diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4f90fb86c4..069dfe0c99 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 ### Template
 
+- `params.max_multiqc_email_size` is no longer required
 - Remove `cleanup = true` from `test_full.config` in pipeline template
 - Fix usage docs for specifying `params.yaml`
 - Added stub in modules template ([#2277])(https://github.com/nf-core/tools/pull/2277) [Contributed by @nvnieuwk]
diff --git a/nf_core/pipeline-template/lib/NfcoreTemplate.groovy b/nf_core/pipeline-template/lib/NfcoreTemplate.groovy
index 2cb8b41388..a1a726d69f 100755
--- a/nf_core/pipeline-template/lib/NfcoreTemplate.groovy
+++ b/nf_core/pipeline-template/lib/NfcoreTemplate.groovy
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ class NfcoreTemplate {
         def email_html    = html_template.toString()
 
         // Render the sendmail template
-        def max_multiqc_email_size = params.max_multiqc_email_size as nextflow.util.MemoryUnit
+        def max_multiqc_email_size = (params.containsKey('max_multiqc_email_size') ? params.max_multiqc_email_size : 0) as nextflow.util.MemoryUnit
         def smail_fields           = [ email: email_address, subject: subject, email_txt: email_txt, email_html: email_html, projectDir: "$projectDir", mqcFile: mqc_report, mqcMaxSize: max_multiqc_email_size.toBytes() ]
         def sf                     = new File("$projectDir/assets/sendmail_template.txt")
         def sendmail_template      = engine.createTemplate(sf).make(smail_fields)