diff --git a/app/user/rest.py b/app/user/rest.py
index 12fde343a..f4905ef36 100644
--- a/app/user/rest.py
+++ b/app/user/rest.py
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ from app.schemas import (
 from app.celery.tasks import (
     send_sms,
     email_reset_password,
-    email_registration_verification
-)
+    email_registration_verification,
+    send_email)
 
 from app.errors import register_errors
 
@@ -157,13 +157,26 @@ def send_user_email_verification(user_id):
     secret_code = create_secret_code()
     create_user_code(user_to_send_to, secret_code, 'email')
 
-    email = user_to_send_to.email_address
-    verification_message = {'to': email,
-                            'name': user_to_send_to.name,
-                            'url': _create_verification_url(user_to_send_to, secret_code)}
-
-    email_registration_verification.apply_async([encryption.encrypt(verification_message)],
-                                                queue='email-registration-verification')
+    template = dao_get_template_by_id(current_app.config['EMAIL_VERIFY_CODE_TEMPLATE_ID'])
+    message = {
+        'template': template.id,
+        'template_version': template.version,
+        'to': user_to_send_to.email_address,
+        'personalisation': {
+            'user_name': user_to_send_to.name,
+            'url': _create_verification_url(user_to_send_to, secret_code)
+        }
+    }
+    email_from = '"GOV.UK Notify" <{}>'.format(
+        current_app.config['VERIFY_CODE_FROM_EMAIL_ADDRESS']
+    )
+    send_email.apply_async((
+        current_app.config['NOTIFY_SERVICE_ID'],
+        str(uuid.uuid4()),
+        email_from,
+        encryption.encrypt(message),
+        datetime.utcnow().strftime(DATETIME_FORMAT)
+    ), queue='email-registration-verification')
 
     return jsonify({}), 204
 
diff --git a/tests/app/conftest.py b/tests/app/conftest.py
index 01c6cb952..70b4ddbe0 100644
--- a/tests/app/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/app/conftest.py
@@ -589,3 +589,37 @@ def sms_code_template(notify_db,
         template = Template(**data)
         db.session.add(template)
     return template
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope='function')
+def email_verification_template(notify_db,
+                                notify_db_session):
+    user = sample_user(notify_db, notify_db_session)
+    service = Service.query.get(current_app.config['NOTIFY_SERVICE_ID'])
+    if not service:
+        data = {
+            'id': current_app.config['NOTIFY_SERVICE_ID'],
+            'name': 'Notify Service',
+            'message_limit': 1000,
+            'active': True,
+            'restricted': False,
+            'email_from': 'notify.service',
+            'created_by': user
+        }
+        service = Service(**data)
+        db.session.add(service)
+
+    template = Template.query.get(current_app.config['SMS_CODE_TEMPLATE_ID'])
+    if not template:
+        data = {
+            'id': current_app.config['EMAIL_VERIFY_CODE_TEMPLATE_ID'],
+            'name': 'Email verification template',
+            'template_type': 'email',
+            'content': '((user_name)) use ((url)) to complete registration',
+            'service': service,
+            'created_by': user,
+            'archived': False
+        }
+        template = Template(**data)
+        db.session.add(template)
+    return template
diff --git a/tests/app/user/test_rest_verify.py b/tests/app/user/test_rest_verify.py
index 3ca379171..7f2a6130e 100644
--- a/tests/app/user/test_rest_verify.py
+++ b/tests/app/user/test_rest_verify.py
@@ -309,18 +309,47 @@ def test_send_sms_code_returns_404_for_bad_input_data(notify_api, notify_db, not
             assert json.loads(resp.get_data(as_text=True))['message'] == 'No result found'
 
 
+@freeze_time("2016-01-01 11:09:00.061258")
 def test_send_user_email_verification(notify_api,
-                                      sample_email_code,
-                                      mock_celery_email_registration_verification,
-                                      mock_encryption):
+                                      sample_user,
+                                      mocker,
+                                      email_verification_template):
 
     with notify_api.test_request_context():
         with notify_api.test_client() as client:
             data = json.dumps({})
+            mocker.patch('uuid.uuid4', return_value='some_uuid')  # for the notification id
+            mocker.patch('app.encryption.encrypt', return_value="something_encrypted")
+            mocked = mocker.patch('app.celery.tasks.send_email.apply_async')
             auth_header = create_authorization_header()
             resp = client.post(
-                url_for('user.send_user_email_verification', user_id=str(sample_email_code.user.id)),
+                url_for('user.send_user_email_verification', user_id=str(sample_user.id)),
                 data=data,
                 headers=[('Content-Type', 'application/json'), auth_header])
             assert resp.status_code == 204
-            app.celery.tasks.email_registration_verification.apply_async.assert_called_once_with(['something_encrypted'], queue='email-registration-verification')  # noqa
+            assert mocked.call_count == 1
+            app.celery.tasks.send_email.apply_async.assert_called_once_with(
+                (str(current_app.config['NOTIFY_SERVICE_ID']),
+                 'some_uuid',
+                 '"GOV.UK Notify" <{}>'.format(current_app.config['VERIFY_CODE_FROM_EMAIL_ADDRESS']),
+                 "something_encrypted",
+                 "2016-01-01T11:09:00.061258"),
+                queue="email-registration-verification")
+
+
+def test_send_email_verification_returns_404_for_bad_input_data(notify_api, notify_db, notify_db_session):
+    """
+    Tests POST endpoint /user/<user_id>/sms-code return 404 for bad input data
+    """
+    with notify_api.test_request_context():
+        with notify_api.test_client() as client:
+            data = json.dumps({})
+            import uuid
+            uuid_ = uuid.uuid4()
+            auth_header = create_authorization_header()
+            resp = client.post(
+                url_for('user.send_user_email_verification', user_id=uuid_),
+                data=data,
+                headers=[('Content-Type', 'application/json'), auth_header])
+            assert resp.status_code == 404
+            assert json.loads(resp.get_data(as_text=True))['message'] == 'No result found'