diff --git a/app/DataMapper/Tax/BaseRule.php b/app/DataMapper/Tax/BaseRule.php
index ccc0d46a4449..d921f2006887 100644
--- a/app/DataMapper/Tax/BaseRule.php
+++ b/app/DataMapper/Tax/BaseRule.php
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ class BaseRule implements RuleInterface
     public function isTaxableRegion(): bool
     {
         return $this->client->company->tax_data->regions->{$this->client_region}->tax_all_subregions ||
-        (property_exists($this->client->company->tax_data->regions->{$this->client_region}->subregions, $this->client_subregion) && $this->client->company->tax_data->regions->{$this->client_region}->subregions->{$this->client_subregion}->apply_tax);
+        (property_exists($this->client->company->tax_data->regions->{$this->client_region}->subregions, $this->client_subregion) && ($this->client->company->tax_data->regions->{$this->client_region}->subregions->{$this->client_subregion}->apply_tax ?? false));
     }
 
     public function defaultForeign(): self
diff --git a/database/migrations/2024_02_16_011055_smtp_configuration.php b/database/migrations/2024_02_16_011055_smtp_configuration.php
index 38e7ea54e53b..df54821c1b6e 100644
--- a/database/migrations/2024_02_16_011055_smtp_configuration.php
+++ b/database/migrations/2024_02_16_011055_smtp_configuration.php
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ return new class extends Migration
             $table->text('smtp_username')->nullable();
             $table->text('smtp_password')->nullable();
             $table->string('smtp_local_domain')->nullable();
-            $table->boolean('smtp_verify_peer')->default(0);
+            $table->boolean('smtp_verify_peer')->default(true);
         });
 
     }