diff --git a/java/code/src/com/redhat/rhn/domain/notification/UserNotificationFactory.java b/java/code/src/com/redhat/rhn/domain/notification/UserNotificationFactory.java
index 148b5bf7ec19..4673a8240fff 100644
--- a/java/code/src/com/redhat/rhn/domain/notification/UserNotificationFactory.java
+++ b/java/code/src/com/redhat/rhn/domain/notification/UserNotificationFactory.java
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ private static void configureMailer() {
             Class<? extends Mail> cobj = Class.forName(clazz).asSubclass(Mail.class);
             mailer = cobj.getDeclaredConstructor().newInstance();
         }
-        catch (Exception e) {
+        catch (Exception | LinkageError e) {
+            log.error("An exception was thrown while initializing custom mailer class", e);
             mailer = new SmtpMail();
         }
     }
diff --git a/java/code/src/com/redhat/rhn/frontend/events/BaseMailAction.java b/java/code/src/com/redhat/rhn/frontend/events/BaseMailAction.java
index efa61a5c1e91..8a8c9f73f12c 100644
--- a/java/code/src/com/redhat/rhn/frontend/events/BaseMailAction.java
+++ b/java/code/src/com/redhat/rhn/frontend/events/BaseMailAction.java
@@ -52,16 +52,16 @@ public void execute(EventMessage msg) {
      * @return the mailer associated with this class
      */
     protected Mail getMail() {
-        String clazz = Config.get().getString(
-                "web.mailer_class");
+        String clazz = Config.get().getString("web.mailer_class");
         if (clazz == null) {
             return new SmtpMail();
         }
         try {
-            Class cobj = Class.forName(clazz);
-            return (Mail) cobj.newInstance();
+            Class<? extends Mail> cobj = Class.forName(clazz).asSubclass(Mail.class);
+            return cobj.getDeclaredConstructor().newInstance();
         }
-        catch (Exception e) {
+        catch (Exception | LinkageError e) {
+            getLogger().error("An exception was thrown while initializing custom mailer class", e);
             return new SmtpMail();
         }
     }
diff --git a/java/spacewalk-java.changes.houssemnasri.fix-notification-error b/java/spacewalk-java.changes.houssemnasri.fix-notification-error
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8bf7f70b9b3d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/java/spacewalk-java.changes.houssemnasri.fix-notification-error
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Fix server error when visiting the notifications page