diff --git a/roles/cron/cron_drupal7/tasks/job.yml b/roles/cron/cron_drupal7/tasks/job.yml
index b1d02078..1c319c43 100644
--- a/roles/cron/cron_drupal7/tasks/job.yml
+++ b/roles/cron/cron_drupal7/tasks/job.yml
@@ -20,12 +20,19 @@
     - drupal.defer is defined
     - drupal.defer
 
+- name: Remove existing MAILTO entry (if any)
+  community.general.cronvar:
+    name: MAILTO
+    state: absent
+  delegate_to: "{{ 'localhost' if drupal.defer else inventory_hostname }}"
+
 - name: Set global MAILTO for cron jobs (if defined)
   community.general.cronvar:
     name: MAILTO
     value: "{{ drupal.cron_mailto | default(omit) }}"
     state: present
   when: drupal.cron_mailto is defined and drupal.cron_mailto | length > 0
+  delegate_to: "{{ 'localhost' if drupal.defer else inventory_hostname }}"
 
 - name: Setup Drupal cron tasks on app server.
   ansible.builtin.cron:
diff --git a/roles/cron/cron_drupal8/tasks/job.yml b/roles/cron/cron_drupal8/tasks/job.yml
index 9946e881..b3e58a6b 100644
--- a/roles/cron/cron_drupal8/tasks/job.yml
+++ b/roles/cron/cron_drupal8/tasks/job.yml
@@ -20,12 +20,19 @@
     - drupal.defer is defined
     - drupal.defer
 
+- name: Remove existing MAILTO entry (if any)
+  community.general.cronvar:
+    name: MAILTO
+    state: absent
+  delegate_to: "{{ 'localhost' if drupal.defer else inventory_hostname }}"
+
 - name: Set global MAILTO for cron jobs (if defined)
   community.general.cronvar:
     name: MAILTO
     value: "{{ drupal.cron_mailto | default(omit) }}"
     state: present
   when: drupal.cron_mailto is defined and drupal.cron_mailto | length > 0
+  delegate_to: "{{ 'localhost' if drupal.defer else inventory_hostname }}"
 
 - name: Setup Drupal cron tasks on app server.
   ansible.builtin.cron: