diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/logging.c b/plugins/sudoers/logging.c
index 4518fcb55..f276739b0 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/logging.c
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/logging.c
@@ -59,6 +59,14 @@
 # include "strlist.h"
 #endif
 
+struct parse_error {
+    STAILQ_ENTRY(parse_error) entries;
+    char *errstr;
+};
+STAILQ_HEAD(parse_error_list, parse_error);
+static struct parse_error_list parse_error_list =
+    STAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(parse_error_list);
+
 static bool should_mail(int);
 static bool warned = false;
 
@@ -770,15 +778,91 @@ gai_log_warning(int flags, int errnum, const char *fmt, ...)
 }
 
 /*
- * Log and mail a parse error using log_warningx().
+ * Send mail about accumulated parser errors.
+ * Frees the list of parse errors when done.
+ */
+bool
+mail_parse_errors(void)
+{
+    const int evl_flags = EVLOG_MAIL|EVLOG_MAIL_ONLY|EVLOG_RAW;
+    struct parse_error *pe;
+    struct eventlog evlog;
+    char *cp, *mailbody = NULL;
+    struct timespec now;
+    size_t len, n;
+    bool ret;
+    debug_decl(mail_parse_errors, SUDOERS_DEBUG_LOGGING);
+
+    if (STAILQ_EMPTY(&parse_error_list))
+	debug_return_bool(true);
+
+    if (sudo_gettime_real(&now) == -1) {
+	sudo_warn("%s", U_("unable to get time of day"));
+	ret = false;
+	goto done;
+    }
+    sudoers_to_eventlog(&evlog, NewArgv, env_get(), sudo_user.uuid_str);
+
+    len = sizeof(_("problem parsing sudoers"));
+    STAILQ_FOREACH(pe, &parse_error_list, entries) {
+	len += strlen(_(pe->errstr)) + 1;
+    }
+    mailbody = malloc(len);
+    if (mailbody == NULL) {
+	sudo_warnx(U_("%s: %s"), __func__, U_("unable to allocate memory"));
+	ret = false;
+	goto done;
+    }
+    cp = mailbody;
+
+    n = strlcpy(cp, _("problem parsing sudoers"), len);
+    if (n >= len) {
+	sudo_warnx(U_("internal error, %s overflow"), __func__);
+	ret = false;
+	goto done;
+    }
+    cp += n;
+    len -= n;
+
+    STAILQ_FOREACH(pe, &parse_error_list, entries) {
+	n = snprintf(cp, len, "\n%s", _(pe->errstr));
+	if (n >= len) {
+	    sudo_warnx(U_("internal error, %s overflow"), __func__);
+	    ret = false;
+	    goto done;
+	}
+	cp += n;
+	len -= n;
+    }
+
+    ret = eventlog_alert(&evlog, evl_flags, &now, mailbody, NULL);
+    if (!log_server_alert(&evlog, &now, mailbody, NULL,
+	    sudoers_policy.event_alloc)) {
+	ret = false;
+    }
+
+done:
+    free(mailbody);
+    while ((pe = STAILQ_FIRST(&parse_error_list)) != NULL) {
+	STAILQ_REMOVE_HEAD(&parse_error_list, entries);
+	free(pe->errstr);
+	free(pe);
+    }
+    debug_return_bool(ret);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Log a parse error using log_warningx().
+ * Journals the message to be mailed after parsing is complete.
  * Does not write the message to stderr.
  */
 bool
 log_parse_error(const char *file, int line, int column, const char *fmt,
     va_list args)
 {
-    const int flags = SLOG_SEND_MAIL|SLOG_NO_STDERR;
+    const int flags = SLOG_RAW_MSG|SLOG_NO_STDERR;
     char *errstr, *tofree = NULL;
+    struct parse_error *pe;
     bool ret;
     debug_decl(log_parse_error, SUDOERS_DEBUG_LOGGING);
 
@@ -791,10 +875,31 @@ log_parse_error(const char *file, int line, int column, const char *fmt,
 	tofree = errstr;
     }
 
-    if (line > 0)
-	ret = log_warningx(flags, _("%s:%d:%d: %s"), file, line, column, errstr);
-    else
-	ret = log_warningx(flags, _("%s: %s"), file, errstr);
+    if (line > 0) {
+	ret = log_warningx(flags, N_("%s:%d:%d: %s"), file, line, column,
+	    errstr);
+    } else {
+	ret = log_warningx(flags, N_("%s: %s"), file, errstr);
+    }
+
+    /* Journal parse error for later mailing. */
+    pe = malloc(sizeof(*pe));
+    if (pe != NULL) {
+	int len;
+
+	if (line > 0) {
+	    len = asprintf(&pe->errstr, _("%s:%d:%d: %s"), file, line, column,
+		errstr);
+	} else {
+	    len = asprintf(&pe->errstr, _("%s: %s"), file, errstr);
+	}
+	if (len != -1) {
+	    STAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&parse_error_list, pe, entries);
+	} else {
+	    free(pe);
+	}
+    }
+
     free(tofree);
 
     debug_return_bool(ret);
diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/logging.h b/plugins/sudoers/logging.h
index 79d0cb283..10599d643 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/logging.h
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/logging.h
@@ -89,5 +89,6 @@ void sudoers_to_eventlog(struct eventlog *evlog, char * const argv[], char *cons
 void init_eventlog_config(void);
 bool init_log_details(struct log_details *details, struct eventlog *evlog);
 bool log_parse_error(const char *file, int line, int column, const char *fmt, va_list ap) __printflike(4, 0);
+bool mail_parse_errors(void);
 
 #endif /* SUDOERS_LOGGING_H */
diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/parse.c b/plugins/sudoers/parse.c
index 80b685ff4..b2f09f540 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/parse.c
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/parse.c
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ sudoers_lookup(struct sudo_nss_list *snl, struct passwd *pw, int *cmnd_status,
 	    *cmnd_status = info.status;
 	}
 	if (defs != NULL)
-	    update_defaults(parse_tree, defs, SETDEF_GENERIC, false);
+	    (void)update_defaults(parse_tree, defs, SETDEF_GENERIC, false);
 	if (!apply_cmndspec(cs))
 	    SET(validated, VALIDATE_ERROR);
 	else if (match == ALLOW)
diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/regress/fuzz/fuzz_policy.c b/plugins/sudoers/regress/fuzz/fuzz_policy.c
index 3a5f0478b..9b0c8ea3e 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/regress/fuzz/fuzz_policy.c
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/regress/fuzz/fuzz_policy.c
@@ -742,6 +742,13 @@ log_exit_status(int exit_status)
     return true;
 }
 
+/* STUB */
+bool
+mail_parse_errors(void)
+{
+    return true;
+}
+
 /* STUB */
 bool
 log_parse_error(const char *file, int line, int column, const char *fmt,
diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/regress/fuzz/fuzz_sudoers.c b/plugins/sudoers/regress/fuzz/fuzz_sudoers.c
index 336b0c08f..8a7caeaae 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/regress/fuzz/fuzz_sudoers.c
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/regress/fuzz/fuzz_sudoers.c
@@ -108,6 +108,13 @@ set_cmnd_path(const char *runchroot)
     return NOT_FOUND;
 }
 
+/* STUB */
+bool
+mail_parse_errors(void)
+{
+    return true;
+}
+
 /* STUB */
 bool
 log_warningx(int flags, const char *fmt, ...)
diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/sudoers.c b/plugins/sudoers/sudoers.c
index 7c2a9d84d..6036505b4 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/sudoers.c
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/sudoers.c
@@ -149,6 +149,12 @@ restore_nproc(void)
 #endif /* __linux__ */
 }
 
+/*
+ * Re-initialize Defaults settings.
+ * We do not send mail for errors when reinitializing, mail would have
+ * already been sent the first time.
+ * TODO: prevent Defaults error logging too
+ */
 static bool
 sudoers_reinit_defaults(void)
 {
@@ -161,21 +167,21 @@ sudoers_reinit_defaults(void)
     }
 
     if (!update_defaults(NULL, &initial_defaults,
-	    SETDEF_GENERIC|SETDEF_HOST|SETDEF_USER|SETDEF_RUNAS, false)) {
+	    SETDEF_GENERIC|SETDEF_HOST|SETDEF_USER|SETDEF_RUNAS, false))
 	debug_return_bool(false);
-    }
 
     TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(nss, snl, entries, nss_next) {
+	/* Missing/invalid defaults is not a fatal error. */
 	if (nss->getdefs(nss) == -1) {
 	    log_warningx(SLOG_SEND_MAIL|SLOG_NO_STDERR,
 		N_("unable to get defaults from %s"), nss->source);
+	} else {
+	    (void)update_defaults(nss->parse_tree, NULL,
+		SETDEF_GENERIC|SETDEF_HOST|SETDEF_USER|SETDEF_RUNAS, false);
 	}
-	/* Not a fatal error. */
-	(void)update_defaults(nss->parse_tree, NULL,
-	    SETDEF_GENERIC|SETDEF_HOST|SETDEF_USER|SETDEF_RUNAS, false);
     }
 
-    debug_return_int(true);
+    debug_return_bool(true);
 }
 
 int
@@ -223,33 +229,33 @@ sudoers_init(void *info, sudoers_logger_t logger, char * const envp[])
     if (!set_perms(PERM_ROOT))
 	debug_return_int(-1);
 
+    /* Use the C locale unless another is specified in sudoers. */
+    sudoers_setlocale(SUDOERS_LOCALE_SUDOERS, &oldlocale);
+    sudo_warn_set_locale_func(sudoers_warn_setlocale);
+
     /* Update defaults set by front-end. */
     if (!update_defaults(NULL, &initial_defaults,
 	    SETDEF_GENERIC|SETDEF_HOST|SETDEF_USER|SETDEF_RUNAS, false)) {
-	debug_return_int(-1);
+	goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    /*
-     * Open and parse sudoers, set global defaults.
-     * Uses the C locale unless another is specified in sudoers.
-     */
-    sudoers_setlocale(SUDOERS_LOCALE_SUDOERS, &oldlocale);
-    sudo_warn_set_locale_func(sudoers_warn_setlocale);
+    /* Open and parse sudoers, set global defaults.  */
     init_parser(sudoers_file, false, false);
     TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(nss, snl, entries, nss_next) {
 	if (nss->open(nss) == -1 || (nss->parse_tree = nss->parse(nss)) == NULL) {
 	    TAILQ_REMOVE(snl, nss, entries);
 	    continue;
 	}
-
 	sources++;
+
+	/* Missing/invalid defaults is not a fatal error. */
 	if (nss->getdefs(nss) == -1) {
 	    log_warningx(SLOG_SEND_MAIL|SLOG_NO_STDERR,
 		N_("unable to get defaults from %s"), nss->source);
+	} else {
+	    (void)update_defaults(nss->parse_tree, NULL,
+		SETDEF_GENERIC|SETDEF_HOST|SETDEF_USER|SETDEF_RUNAS, false);
 	}
-	/* Not a fatal error. */
-	(void)update_defaults(nss->parse_tree, NULL,
-	    SETDEF_GENERIC|SETDEF_HOST|SETDEF_USER|SETDEF_RUNAS, false);
     }
     if (sources == 0) {
 	sudo_warnx("%s", U_("no valid sudoers sources found, quitting"));
@@ -261,6 +267,8 @@ sudoers_init(void *info, sudoers_logger_t logger, char * const envp[])
 	ret = true;
 
 cleanup:
+    mail_parse_errors();
+
     if (!restore_perms())
 	ret = -1;
 
@@ -806,6 +814,8 @@ bad:
     ret = false;
 
 done:
+    mail_parse_errors();
+
     if (def_group_plugin)
 	group_plugin_unload();
     init_parser(NULL, false, false);
@@ -1046,7 +1056,7 @@ set_cmnd(void)
     }
 
     TAILQ_FOREACH(nss, snl, entries) {
-	/* Not a fatal error. */
+	/* Missing/invalid defaults is not a fatal error. */
 	(void)update_defaults(nss->parse_tree, NULL, SETDEF_CMND, false);
     }