diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index aea09ea9..5e9e5727 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1061,7 +1061,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "io-email"
 version = "0.0.1"
-source = "git+https://github.com/pimalaya/io-email#8bcdf92f8872f8436d8482814965e5750d87c4cc"
+source = "git+https://github.com/pimalaya/io-email#15aeedd215b5edf463e8b3cae8bbd4ae223e5cff"
 dependencies = [
  "chrono",
  "chumsky",
diff --git a/src/shared/client.rs b/src/shared/client.rs
index 820893b0..ee40939c 100644
--- a/src/shared/client.rs
+++ b/src/shared/client.rs
@@ -24,16 +24,17 @@
 //! [`Deref`]/[`DerefMut`] onto the inner client so callers can call
 //! its methods directly.
 //!
-//! Construction is backend-asymmetric (IMAP needs TLS + SASL, JMAP
-//! needs an HTTP credential, Maildir just needs a root path). The
-//! single [`EmailClient::new`] entry-point loads the configuration,
-//! picks the merged account, then walks the configured backends in
-//! `jmap → imap → maildir` order and opens the first one allowed by
-//! the `BackendFlag`.
+//! Construction picks the first storage backend (`jmap → imap →
+//! maildir`) allowed by the `BackendFlag` that is configured on the
+//! account. When the account also has SMTP configured, an SMTP slot
+//! is registered on the same client so `send_message` works for
+//! IMAP/Maildir accounts; JMAP accounts already send via JMAP
+//! submission. SMTP connection failures are logged and skipped — the
+//! client still opens for reading.
 
 use std::ops::{Deref, DerefMut};
 
-use anyhow::{bail, Result};
+use anyhow::{Result, bail};
 
 use crate::{
     account::context::Account,
@@ -47,25 +48,24 @@ pub struct EmailClient {
 }
 
 impl EmailClient {
-    /// Loads the configuration, picks the active account, builds the
-    /// merged [`Account`], then opens the first backend allowed by
-    /// `backend` that is configured on the account. Selection order
-    /// is `jmap → imap → maildir`. Bails when no backend matches.
     pub fn new(
         config: Config,
         mut account_config: AccountConfig,
         backend: Backend,
     ) -> Result<Self> {
+        use io_email::client::EmailClientStd;
+
+        let mut inner = EmailClientStd::new();
+        let mut configured = false;
+
         #[cfg(feature = "jmap")]
-        if backend.allows_jmap() {
+        if !configured && backend.allows_jmap() {
             if let Some(jmap_config) = account_config.jmap.take() {
-                use io_email::client::EmailClientStd;
                 use io_jmap::client::JmapClientStd;
                 use pimalaya_stream::tls::Tls;
 
                 use crate::jmap::client::{jmap_http_auth, parse_server_url};
 
-                let account = Account::from(config).merge(Account::from(account_config));
                 let mut tls: Tls = jmap_config.tls.clone().into();
                 tls.rustls.alpn = vec!["http/1.1".into()];
                 let http_auth = jmap_http_auth(jmap_config.auth.clone())?;
@@ -73,21 +73,17 @@ impl EmailClient {
                 let mut client = JmapClientStd::connect(&url, &tls, http_auth)?;
                 client.session_get(&url)?;
 
-                return Ok(Self {
-                    inner: EmailClientStd::Jmap(client),
-                    account,
-                });
+                inner = inner.with_jmap(client);
+                configured = true;
             }
         }
 
         #[cfg(feature = "imap")]
-        if backend.allows_imap() {
+        if !configured && backend.allows_imap() {
             if let Some(imap_config) = account_config.imap.take() {
-                use io_email::client::EmailClientStd;
                 use io_imap::client::ImapClientStd;
                 use pimalaya_stream::{sasl::Sasl, std::stream::StreamStd, tls::Tls};
 
-                let account = Account::from(config).merge(Account::from(account_config));
                 let mut tls: Tls = imap_config.tls.into();
                 tls.rustls.alpn = vec!["imap".into()];
                 let sasl: Option<Sasl> = imap_config.sasl.map(Sasl::try_from).transpose()?;
@@ -95,30 +91,64 @@ impl EmailClient {
                 let client =
                     ImapClientStd::<StreamStd>::connect(&server, &tls, imap_config.starttls, sasl)?;
 
-                return Ok(Self {
-                    inner: EmailClientStd::Imap(client),
-                    account,
-                });
+                inner = inner.with_imap(client);
+                configured = true;
             }
         }
 
         #[cfg(feature = "maildir")]
-        if backend.allows_maildir() {
+        if !configured && backend.allows_maildir() {
             if let Some(maildir_config) = account_config.maildir.take() {
-                use io_email::client::EmailClientStd;
                 use io_maildir::client::MaildirClient;
 
-                let account = Account::from(config).merge(Account::from(account_config));
                 let client = MaildirClient::new(maildir_config.root);
 
-                return Ok(Self {
-                    inner: EmailClientStd::Maildir(client),
-                    account,
-                });
+                inner = inner.with_maildir(client);
+                configured = true;
             }
         }
 
-        bail!("no backend matching `{backend}` is configured for this account")
+        if !configured {
+            bail!("no backend matching `{backend}` is configured for this account");
+        }
+
+        // Register SMTP alongside the storage backend so shared
+        // `send_message` works for IMAP/Maildir accounts. JMAP already
+        // sends via submission, but if both are present, SMTP wins
+        // because storage is registered first.
+        #[cfg(feature = "smtp")]
+        if let Some(smtp_config) = account_config.smtp.take() {
+            use std::net::Ipv4Addr;
+
+            use io_smtp::{client::SmtpClientStd, rfc5321::types::ehlo_domain::EhloDomain};
+            use pimalaya_stream::{sasl::Sasl, std::stream::StreamStd, tls::Tls};
+
+            let smtp = (|| -> Result<SmtpClientStd<StreamStd>> {
+                let mut tls: Tls = smtp_config.tls.into();
+                tls.rustls.alpn = vec!["smtp".into()];
+                let sasl: Option<Sasl> = smtp_config.sasl.map(Sasl::try_from).transpose()?;
+                let domain: EhloDomain<'static> = Ipv4Addr::new(127, 0, 0, 1).into();
+                let server = crate::smtp::client::parse_smtp_server(&smtp_config.server)?;
+                Ok(SmtpClientStd::<StreamStd>::connect(
+                    &server,
+                    &tls,
+                    smtp_config.starttls,
+                    domain,
+                    sasl,
+                )?)
+            })();
+
+            match smtp {
+                Ok(client) => inner = inner.with_smtp(client),
+                Err(err) => {
+                    log::warn!("SMTP backend disabled: {err}. Sending will be unavailable.")
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        let account = Account::from(config).merge(Account::from(account_config));
+
+        Ok(Self { inner, account })
     }
 }