diff --git a/controller/account.go b/controller/account.go
index 723a6786..a2879c39 100644
--- a/controller/account.go
+++ b/controller/account.go
@@ -63,6 +63,19 @@ func (self *createAccountHandler) handleDirectCreate(params identity.CreateAccou
 }
 
 func (self *createAccountHandler) handleVerifiedCreate(params identity.CreateAccountParams) middleware.Responder {
+	if params.Body == nil || params.Body.Email == "" {
+		logrus.Errorf("missing email")
+		return identity.NewCreateAccountBadRequest().WithPayload("missing email")
+	}
+	token, err := generateApiToken()
+	if err != nil {
+		logrus.Errorf("error generating api token: %v", err)
+		return identity.NewCreateAccountInternalServerError().WithPayload(rest_model_zrok.ErrorMessage(err.Error()))
+	}
+	if err := sendVerificationEmail(params.Body.Email, token, self.cfg); err != nil {
+		logrus.Error(err)
+		return identity.NewCreateAccountInternalServerError().WithPayload(rest_model_zrok.ErrorMessage(err.Error()))
+	}
 	return identity.NewCreateAccountCreated()
 }
 
diff --git a/controller/config.go b/controller/config.go
index 1317307a..df8ae2e2 100644
--- a/controller/config.go
+++ b/controller/config.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ type ProxyConfig struct {
 
 type EmailConfig struct {
 	Host     string
-	Port     uint16
+	Port     int
 	Username string
 	Password string
 }
diff --git a/controller/verify.go b/controller/verify.go
index 898569ac..e50cf108 100644
--- a/controller/verify.go
+++ b/controller/verify.go
@@ -29,9 +29,12 @@ func sendVerificationEmail(emailAddress, token string, cfg *Config) error {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "error executing email verification template")
 	}
 
+	subject := "Subject: Welcome to zrok!\n"
+	mime := "MIME-version: 1.0;\nContent-Type: text/html; charset=\"UTF-8\";\n\n"
+	msg := []byte(subject + mime + buf.String())
 	auth := smtp.PlainAuth("", cfg.Email.Username, cfg.Email.Password, cfg.Email.Host)
 	to := []string{emailAddress}
-	err = smtp.SendMail(fmt.Sprintf("%v:%d", cfg.Email.Host, cfg.Email.Port), auth, cfg.Registration.EmailFrom, to, buf.Bytes())
+	err = smtp.SendMail(fmt.Sprintf("%v:%d", cfg.Email.Host, cfg.Email.Port), auth, cfg.Registration.EmailFrom, to, msg)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "error sending email verification")
 	}