diff --git a/configuration/rescue-cd.nix b/configuration/rescue-cd.nix
index b576caede2fe..6f1a8a739248 100644
--- a/configuration/rescue-cd.nix
+++ b/configuration/rescue-cd.nix
@@ -81,6 +81,13 @@ rec {
         enable = false;
       };
     };
+ 
+    environment = {
+      extraPackages = pkgs: [
+        pkgs.vimDiet
+      ];
+    };
+   
   };
 
 
diff --git a/etc/default.nix b/etc/default.nix
index 414b4ccde722..d1946df6d91c 100644
--- a/etc/default.nix
+++ b/etc/default.nix
@@ -127,8 +127,20 @@ import ../helpers/make-etc.nix {
       ";
       target = "nix.conf"; # will be symlinked from /nix/etc/nix/nix.conf in activate-configuration.sh.
     }
+
   ]
 
+  # Configuration for ssmtp.
+  ++ (optional ["networking" "defaultMailServer" "directDelivery"] { 
+    source = pkgs.writeText "ssmtp.conf" "
+mailhub=${config.get ["networking" "defaultMailServer" "hostName"]}
+UseTLS=${if config.get ["networking" "defaultMailServer" "useTLS"] then "YES" else "NO"}
+UseSTARTTLS=${if config.get ["networking" "defaultMailServer" "useSTARTTLS"] then "YES" else "NO"}
+#Debug=YES
+      ";
+    target = "ssmtp/ssmtp.conf";
+  })
+    
   # Configuration file for fontconfig used to locate
   # (X11) client-rendered fonts.
   ++ (optional ["fonts" "enableFontConfig"] { 
diff --git a/system/options.nix b/system/options.nix
index 7c5744e10933..432582d5bd97 100644
--- a/system/options.nix
+++ b/system/options.nix
@@ -236,10 +236,10 @@
   }
 
   {
-	name = ["networking" "extraHosts"];
-	default = "";
-	example = "192.168.0.1 lanlocalhost";
-	description = "Pasted verbatim into /etc/hosts.";
+    name = ["networking" "extraHosts"];
+    default = "";
+    example = "192.168.0.1 lanlocalhost";
+    description = "Pasted verbatim into /etc/hosts.";
   }
 
   {
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@
     description = "
       If <literal>true</literal>, monitor Ethernet interfaces for
       cables being plugged in or unplugged.  When this occurs, the
-      <optional>dhclient</optional> service is restarted to
+      <command>dhclient</command> service is restarted to
       automatically obtain a new IP address.  This is useful for
       roaming users (laptops).
     ";
@@ -339,6 +339,56 @@
   }
 
 
+  {
+    name = ["networking" "defaultMailServer" "directDelivery"];
+    default = false;
+    example = true;
+    description = "
+      Use the trivial Mail Transfer Agent (MTA)
+      <command>ssmtp</command> package to allow programs to send
+      e-mail.  If you don't want to run a “real” MTA like
+      <command>sendmail</command> or <command>postfix</command> on
+      your machine, set this option to <literal>true</literal>, and
+      set the option
+      <option>networking.defaultMailServer.hostName</option> to the
+      host name of your preferred mail server.
+    ";
+  }
+
+
+  {
+    name = ["networking" "defaultMailServer" "hostName"];
+    example = "mail.example.org";
+    description = "
+      The host name of the default mail server to use to deliver
+      e-mail.
+    ";
+  }
+
+
+  {
+    name = ["networking" "defaultMailServer" "useTLS"];
+    default = false;
+    example = true;
+    description = "
+      Whether TLS should be used to connect to the default mail
+      server.
+    ";
+  }
+
+
+  {
+    name = ["networking" "defaultMailServer" "useSTARTTLS"];
+    default = false;
+    example = true;
+    description = "
+      Whether the STARTTLS should be used to connect to the default
+      mail server.  (This is needed for TLS-capable mail servers
+      running on the default SMTP port 25.)
+    ";
+  }
+
+
   {
     name = ["fileSystems"];
     default = [];
diff --git a/system/system.nix b/system/system.nix
index ab9527015e51..9a7399699d4c 100644
--- a/system/system.nix
+++ b/system/system.nix
@@ -221,7 +221,6 @@ rec {
     pkgs.udev
     pkgs.upstart
     pkgs.utillinux
-    pkgs.vimDiet
     pkgs.wirelesstools
     nix
     nixosInstall
@@ -230,6 +229,7 @@ rec {
     setuidWrapper
   ]
   ++ pkgs.lib.optional (config.get ["security" "sudo" "enable"]) pkgs.sudo
+  ++ pkgs.lib.optional (config.get ["networking" "defaultMailServer" "directDelivery"]) pkgs.ssmtp
   ++ pkgs.lib.concatLists (map (job: job.extraPath) upstartJobs.jobs)
   ++ (config.get ["environment" "extraPackages"]) pkgs
   ++ pkgs.lib.optional (config.get ["fonts" "enableFontDir"]) fontDir;