[Bug]: Admin email settings: "Send test email" tests unsaved values and fails until settings are saved first

⚠️ This issue respects the following points: ⚠️

• This is a bug, not a question or a configuration/webserver/proxy issue.
• This issue is not already reported on Github OR Nextcloud Community Forum (I've searched it).
• Nextcloud Server is up to date. See Maintenance and Release Schedule for supported versions.
• I agree to follow Nextcloud's Code of Conduct.

Bug description

On the admin Basic settings page (Administration settings → Basic settings → Email server),
the email/SMTP section has a "Send test e-mail" test button. When configuring SMTP for the first
time, clicking the test button before the settings are persisted makes the test run against the
old/empty configuration, so it fails — even though the entered values are correct. There is no hint
that the test uses saved values rather than the current form input. After the settings are saved, the same test succeeds.

This is confusing: it looks like the SMTP credentials are wrong when in fact only the
"save before test" ordering is the problem.

Steps to reproduce

1. Go to Administration settings → Basic settings → Email server.
2. Enter a fresh SMTP configuration (send mode, host, port, encryption, auth, username, app password).
3. Immediately click Send test e-mail.
4. The test fails / shows an error, despite correct values.
5. Trigger a save, click Send test e-mail again → it now works.

Expected behavior

Either the test should be performed against the current form values, or the test button should be
disabled with a clear "save settings first" hint until the configuration has been persisted. At least the test button should be placed right of the save button.

Nextcloud Server version

33

Operating system

Debian/Ubuntu

PHP engine version

None

Web server

Apache (supported)

Database engine version

None

Is this bug present after an update or on a fresh install?

Fresh Nextcloud Server install

Are you using the Nextcloud Server Encryption module?

Encryption is Disabled

What user-backends are you using?

• Default user-backend (database)
• LDAP/ Active Directory
• SSO - SAML
• Other

Configuration report

List of activated Apps

Nextcloud Signing status

Nextcloud Logs

Additional info

No response

Start at Administration settings → Basic settings → Email server and trace the Send test e-mail action from the settings page. Reproduce the failure with unsaved SMTP values, then verify the chosen behavior: the test uses current form values or the button clearly requires saved settings. Confirm the test succeeds or the save requirement is unambiguous before marking it done.