diff --git a/papyrus/services/auth/verification.py b/papyrus/services/auth/verification.py
index b774143..233fee4 100644
--- a/papyrus/services/auth/verification.py
+++ b/papyrus/services/auth/verification.py
@@ -192,10 +192,24 @@ async def deliver_pending_verifications(session: AsyncSession) -> int:
         job.next_attempt_at = min(now + timedelta(minutes=5), action.expires_at)
         await session.commit()
         url = _build_app_url("/verify-email", {"token": job.token})
+        subject = "Verify your Papyrus email address"
         body = f"Verify your Papyrus email address.\n\n{url}\n\nThis link expires 24 hours after it was requested."
 
         try:
-            await asyncio.to_thread(email.send_email, action.email, "Verify your Papyrus email address", body)
+            html = email.render_email_html(
+                subject=subject,
+                preheader="Verify your email address to sign in to Papyrus.",
+                category="ACCOUNT SECURITY",
+                heading="Verify your email address",
+                greeting="Hello,",
+                summary="Verify your email address to sign in to Papyrus.",
+                guidance="This link expires 24 hours after it was requested and can only be used once.",
+                security_note="If you didn't request this email, you can ignore it.",
+                action_label="Verify email",
+                action_url=url,
+            )
+
+            await asyncio.to_thread(email.send_email, action.email, subject, body, html_body=html)
         except Exception:
             retry_at = min(_now() + timedelta(seconds=min(60 * 2 ** min(job.attempts - 1, 6), 3600)), action.expires_at)
 
diff --git a/tests/api/routes/test_auth.py b/tests/api/routes/test_auth.py
index c536848..8c700de 100644
--- a/tests/api/routes/test_auth.py
+++ b/tests/api/routes/test_auth.py
@@ -708,8 +708,17 @@ async def test_resend_verification_sends_email_when_configured(
     recipient, subject, body, html = configured_email_delivery[0]
     assert recipient == "test@example.com"
     assert subject == "Verify your Papyrus email address"
-    assert "/verify-email?token=" in body
-    assert html is None
+    url = next(line for line in body.splitlines() if "/verify-email?token=" in line)
+    assert html is not None
+    assert "<!doctype html>" in html
+    assert "This is an automatic account notification from Papyrus." in html
+    assert f'href="{url}"' in html
+    assert "Verify email</a>" in html
+    assert "24 hours after it was requested" in body
+    assert "24 hours after it was requested" in html
+    token = parse_qs(urlparse(url).query)["token"][0]
+    verified = await client.post("/v1/auth/verify-email", json={"token": token})
+    assert verified.status_code == 200
 
 
 async def test_forgot_password_returns_configuration_message(
diff --git a/tests/services/test_verification.py b/tests/services/test_verification.py
index 2d7f700..ce65b97 100644
--- a/tests/services/test_verification.py
+++ b/tests/services/test_verification.py
@@ -170,16 +170,19 @@ def fail(*args, **kwargs):
         assert "SMTP secret" not in caplog.text
         job.next_attempt_at = datetime.now(UTC) - timedelta(seconds=1)
         await session.commit()
-        monkeypatch.setattr(email, "send_email", lambda *args: sent.append(args))
+        monkeypatch.setattr(email, "send_email", lambda *args, **kwargs: sent.append((*args, kwargs["html_body"])))
         assert await verification.deliver_pending_verifications(session) == 1
-        assert f"https://app.example.test/reader/verify-email?token={original_token}" in sent[0][2]
+        url = f"https://app.example.test/reader/verify-email?token={original_token}"
+        assert url in sent[0][2]
+        assert f'href="{url}"' in sent[0][3]
+        assert "Verify email</a>" in sent[0][3]
         assert await session.scalar(select(VerificationDelivery)) is None
         token = await session.scalar(select(EmailActionToken))
         assert token.expires_at == original_expiry
 
 
 async def test_expired_delivery_removed_without_smtp(test_session_maker, monkeypatch):
-    monkeypatch.setattr(email, "send_email", lambda *args: pytest.fail("expired mail sent"))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(email, "send_email", lambda *args, **kwargs: pytest.fail("expired mail sent"))
 
     async with test_session_maker() as session:
         await register(session)
@@ -401,7 +404,7 @@ async def test_linked_google_preserves_owner_and_primary_email(
 
 async def test_delivery_lease_prevents_two_workers_sending_the_same_job(test_session_maker, monkeypatch):
     sent = []
-    monkeypatch.setattr(email, "send_email", lambda *args: sent.append(args))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(email, "send_email", lambda *args, **kwargs: sent.append((*args, kwargs["html_body"])))
 
     async with test_session_maker() as session:
         await register(session)