diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/SmtpController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/SmtpController.php
index 2b800fb96d4d..5588c668edb0 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/SmtpController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/SmtpController.php
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 namespace App\Http\Controllers;
 
+use App\Http\Requests\Smtp\CheckSmtpRequest;
 use App\Mail\TestMailServer;
 use Illuminate\Http\Request;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Mail;
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ class SmtpController extends BaseController
         parent::__construct();
     }
 
-    public function check(Request $request)
+    public function check(CheckSmtpRequest $request)
     {
         /** @var \App\Models\User $user */
         $user = auth()->user();
diff --git a/app/Http/Requests/Smtp/CheckSmtpRequest.php b/app/Http/Requests/Smtp/CheckSmtpRequest.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d4a4c22914af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Http/Requests/Smtp/CheckSmtpRequest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Invoice Ninja (https://invoiceninja.com).
+ *
+ * @link https://github.com/invoiceninja/invoiceninja source repository
+ *
+ * @copyright Copyright (c) 2023. Invoice Ninja LLC (https://invoiceninja.com)
+ *
+ * @license https://www.elastic.co/licensing/elastic-license
+ */
+
+namespace App\Http\Requests\Smtp;
+
+use App\Http\Requests\Request;
+
+class CheckSmtpRequest extends Request
+{
+    /**
+     * Determine if the user is authorized to make this request.
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function authorize()
+    {
+        /** @var \App\Models\User $user */
+        $user = auth()->user();
+        
+        return $user->isAdmin();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the validation rules that apply to the request.
+     *
+     * @return array
+     */
+    public function rules()
+    {
+        return [
+        ];
+    }
+
+    public function prepareForValidation()
+    {   
+        $input = $this->input();
+
+        if(isset($input['smtp_username']) && $input['smtp_username'] == '********')
+            unset($input['smtp_username']);
+
+        if(isset($input['smtp_password'])&& $input['smtp_password'] == '********')
+            unset($input['smtp_password']);
+
+        $this->replace($input);
+    }
+}