diff --git a/server/portal/apps/projects/workspace_operations/project_publish_operations.py b/server/portal/apps/projects/workspace_operations/project_publish_operations.py
index bbcc86031..1d8a83fff 100644
--- a/server/portal/apps/projects/workspace_operations/project_publish_operations.py
+++ b/server/portal/apps/projects/workspace_operations/project_publish_operations.py
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ def get_project_user_emails(project_id):
 
 
 @shared_task(bind=True, queue='default')
-def send_publication_accept_email(project_id):
+def send_publication_accept_email(self, project_id):
     """
     Alert project authors that their request has been accepted.
     """
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ def send_publication_accept_email(project_id):
 
 
 @shared_task(bind=True, queue='default')
-def send_publication_reject_email(project_id: str, version: Optional[int], error: str):
+def send_publication_reject_email(self, project_id: str, version: Optional[int], error: str):
     """
     Alert project authors that their request has been rejected.
     """
diff --git a/server/portal/apps/publications/views.py b/server/portal/apps/publications/views.py
index 2eab42e1f..f4f17397c 100644
--- a/server/portal/apps/publications/views.py
+++ b/server/portal/apps/publications/views.py
@@ -220,7 +220,8 @@ def post(self, request):
         if not full_project_id:
             raise ApiException("Missing project ID", status=400)
         
-        send_publication_accept_email.apply_async(args=[full_project_id])
+        if not settings.DEBUG:
+            send_publication_accept_email.apply_async(args=[full_project_id])
         
         if is_review:
             project_id = full_project_id.split(f"{settings.PORTAL_PROJECTS_REVIEW_SYSTEM_PREFIX}.")[1]
@@ -316,7 +317,8 @@ def post(self, request):
         if not full_project_id:
             raise ApiException("Missing project ID", status=400)
         
-        send_publication_reject_email.apply_async(args=[full_project_id])
+        if not settings.DEBUG:
+            send_publication_reject_email.apply_async(args=[full_project_id])
         
         update_and_cleanup_review_project(full_project_id, PublicationRequest.Status.REJECTED)