diff --git a/lib/Cake/Network/Email/MailTransport.php b/lib/Cake/Network/Email/MailTransport.php
index a037e3418..950459a75 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Network/Email/MailTransport.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Network/Email/MailTransport.php
@@ -42,11 +42,7 @@ class MailTransport extends AbstractTransport {
 		$headers = $this->_headersToString($headers, $eol);
 		$message = implode($eol, $email->message());
 
-		$params = null;
-		if (!ini_get('safe_mode')) {
-			$params = isset($this->_config['additionalParameters']) ? $this->_config['additionalParameters'] : null;
-		}
-
+		$params = isset($this->_config['additionalParameters']) ? $this->_config['additionalParameters'] : null;
 		$this->_mail($to, $email->subject(), $message, $headers, $params);
 		return array('headers' => $headers, 'message' => $message);
 	}
@@ -58,16 +54,20 @@ class MailTransport extends AbstractTransport {
  * @param string $subject email's subject
  * @param string $message email's body
  * @param string $headers email's custom headers
- * @param string $params additional params for sending email
+ * @param string $params additional params for sending email, will be ignored when in safe_mode
  * @throws SocketException if mail could not be sent
  * @return void
  */
 	protected function _mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers, $params = null) {
-		//@codingStandardsIgnoreStart
-		if (!@mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers, $params)) {
+		if (ini_get('safe_mode')) {
+			//@codingStandardsIgnoreStart
+			if (!@mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers)) {
+				throw new SocketException(__d('cake_dev', 'Could not send email.'));
+			}
+		} elseif (!@mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers, $params)) {
+			//@codingStandardsIgnoreEnd
 			throw new SocketException(__d('cake_dev', 'Could not send email.'));
 		}
-		//@codingStandardsIgnoreEnd
 	}
 
 }