diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 510c4e580..3ed775727 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
     "build:create-payload-app": "turbo build --filter create-payload-app",
     "build:db-mongodb": "turbo build --filter db-mongodb",
     "build:db-postgres": "turbo build --filter db-postgres",
+    "build:email-nodemailer": "turbo build --filter email-nodemailer",
     "build:eslint-config-payload": "turbo build --filter eslint-config-payload",
     "build:graphql": "turbo build --filter graphql",
     "build:live-preview": "turbo build --filter live-preview",
diff --git a/packages/email-nodemailer/.eslintignore b/packages/email-nodemailer/.eslintignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..247f3f12d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/email-nodemailer/.eslintignore
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+.tmp
+**/.git
+**/.hg
+**/.pnp.*
+**/.svn
+**/.yarn/**
+**/build
+**/dist/**
+**/node_modules
+**/temp
diff --git a/packages/email-nodemailer/.eslintrc.cjs b/packages/email-nodemailer/.eslintrc.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d6b3a476b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/email-nodemailer/.eslintrc.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+/** @type {import('eslint').Linter.Config} */
+module.exports = {
+  parserOptions: {
+    project: ['./tsconfig.json'],
+    tsconfigRootDir: __dirname,
+  },
+}
diff --git a/packages/email-nodemailer/.prettierignore b/packages/email-nodemailer/.prettierignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..247f3f12d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/email-nodemailer/.prettierignore
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+.tmp
+**/.git
+**/.hg
+**/.pnp.*
+**/.svn
+**/.yarn/**
+**/build
+**/dist/**
+**/node_modules
+**/temp
diff --git a/packages/email-nodemailer/.swcrc b/packages/email-nodemailer/.swcrc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..14463f4b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/email-nodemailer/.swcrc
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://json.schemastore.org/swcrc",
+  "sourceMaps": true,
+  "jsc": {
+    "target": "esnext",
+    "parser": {
+      "syntax": "typescript",
+      "tsx": true,
+      "dts": true
+    }
+  },
+  "module": {
+    "type": "es6"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/email-nodemailer/LICENSE.md b/packages/email-nodemailer/LICENSE.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..05e80b2b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/email-nodemailer/LICENSE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+MIT License
+
+Copyright (c) 2018-2022 Payload CMS, LLC <info@payloadcms.com>
+Portions Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.
diff --git a/packages/email-nodemailer/README.md b/packages/email-nodemailer/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1740cad35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/email-nodemailer/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# Nodemailer Email Adapter
diff --git a/packages/email-nodemailer/package.json b/packages/email-nodemailer/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f32b39245
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/email-nodemailer/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+{
+  "name": "@payloadcms/email-nodemailer",
+  "version": "0.0.0",
+  "description": "Payload Nodemailer Email Adapter",
+  "repository": {
+    "type": "git",
+    "url": "https://github.com/payloadcms/payload.git",
+    "directory": "packages/email-nodemailer"
+  },
+  "license": "MIT",
+  "homepage": "https://payloadcms.com",
+  "author": "Payload CMS, Inc.",
+  "main": "./src/index.ts",
+  "types": "./src/index.ts",
+  "type": "module",
+  "scripts": {
+    "build": "pnpm build:swc && pnpm build:types",
+    "build:swc": "swc ./src -d ./dist --config-file .swcrc",
+    "build:types": "tsc --emitDeclarationOnly --outDir dist",
+    "build:clean": "find . \\( -type d \\( -name build -o -name dist -o -name .cache \\) -o -type f -name tsconfig.tsbuildinfo \\) -exec rm -rf {} + && pnpm build",
+    "clean": "rimraf {dist,*.tsbuildinfo}",
+    "prepublishOnly": "pnpm clean && pnpm turbo build"
+  },
+  "dependencies": {
+    "nodemailer": "6.9.10"
+  },
+  "peerDependencies": {
+    "payload": "workspace:*"
+  },
+  "exports": {
+    ".": {
+      "import": "./src/index.ts",
+      "require": "./src/index.ts",
+      "types": "./src/index.ts"
+    }
+  },
+  "publishConfig": {
+    "exports": {
+      ".": {
+        "import": "./dist/index.js",
+        "require": "./dist/index.js",
+        "types": "./dist/index.d.ts"
+      }
+    },
+    "main": "./dist/index.js",
+    "registry": "https://registry.npmjs.org/",
+    "types": "./dist/index.d.ts"
+  },
+  "engines": {
+    "node": ">=18.20.2"
+  },
+  "files": [
+    "dist"
+  ],
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "@types/nodemailer": "6.4.14"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/email-nodemailer/src/index.ts b/packages/email-nodemailer/src/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..307eaf5a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/email-nodemailer/src/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+/* eslint-disable no-console */
+import type { SendMailOptions, Transporter } from 'nodemailer'
+import type SMTPConnection from 'nodemailer/lib/smtp-connection'
+import type { EmailAdapter } from 'payload/types'
+
+import nodemailer from 'nodemailer'
+import { InvalidConfiguration } from 'payload/errors'
+
+type Email = {
+  defaultFromAddress: string
+  defaultFromName: string
+  logMockCredentials?: boolean
+}
+
+type EmailTransportOptions = Email & {
+  transport?: Transporter
+  transportOptions: SMTPConnection.Options
+}
+
+export type NodemailerAdapterArgs = Email | EmailTransportOptions
+export type NodemailerAdapter = EmailAdapter<SendMailOptions, unknown>
+
+/**
+ * Creates an email adapter using nodemailer
+ *
+ * If no email configuration is provided, an ethereal email test account is returned
+ */
+export const createNodemailerAdapter = async (
+  args?: NodemailerAdapterArgs,
+): Promise<NodemailerAdapter> => {
+  const { defaultFromAddress, defaultFromName, transport } = await buildEmail(args)
+
+  const adapter: NodemailerAdapter = {
+    defaultFromAddress,
+    defaultFromName,
+    sendEmail: async (message) => {
+      return await transport.sendMail({
+        from: `${defaultFromName} <${defaultFromAddress}>`,
+        ...message,
+      })
+    },
+  }
+
+  return adapter
+}
+
+async function buildEmail(
+  emailConfig?: NodemailerAdapterArgs,
+): Promise<{ defaultFromAddress: string; defaultFromName: string; transport: Transporter }> {
+  if (!emailConfig) {
+    return {
+      defaultFromAddress: 'info@payloadcms.com',
+      defaultFromName: 'Payload',
+      transport: await createMockAccount(emailConfig),
+    }
+  }
+
+  ensureConfigHasFrom(emailConfig)
+
+  // Create or extract transport
+  let transport: Transporter
+  if ('transport' in emailConfig && emailConfig.transport) {
+    ;({ transport } = emailConfig)
+  } else if ('transportOptions' in emailConfig && emailConfig.transportOptions) {
+    transport = nodemailer.createTransport(emailConfig.transportOptions)
+  } else {
+    transport = await createMockAccount(emailConfig)
+  }
+
+  await verifyTransport(transport)
+  return {
+    defaultFromAddress: emailConfig.defaultFromAddress,
+    defaultFromName: emailConfig.defaultFromName,
+    transport,
+  }
+}
+
+async function verifyTransport(transport: Transporter) {
+  try {
+    await transport.verify()
+  } catch (err: unknown) {
+    console.error({ err, msg: 'Error verifying Nodemailer transport.' })
+  }
+}
+
+const ensureConfigHasFrom = (emailConfig: NodemailerAdapterArgs) => {
+  if (!emailConfig?.defaultFromName || !emailConfig?.defaultFromAddress) {
+    throw new InvalidConfiguration(
+      'Email fromName and fromAddress must be configured when transport is configured',
+    )
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Use ethereal.email to create a mock email account
+ */
+async function createMockAccount(emailConfig: NodemailerAdapterArgs) {
+  try {
+    const etherealAccount = await nodemailer.createTestAccount()
+
+    const smtpOptions = {
+      ...emailConfig,
+      auth: {
+        pass: etherealAccount.pass,
+        user: etherealAccount.user,
+      },
+      fromAddress: emailConfig?.defaultFromAddress,
+      fromName: emailConfig?.defaultFromName,
+      host: 'smtp.ethereal.email',
+      port: 587,
+      secure: false,
+    }
+    const transport = nodemailer.createTransport(smtpOptions)
+    const { pass, user, web } = etherealAccount
+
+    if (emailConfig?.logMockCredentials) {
+      console.info('E-mail configured with mock configuration')
+      console.info(`Log into mock email provider at ${web}`)
+      console.info(`Mock email account username: ${user}`)
+      console.info(`Mock email account password: ${pass}`)
+    }
+    return transport
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error({ err, msg: 'There was a problem setting up the mock email handler' })
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/email-nodemailer/tsconfig.json b/packages/email-nodemailer/tsconfig.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f4391b4fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/email-nodemailer/tsconfig.json
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+{
+  "extends": "../../tsconfig.json",
+  "compilerOptions": {
+    "composite": true, // Make sure typescript knows that this module depends on their references
+    "noEmit": false /* Do not emit outputs. */,
+    "emitDeclarationOnly": true,
+    "outDir": "./dist" /* Specify an output folder for all emitted files. */,
+    "rootDir": "./src" /* Specify the root folder within your source files. */,
+  },
+  "exclude": [
+    "dist",
+    "src/**/*.spec.js",
+    "src/**/*.spec.jsx",
+    "src/**/*.spec.ts",
+    "src/**/*.spec.tsx"
+  ],
+  "include": ["src/**/*.ts", "src/**/*.tsx", "src/**/*.d.ts", "src/**/*.json"],
+}
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/config/types.ts b/packages/payload/src/config/types.ts
index 1d521f59c..6ed38693d 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/config/types.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/config/types.ts
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ export type Config = {
    *
    * @see https://payloadcms.com/docs/email/overview
    */
-  email?: EmailAdapter<any, unknown>
+  email?: EmailAdapter<any, unknown> | Promise<EmailAdapter<any, unknown>>
   /** Custom REST endpoints */
   endpoints?: Endpoint[]
   /**
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/exports/types.ts b/packages/payload/src/exports/types.ts
index 7fcdf1b57..126a76166 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/exports/types.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/exports/types.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ export type * from '../admin/types.js'
 export type * from '../uploads/types.js'
 
 export type { DocumentPermissions, FieldPermissions } from '../auth/index.js'
+
 export type { MeOperationResult } from '../auth/operations/me.js'
+export type { EmailAdapter } from '../email/types.js'
 
 export type {
   CollapsedPreferences,
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/index.ts b/packages/payload/src/index.ts
index e89dc5c2e..e77dc65cb 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/index.ts
@@ -49,9 +49,6 @@ import { APIKeyAuthentication } from './auth/strategies/apiKey.js'
 import { JWTAuthentication } from './auth/strategies/jwt.js'
 import localOperations from './collections/operations/local/index.js'
 import { validateSchema } from './config/validate.js'
-import { createNodemailerAdapter } from './email/adapters/nodemailer/index.js'
-import { emailDefaults } from './email/defaults.js'
-import { sendEmail } from './email/sendEmail.js'
 import { fieldAffectsData } from './exports/types.js'
 import localGlobalOperations from './globals/operations/local/index.js'
 import flattenFields from './utilities/flattenTopLevelFields.js'
@@ -366,8 +363,12 @@ export class BasePayload<TGeneratedTypes extends GeneratedTypes> {
       await this.db.connect()
     }
 
-    // TODO: Move nodemailer adapter into separate package after verifying all existing functionality
-    this.email = await createNodemailerAdapter(emailDefaults)
+    // Load email adapter
+    if (this.config.email instanceof Promise) {
+      this.email = await this.config.email
+    } else {
+      this.email = this.config.email
+    }
 
     this.sendEmail = this.email.sendEmail
 
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index b95b955f5..d96b996aa 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -440,6 +440,19 @@ importers:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../payload
 
+  packages/email-nodemailer:
+    dependencies:
+      nodemailer:
+        specifier: 6.9.10
+        version: 6.9.10
+      payload:
+        specifier: workspace:*
+        version: link:../payload
+    devDependencies:
+      '@types/nodemailer':
+        specifier: 6.4.14
+        version: 6.4.14
+
   packages/eslint-config-payload:
     dependencies:
       '@types/eslint':
@@ -1502,6 +1515,9 @@ importers:
       '@payloadcms/db-postgres':
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../packages/db-postgres
+      '@payloadcms/email-nodemailer':
+        specifier: workspace:*
+        version: link:../packages/email-nodemailer
       '@payloadcms/eslint-config':
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../packages/eslint-config-payload
diff --git a/test/email-nodemailer/.eslintrc.cjs b/test/email-nodemailer/.eslintrc.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..39a96642f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/email-nodemailer/.eslintrc.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+/** @type {import('eslint').Linter.Config} */
+module.exports = {
+  ignorePatterns: ['payload-types.ts'],
+  parserOptions: {
+    project: ['./tsconfig.eslint.json'],
+    tsconfigRootDir: __dirname,
+  },
+}
diff --git a/test/email-nodemailer/.gitignore b/test/email-nodemailer/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cce01755f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/email-nodemailer/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+/media
+/media-gif
diff --git a/test/email-nodemailer/config.ts b/test/email-nodemailer/config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1219f0acb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/email-nodemailer/config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { createNodemailerAdapter } from '@payloadcms/email-nodemailer'
+import path from 'path'
+import { getFileByPath } from 'payload/uploads'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'url'
+
+import { buildConfigWithDefaults } from '../buildConfigWithDefaults.js'
+import { devUser } from '../credentials.js'
+
+const filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)
+const dirname = path.dirname(filename)
+
+export default buildConfigWithDefaults({
+  // ...extend config here
+  collections: [],
+  email: createNodemailerAdapter(),
+  onInit: async (payload) => {
+    await payload.create({
+      collection: 'users',
+      data: {
+        email: devUser.email,
+        password: devUser.password,
+      },
+    })
+
+    const email = await payload.sendEmail({
+      to: 'test@example.com',
+      subject: 'This was sent on init',
+    })
+
+    // Create image
+    const imageFilePath = path.resolve(dirname, '../uploads/image.png')
+    const imageFile = await getFileByPath(imageFilePath)
+
+    await payload.create({
+      collection: 'media',
+      data: {},
+      file: imageFile,
+    })
+  },
+})
diff --git a/test/email-nodemailer/payload-types.ts b/test/email-nodemailer/payload-types.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7cf43254e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/email-nodemailer/payload-types.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/* tslint:disable */
+/**
+ * This file was automatically generated by Payload.
+ * DO NOT MODIFY IT BY HAND. Instead, modify your source Payload config,
+ * and re-run `payload generate:types` to regenerate this file.
+ */
+
+export interface Config {
+  collections: {
+    posts: Post
+    media: Media
+    users: User
+  }
+  globals: {
+    menu: Menu
+  }
+}
+export interface Post {
+  id: string
+  text?: string
+  associatedMedia?: string | Media
+  updatedAt: string
+  createdAt: string
+}
+export interface Media {
+  id: string
+  updatedAt: string
+  createdAt: string
+  url?: string
+  filename?: string
+  mimeType?: string
+  filesize?: number
+  width?: number
+  height?: number
+}
+export interface User {
+  id: string
+  updatedAt: string
+  createdAt: string
+  email?: string
+  resetPasswordToken?: string
+  resetPasswordExpiration?: string
+  loginAttempts?: number
+  lockUntil?: string
+  password?: string
+}
+export interface Menu {
+  id: string
+  globalText?: string
+}
diff --git a/test/email-nodemailer/tsconfig.eslint.json b/test/email-nodemailer/tsconfig.eslint.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b34cc7afb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/email-nodemailer/tsconfig.eslint.json
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{
+  // extend your base config to share compilerOptions, etc
+  //"extends": "./tsconfig.json",
+  "compilerOptions": {
+    // ensure that nobody can accidentally use this config for a build
+    "noEmit": true
+  },
+  "include": [
+    // whatever paths you intend to lint
+    "./**/*.ts",
+    "./**/*.tsx"
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/test/email/config.ts b/test/email/config.ts
index 876addd69..e767d737c 100644
--- a/test/email/config.ts
+++ b/test/email/config.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@ export default buildConfigWithDefaults({
       },
     })
 
+    const email = await payload.sendEmail({
+      to: 'test@example.com',
+      subject: 'This was sent on init',
+    })
+
     // Create image
     const imageFilePath = path.resolve(dirname, '../uploads/image.png')
     const imageFile = await getFileByPath(imageFilePath)
diff --git a/test/package.json b/test/package.json
index 3ab9a2db4..4b768f6c9 100644
--- a/test/package.json
+++ b/test/package.json
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
     "@payloadcms/db-mongodb": "workspace:*",
     "@payloadcms/db-postgres": "workspace:*",
     "@payloadcms/eslint-config": "workspace:*",
+    "@payloadcms/email-nodemailer": "workspace:*",
     "@payloadcms/graphql": "workspace:*",
     "@payloadcms/live-preview": "workspace:*",
     "@payloadcms/live-preview-react": "workspace:*",