diff --git a/backend/alembic/versions/0021_system_config.py b/backend/alembic/versions/0021_system_config.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5981675
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/alembic/versions/0021_system_config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+"""generic admin-editable system_config key/value store
+
+Revision ID: 0021_system_config
+Revises: 0020_rename_quota_actions
+Create Date: 2026-06-19
+
+Adds the system_config table: admin overrides for operational config that otherwise comes
+from env/config defaults (see app.sysconfig for the registry of known keys). Secret values
+are stored Fernet-encrypted (encrypted flag). Purely additive; absent rows = use defaults.
+"""
+from typing import Sequence, Union
+
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+from alembic import op
+
+revision: str = "0021_system_config"
+down_revision: Union[str, None] = "0020_rename_quota_actions"
+branch_labels: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+depends_on: Union[str, Sequence[str], None] = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    op.create_table(
+        "system_config",
+        sa.Column("key", sa.String(length=64), primary_key=True),
+        sa.Column("value", sa.Text(), nullable=True),
+        sa.Column("encrypted", sa.Boolean(), nullable=False, server_default="false"),
+        sa.Column(
+            "updated_at",
+            sa.DateTime(timezone=True),
+            nullable=False,
+            server_default=sa.func.now(),
+        ),
+    )
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    op.drop_table("system_config")
diff --git a/backend/app/email.py b/backend/app/email.py
index 74fcf75..27119ca 100644
--- a/backend/app/email.py
+++ b/backend/app/email.py
@@ -10,13 +10,29 @@ import ssl
 from email.message import EmailMessage
 from email.utils import formatdate
 
+from app import sysconfig
 from app.config import settings
+from app.db import SessionLocal
 
 log = logging.getLogger("subfeed.email")
 
 
+def _smtp() -> dict:
+    """Effective SMTP config (admin DB override over env defaults). Opens its own short
+    session because email is often sent from a BackgroundTask, outside a request's db."""
+    with SessionLocal() as db:
+        return {
+            "host": sysconfig.get_str(db, "smtp_host"),
+            "port": sysconfig.get_int(db, "smtp_port"),
+            "user": sysconfig.get_str(db, "smtp_user"),
+            "password": sysconfig.get_str(db, "smtp_password"),
+            "from": sysconfig.get_str(db, "smtp_from"),
+        }
+
+
 def email_enabled() -> bool:
-    return bool(settings.smtp_host and settings.smtp_user and settings.smtp_password)
+    c = _smtp()
+    return bool(c["host"] and c["user"] and c["password"])
 
 
 def _admin_contact() -> str | None:
@@ -27,12 +43,13 @@ def _send(to: list[str], subject: str, body: str, reply_to: str | None = None) -
     recipients = [e for e in to if e]
     if not recipients:
         return False
-    if not email_enabled():
+    c = _smtp()
+    if not (c["host"] and c["user"] and c["password"]):
         log.info("SMTP not configured; skipping email %r to %s", subject, recipients)
         return False
     msg = EmailMessage()
     msg["Subject"] = subject
-    msg["From"] = settings.smtp_from or settings.smtp_user
+    msg["From"] = c["from"] or c["user"]
     msg["To"] = ", ".join(recipients)
     # A real Date and a Reply-To (so it's a conversation, not a no-reply blast) both
     # nudge spam filters the right way; reputation still does most of the work.
@@ -41,9 +58,9 @@ def _send(to: list[str], subject: str, body: str, reply_to: str | None = None) -
         msg["Reply-To"] = reply_to
     msg.set_content(body)
     try:
-        with smtplib.SMTP(settings.smtp_host, settings.smtp_port, timeout=20) as s:
+        with smtplib.SMTP(c["host"], c["port"], timeout=20) as s:
             s.starttls(context=ssl.create_default_context())
-            s.login(settings.smtp_user, settings.smtp_password)
+            s.login(c["user"], c["password"])
             s.send_message(msg)
         log.info("Sent email %r to %s", subject, recipients)
         return True
@@ -73,3 +90,12 @@ def send_admin_new_request(admins: list[str], requester: str) -> bool:
         "(Reply to this email to reach the requester directly.)\n"
     )
     return _send(admins, f"Siftlode access request from {requester}", body, reply_to=requester)
+
+
+def send_test(to: str) -> bool:
+    body = (
+        "This is a test email from Siftlode.\n\n"
+        "If you're reading this, your SMTP settings work.\n\n"
+        "— Siftlode"
+    )
+    return _send([to], "Siftlode SMTP test", body)
diff --git a/backend/app/main.py b/backend/app/main.py
index d134beb..77c2a5e 100644
--- a/backend/app/main.py
+++ b/backend/app/main.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ from app.config import settings
 from app.routes import (
     admin,
     channels,
+    config as config_routes,
     feed,
     health,
     me,
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ app.include_router(notifications.router)
 app.include_router(channels.router)
 app.include_router(playlists.router)
 app.include_router(admin.router)
+app.include_router(config_routes.router)
 app.include_router(scheduler_routes.router)
 app.include_router(quota.router)
 app.include_router(version.router)
diff --git a/backend/app/models.py b/backend/app/models.py
index f6185a8..0952533 100644
--- a/backend/app/models.py
+++ b/backend/app/models.py
@@ -358,6 +358,24 @@ class SchedulerSetting(Base):
     interval_minutes: Mapped[int] = mapped_column(Integer)
 
 
+class SystemConfig(Base):
+    """Admin-set overrides for operational config that otherwise comes from env/config
+    defaults. Generic key/value store (one row per key); absent = use the env/config
+    default. DB-backed so it's editable from the admin Configuration page at runtime without
+    a redeploy. Secret values (e.g. SMTP password) are stored Fernet-encrypted (`encrypted`
+    flag) using TOKEN_ENCRYPTION_KEY; non-secrets are plaintext. The set of known keys + their
+    types/groups/defaults lives in app.sysconfig (the single source of truth)."""
+
+    __tablename__ = "system_config"
+
+    key: Mapped[str] = mapped_column(String(64), primary_key=True)
+    value: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(Text)
+    encrypted: Mapped[bool] = mapped_column(Boolean, default=False, server_default="false")
+    updated_at: Mapped[datetime] = mapped_column(
+        DateTime(timezone=True), default=func.now(), onupdate=func.now()
+    )
+
+
 class Playlist(Base):
     """A per-user named, ordered collection of videos from the shared catalog.
 
diff --git a/backend/app/routes/config.py b/backend/app/routes/config.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d05345
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/app/routes/config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+"""Admin Configuration page API: read/edit the DB-overridable operational settings defined in
+app.sysconfig. Secret values (e.g. SMTP password) are write-only — never returned."""
+from fastapi import APIRouter, Depends, HTTPException
+from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
+
+from app import email as email_mod
+from app import sysconfig
+from app.db import get_db
+from app.models import User
+from app.routes.admin import admin_user
+
+router = APIRouter(prefix="/api/admin/config", tags=["admin"])
+
+
+@router.get("")
+def get_config(_: User = Depends(admin_user), db: Session = Depends(get_db)) -> dict:
+    return sysconfig.describe(db)
+
+
+@router.patch("/{key}")
+def set_config(
+    key: str,
+    payload: dict,
+    _: User = Depends(admin_user),
+    db: Session = Depends(get_db),
+) -> dict:
+    s = sysconfig.spec(key)
+    if s is None:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="Unknown config key")
+    if "value" not in payload:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail="Missing 'value'")
+    if s.secret and not sysconfig.secrets_manageable():
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=400,
+            detail="Set TOKEN_ENCRYPTION_KEY to store secrets in the database.",
+        )
+    try:
+        sysconfig.set_value(db, key, payload["value"])
+    except (TypeError, ValueError) as exc:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail=str(exc) or "Invalid value")
+    return sysconfig.describe(db)
+
+
+@router.delete("/{key}")
+def reset_config(
+    key: str,
+    _: User = Depends(admin_user),
+    db: Session = Depends(get_db),
+) -> dict:
+    if sysconfig.spec(key) is None:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="Unknown config key")
+    sysconfig.reset(db, key)
+    return sysconfig.describe(db)
+
+
+@router.post("/test-email")
+def send_test_email(
+    user: User = Depends(admin_user),
+    db: Session = Depends(get_db),
+) -> dict:
+    """Send a test email to the requesting admin using the current (DB or env) SMTP config —
+    lets the admin verify the settings actually work."""
+    if not email_mod.email_enabled():
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail="SMTP is not configured.")
+    sent = email_mod.send_test(user.email)
+    if not sent:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=422, detail="SMTP send failed — check the settings.")
+    return {"sent": True, "to": user.email}
diff --git a/backend/app/sysconfig.py b/backend/app/sysconfig.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eabba05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/app/sysconfig.py
@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+"""Admin-editable system configuration: a DB-override layer over the env/config defaults.
+
+The registry (SPECS) is the single source of truth for which config keys can be overridden
+from the admin Configuration page, plus each key's type, admin-UI group, env/config default,
+bounds, and whether it's a secret. The resolver returns the DB override if one is set, else
+``settings.<default_attr>`` (same DB-override-or-default pattern as app.state). Secrets are
+stored Fernet-encrypted at rest (requires TOKEN_ENCRYPTION_KEY; without it, secrets can't be
+stored in the DB and stay env-only).
+"""
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+
+from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
+
+from app import security
+from app.config import settings
+from app.models import SystemConfig
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class ConfigSpec:
+    key: str
+    type: str  # "int" | "str" | "bool"
+    group: str  # admin-UI grouping (logically related keys stay together)
+    default_attr: str  # attribute on `settings` holding the env/config default
+    secret: bool = False
+    min: int | None = None
+    max: int | None = None
+
+
+# Registry of DB-overridable keys. Add a key here + wire its read through get_*() to move it
+# off env into the admin UI; the admin page renders it automatically from this list.
+SPECS: tuple[ConfigSpec, ...] = (
+    # --- Email / SMTP (one logical group; the password is the only secret) ---
+    ConfigSpec("smtp_host", "str", "email", "smtp_host"),
+    ConfigSpec("smtp_port", "int", "email", "smtp_port", min=1, max=65535),
+    ConfigSpec("smtp_user", "str", "email", "smtp_user"),
+    ConfigSpec("smtp_from", "str", "email", "smtp_from"),
+    ConfigSpec("smtp_password", "str", "email", "smtp_password", secret=True),
+)
+
+_BY_KEY: dict[str, ConfigSpec] = {s.key: s for s in SPECS}
+
+
+def spec(key: str) -> ConfigSpec | None:
+    return _BY_KEY.get(key)
+
+
+def secrets_manageable() -> bool:
+    """Secret values can only be stored when Fernet is configured (TOKEN_ENCRYPTION_KEY)."""
+    return bool(settings.token_encryption_key)
+
+
+def _default(s: ConfigSpec):
+    return getattr(settings, s.default_attr)
+
+
+def _coerce(s: ConfigSpec, raw: str):
+    if s.type == "int":
+        return int(raw)
+    if s.type == "bool":
+        return raw == "true"
+    return raw
+
+
+def _raw_override(db: Session, key: str) -> str | None:
+    """Stored (decrypted) override string for `key`, or None if no override is set."""
+    row = db.get(SystemConfig, key)
+    if row is None or row.value is None:
+        return None
+    return security.decrypt(row.value) if row.encrypted else row.value
+
+
+def get(db: Session, key: str):
+    """Effective value: the DB override (typed) if set, else the env/config default."""
+    s = _BY_KEY[key]
+    raw = _raw_override(db, key)
+    if raw is None or raw == "":
+        return _default(s)
+    try:
+        return _coerce(s, raw)
+    except (TypeError, ValueError):
+        return _default(s)
+
+
+def get_str(db: Session, key: str) -> str:
+    v = get(db, key)
+    return "" if v is None else str(v)
+
+
+def get_int(db: Session, key: str) -> int:
+    return int(get(db, key))
+
+
+def get_bool(db: Session, key: str) -> bool:
+    return bool(get(db, key))
+
+
+def set_value(db: Session, key: str, value) -> None:
+    """Validate, coerce, and persist a DB override for `key`. Secrets are encrypted."""
+    s = _BY_KEY[key]
+    if s.type == "int":
+        v = int(value)
+        if s.min is not None and v < s.min:
+            raise ValueError(f"{key} must be >= {s.min}")
+        if s.max is not None and v > s.max:
+            raise ValueError(f"{key} must be <= {s.max}")
+        raw = str(v)
+    elif s.type == "bool":
+        raw = "true" if value else "false"
+    else:
+        raw = "" if value is None else str(value)
+
+    stored, encrypted = raw, False
+    if s.secret:
+        if not secrets_manageable():
+            raise RuntimeError("TOKEN_ENCRYPTION_KEY is not configured")
+        stored, encrypted = security.encrypt(raw) or "", True
+
+    row = db.get(SystemConfig, key)
+    if row is None:
+        row = SystemConfig(key=key)
+        db.add(row)
+    row.value = stored
+    row.encrypted = encrypted
+    db.commit()
+
+
+def reset(db: Session, key: str) -> None:
+    """Remove the DB override for `key` (fall back to the env/config default)."""
+    row = db.get(SystemConfig, key)
+    if row is not None:
+        db.delete(row)
+        db.commit()
+
+
+def describe(db: Session) -> dict:
+    """Admin-UI metadata + current values, grouped. Secret values are never echoed —
+    only whether an override is set and whether an env default exists."""
+    groups: dict[str, list[dict]] = {}
+    for s in SPECS:
+        is_set = db.get(SystemConfig, s.key) is not None
+        item: dict = {
+            "key": s.key,
+            "type": s.type,
+            "group": s.group,
+            "secret": s.secret,
+            "min": s.min,
+            "max": s.max,
+            "is_set": is_set,  # an override row exists
+        }
+        if s.secret:
+            item["default_is_set"] = bool(_default(s))
+        else:
+            item["value"] = get(db, s.key)
+            item["default"] = _default(s)
+        groups.setdefault(s.group, []).append(item)
+    return {"groups": groups, "secrets_manageable": secrets_manageable()}