcluster_types.go
+++ b/src/api/v1alpha1/zitadelcluster_types.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ type SMTPConfig struct {
 	Host           string    `json:"host"`
 	User           *string   `json:"user,omitempty"`
 	Password       *Password `json:"password,omitempty"`
-	ReplyToAddress string    `json:"replyToAddress"`
+	ReplyToAddress *string   `json:"replyToAddress,omitempty"`
 }
 
 type DomainSettings struct {
diff --git a/src/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go b/src/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
index 0a21d5d..2e1b39a 100644
--- a/src/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
+++ b/src/api/v1alpha1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
@@ -668,6 +668,11 @@ func (in *SMTPConfig) DeepCopyInto(out *SMTPConfig) {
 		*out = new(Password)
 		(*in).DeepCopyInto(*out)
 	}
+	if in.ReplyToAddress != nil {
+		in, out := &in.ReplyToAddress, &out.ReplyToAddress
+		*out = new(string)
+		**out = **in
+	}
 }
 
 // DeepCopy is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, creating a new SMTPConfig.
diff --git a/src/config/crd/bases/zitadel.topmanage.com_zitadelclusters.yaml b/src/config/crd/bases/zitadel.topmanage.com_zitadelclusters.yaml
index 01541e4..286579c 100644
--- a/src/config/crd/bases/zitadel.topmanage.com_zitadelclusters.yaml
+++ b/src/config/crd/bases/zitadel.topmanage.com_zitadelclusters.yaml
@@ -222,7 +222,6 @@ spec:
                     type: string
                 required:
                 - host
-                - replyToAddress
                 - senderAddress
                 - senderName
                 - tls
diff --git a/src/internal/controller/zitadelcluster_controller.go b/src/internal/controller/zitadelcluster_controller.go
index 006ff2c..2cbfaf9 100644
--- a/src/internal/controller/zitadelcluster_controller.go
+++ b/src/internal/controller/zitadelcluster_controller.go
@@ -463,11 +463,10 @@ func (r *ZitadelClusterReconciler) reconcileSMTPConfig(ctx context.Context, zita
 		return ctrl.Result{}, err
 	}
 	adminRequest := &adm.AddSMTPConfigRequest{
-		SenderAddress:  zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.SenderAddress,
-		SenderName:     zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.SenderName,
-		Tls:            zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.TLS,
-		Host:           zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.Host,
-		ReplyToAddress: zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.ReplyToAddress,
+		SenderAddress: zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.SenderAddress,
+		SenderName:    zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.SenderName,
+		Tls:           zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.TLS,
+		Host:          zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.Host,
 	}
 	if zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.User != nil && zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.Password != nil {
 		passwordSecret, err := r.RefResolver.SecretKeyRef(ctx, zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.Password.SecretKeyRef, zitadel.Namespace)
@@ -477,6 +476,9 @@ func (r *ZitadelClusterReconciler) reconcileSMTPConfig(ctx context.Context, zita
 		adminRequest.Password = passwordSecret
 		adminRequest.User = *zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.User
 	}
+	if zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.ReplyToAddress != nil {
+		adminRequest.ReplyToAddress = *zitadel.Spec.SMTPConfig.ReplyToAddress
+	}
 
 	if _, err = adminClient.AddSMTPConfig(ctx, adminRequest); err != nil {
 		return ctrl.Result{}, fmt.Errorf("Could not add SMTP config: %v", err)