diff --git a/hgext/patchbomb.py b/hgext/patchbomb.py
--- a/hgext/patchbomb.py
+++ b/hgext/patchbomb.py
@@ -708,13 +708,7 @@ def email(ui, repo, *revs, **opts):
                 fp.close()
         else:
             if not sendmail:
-                verifycert = ui.config('smtp', 'verifycert', 'strict')
-                if opts.get('insecure'):
-                    ui.setconfig('smtp', 'verifycert', 'loose', 'patchbomb')
-                try:
-                    sendmail = mail.connect(ui, mbox=mbox)
-                finally:
-                    ui.setconfig('smtp', 'verifycert', verifycert, 'patchbomb')
+                sendmail = mail.connect(ui, mbox=mbox)
             ui.status(_('sending '), subj, ' ...\n')
             ui.progress(_('sending'), i, item=subj, total=len(msgs),
                         unit=_('emails'))
diff --git a/mercurial/help/config.txt b/mercurial/help/config.txt
--- a/mercurial/help/config.txt
+++ b/mercurial/help/config.txt
@@ -1486,16 +1486,6 @@ Configuration for extensions that need t
     Optional. Method to enable TLS when connecting to mail server: starttls,
     smtps or none. (default: none)
 
-``verifycert``
-    Optional. Verification for the certificate of mail server, when
-    ``tls`` is starttls or smtps. "strict", "loose" or False. For
-    "strict" or "loose", the certificate is verified as same as the
-    verification for HTTPS connections (see ``[hostfingerprints]`` and
-    ``[web] cacerts`` also). For "strict", sending email is also
-    aborted, if there is no configuration for mail server in
-    ``[hostfingerprints]`` and ``[web] cacerts``.  --insecure for
-    :hg:`email` overwrites this as "loose". (default: strict)
-
 ``username``
     Optional. User name for authenticating with the SMTP server.
     (default: None)
diff --git a/mercurial/mail.py b/mercurial/mail.py
--- a/mercurial/mail.py
+++ b/mercurial/mail.py
@@ -106,13 +106,6 @@ def _smtp(ui):
     mailhost = ui.config('smtp', 'host')
     if not mailhost:
         raise error.Abort(_('smtp.host not configured - cannot send mail'))
-    verifycert = ui.config('smtp', 'verifycert', 'strict')
-    if verifycert not in ['strict', 'loose']:
-        if util.parsebool(verifycert) is not False:
-            raise error.Abort(_('invalid smtp.verifycert configuration: %s')
-                             % (verifycert))
-        verifycert = False
-
     if smtps:
         ui.note(_('(using smtps)\n'))
         s = SMTPS(ui, local_hostname=local_hostname, host=mailhost)
@@ -133,9 +126,9 @@ def _smtp(ui):
         s.ehlo()
         s.starttls()
         s.ehlo()
-    if (starttls or smtps) and verifycert:
+    if starttls or smtps:
         ui.note(_('(verifying remote certificate)\n'))
-        sslutil.validatesocket(s.sock, verifycert == 'strict')
+        sslutil.validatesocket(s.sock)
     username = ui.config('smtp', 'username')
     password = ui.config('smtp', 'password')
     if username and not password: