---
title: How to simulate a bounced message into Hurricane Server for testing
description: If you want to simulate a bounced message into Hurricane Server for testing, follow the steps below. The return path is an email address specified during the SMTP protocol communication process that d
---
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# How to simulate a bounced message into Hurricane Server for testing
If you want to simulate a bounced message into Hurricane Server for testing, follow the steps below.
1. Enable the outbound protocol log under the account logging settings.
2. Enable bounce processing for the same account.
3. Send a message to any valid email address through the system using that account. Doing this will force Hurricane Server to create a custom bounce return path for that message.
4. Go into the outbound protocol log for that account and find the bounce address that was generated. You will see the address right after the MAIL FROM command. Below is a sample log entry showing this.
MAIL FROM: 3e8.10.mailing=advanced-email.com@testdomain.com {CRLF}
> ### 📘What Is A Return Path?
>
> The return path is an email address specified during the SMTP protocol communication process that determines where the receiving mail server sends back its bounce messages.
>
> 3e8.10.mailing=advanced-email.com@testdomain.com is a return path address.
>
> mailing@advanced-email.com is the original from address.
1. Open the Test Message page from the Hurricane Server console. Copy the above address and paste it in as the To address and use the below text as the message body.
550 5.1.1 mailing@advanced-email.com - User unknown
When you submit the message Hurricane Server will detect it as a hard bounce.
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