diff --git a/backend/README.md b/backend/README.md
index 2c86bdad28..42ae4fd64a 100644
--- a/backend/README.md
+++ b/backend/README.md
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ If you use GitHub Actions the tests will run automatically.
 If your stack is already up and you just want to run the tests, you can use:
 
 ```bash
-docker compose exec backend /app/tests-start.sh
+docker compose exec backend bash /app/tests-start.sh
 ```
 
 That `/app/tests-start.sh` script just calls `pytest` after making sure that the rest of the stack is running. If you need to pass extra arguments to `pytest`, you can pass them to that command and they will be forwarded.
diff --git a/backend/app/api/deps.py b/backend/app/api/deps.py
index b6e05c1776..5bef1169aa 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/deps.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/deps.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 from fastapi import Depends, HTTPException, status
 from fastapi.security import OAuth2PasswordBearer
-from jose import jwt
+from jose import JWTError, jwt
 from pydantic import ValidationError
 from sqlmodel import Session
 
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def get_current_user(session: SessionDep, token: TokenDep) -> User:
             token, settings.SECRET_KEY, algorithms=[security.ALGORITHM]
         )
         token_data = TokenPayload(**payload)
-    except (jwt.JWTError, ValidationError):
+    except (JWTError, ValidationError):
         raise HTTPException(
             status_code=status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN,
             detail="Could not validate credentials",
diff --git a/backend/app/api/routes/login.py b/backend/app/api/routes/login.py
index 30831928f2..8fb65c42e0 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/routes/login.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/routes/login.py
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
 from app.models import Message, NewPassword, Token, User, UserOut
 from app.utils import (
     generate_password_reset_token,
-    send_reset_password_email,
+    generate_reset_password_email,
+    send_email,
     verify_password_reset_token,
 )
 
@@ -62,9 +63,14 @@ def recover_password(email: str, session: SessionDep) -> Message:
             detail="The user with this username does not exist in the system.",
         )
     password_reset_token = generate_password_reset_token(email=email)
-    send_reset_password_email(
+    email_data = generate_reset_password_email(
         email_to=user.email, email=email, token=password_reset_token
     )
+    send_email(
+        email_to=user.email,
+        subject=email_data.subject,
+        html_content=email_data.html_content,
+    )
     return Message(message="Password recovery email sent")
 
 
diff --git a/backend/app/api/routes/users.py b/backend/app/api/routes/users.py
index 0850c929f6..19865908fc 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/routes/users.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/routes/users.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
     UserUpdate,
     UserUpdateMe,
 )
-from app.utils import send_new_account_email
+from app.utils import generate_new_account_email, send_email
 
 router = APIRouter()
 
@@ -61,9 +61,14 @@ def create_user(*, session: SessionDep, user_in: UserCreate) -> Any:
 
     user = crud.create_user(session=session, user_create=user_in)
     if settings.EMAILS_ENABLED and user_in.email:
-        send_new_account_email(
+        email_data = generate_new_account_email(
             email_to=user_in.email, username=user_in.email, password=user_in.password
         )
+        send_email(
+            email_to=user_in.email,
+            subject=email_data.subject,
+            html_content=email_data.html_content,
+        )
     return user
 
 
@@ -185,7 +190,9 @@ def delete_user(
     if not user:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="User not found")
 
-    if (user == current_user and not current_user.is_superuser) or (user != current_user and current_user.is_superuser):
+    if (user == current_user and not current_user.is_superuser) or (
+        user != current_user and current_user.is_superuser
+    ):
         statement = delete(Item).where(Item.owner_id == user_id)
         session.exec(statement)
         session.delete(user)
diff --git a/backend/app/api/routes/utils.py b/backend/app/api/routes/utils.py
index ee8d105fdf..072f948f6a 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/routes/utils.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/routes/utils.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 from app.api.deps import get_current_active_superuser
 from app.core.celery_app import celery_app
 from app.models import Message
-from app.utils import send_test_email
+from app.utils import generate_test_email, send_email
 
 router = APIRouter()
 
@@ -31,5 +31,10 @@ def test_email(email_to: EmailStr) -> Message:
     """
     Test emails.
     """
-    send_test_email(email_to=email_to)
+    email_data = generate_test_email(email_to=email_to)
+    send_email(
+        email_to=email_to,
+        subject=email_data.subject,
+        html_content=email_data.html_content,
+    )
     return Message(message="Test email sent")
diff --git a/backend/app/tests/api/api_v1/test_login.py b/backend/app/tests/api/api_v1/test_login.py
index 5415fd83df..ec099eed44 100644
--- a/backend/app/tests/api/api_v1/test_login.py
+++ b/backend/app/tests/api/api_v1/test_login.py
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ def test_use_access_token(
 def test_recovery_password(
     client: TestClient, normal_user_token_headers: dict[str, str], mocker
 ) -> None:
-    mocker.patch("app.utils.send_reset_password_email", return_value=None)
     mocker.patch("app.utils.send_email", return_value=None)
+    mocker.patch("app.core.config.settings.EMAILS_ENABLED", True)
     email = "test@example.com"
     r = client.post(
         f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/password-recovery/{email}",
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ def test_reset_password(
     r = client.post(
         f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/reset-password/",
         headers=superuser_token_headers,
-        json=data
+        json=data,
     )
     assert r.status_code == 200
     assert r.json() == {"message": "Password updated successfully"}
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def test_reset_password_invalid_token(
     r = client.post(
         f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/reset-password/",
         headers=superuser_token_headers,
-        json=data
+        json=data,
     )
     response = r.json()
 
diff --git a/backend/app/tests/api/api_v1/test_users.py b/backend/app/tests/api/api_v1/test_users.py
index 69b66579a0..ae2138e578 100644
--- a/backend/app/tests/api/api_v1/test_users.py
+++ b/backend/app/tests/api/api_v1/test_users.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def test_get_users_normal_user_me(
 def test_create_user_new_email(
     client: TestClient, superuser_token_headers: dict, db: Session, mocker
 ) -> None:
-    mocker.patch("app.utils.send_new_account_email")
+    mocker.patch("app.utils.send_email")
     mocker.patch("app.core.config.settings.EMAILS_ENABLED", True)
     username = random_email()
     password = random_lower_string()
@@ -68,9 +68,7 @@ def test_get_existing_user(
     assert existing_user.email == api_user["email"]
 
 
-def test_get_existing_user_current_user(
-    client: TestClient, db: Session
-) -> None:
+def test_get_existing_user_current_user(client: TestClient, db: Session) -> None:
     username = random_email()
     password = random_lower_string()
     user_in = UserCreate(email=username, password=password)
@@ -184,7 +182,10 @@ def test_update_password_me(
     client: TestClient, superuser_token_headers: dict, db: Session
 ) -> None:
     new_password = random_lower_string()
-    data = {"current_password": settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD, "new_password": new_password}
+    data = {
+        "current_password": settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD,
+        "new_password": new_password,
+    }
     r = client.patch(
         f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/users/me/password",
         headers=superuser_token_headers,
@@ -195,7 +196,10 @@ def test_update_password_me(
     assert updated_user["message"] == "Password updated successfully"
 
     # Revert to the old password to keep consistency in test
-    old_data = {"current_password": new_password, "new_password": settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD}
+    old_data = {
+        "current_password": new_password,
+        "new_password": settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD,
+    }
     r = client.patch(
         f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/users/me/password",
         headers=superuser_token_headers,
@@ -222,7 +226,10 @@ def test_update_password_me_incorrect_password(
 def test_update_password_me_same_password_error(
     client: TestClient, superuser_token_headers: dict, db: Session
 ) -> None:
-    data = {"current_password": settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD, "new_password": settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD}
+    data = {
+        "current_password": settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD,
+        "new_password": settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD,
+    }
     r = client.patch(
         f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/users/me/password",
         headers=superuser_token_headers,
@@ -230,12 +237,12 @@ def test_update_password_me_same_password_error(
     )
     assert r.status_code == 400
     updated_user = r.json()
-    assert updated_user["detail"] == "New password cannot be the same as the current one"
+    assert (
+        updated_user["detail"] == "New password cannot be the same as the current one"
+    )
 
 
-def test_create_user_open(
-    client: TestClient, mocker
-) -> None:
+def test_create_user_open(client: TestClient, mocker) -> None:
     mocker.patch("app.core.config.settings.USERS_OPEN_REGISTRATION", True)
     username = random_email()
     password = random_lower_string()
@@ -251,9 +258,7 @@ def test_create_user_open(
     assert created_user["full_name"] == full_name
 
 
-def test_create_user_open_forbidden_error(
-    client: TestClient, mocker
-) -> None:
+def test_create_user_open_forbidden_error(client: TestClient, mocker) -> None:
     mocker.patch("app.core.config.settings.USERS_OPEN_REGISTRATION", False)
     username = random_email()
     password = random_lower_string()
@@ -267,19 +272,23 @@ def test_create_user_open_forbidden_error(
     assert r.json()["detail"] == "Open user registration is forbidden on this server"
 
 
-def test_create_user_open_already_exists_error(
-    client: TestClient, mocker
-) -> None:
+def test_create_user_open_already_exists_error(client: TestClient, mocker) -> None:
     mocker.patch("app.core.config.settings.USERS_OPEN_REGISTRATION", True)
     password = random_lower_string()
     full_name = random_lower_string()
-    data = {"email": settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER, "password": password, "full_name": full_name}
+    data = {
+        "email": settings.FIRST_SUPERUSER,
+        "password": password,
+        "full_name": full_name,
+    }
     r = client.post(
         f"{settings.API_V1_STR}/users/open",
         json=data,
     )
     assert r.status_code == 400
-    assert r.json()["detail"] == "The user with this username already exists in the system"
+    assert (
+        r.json()["detail"] == "The user with this username already exists in the system"
+    )
 
 
 def test_update_user(
@@ -311,7 +320,9 @@ def test_update_user_not_exists(
         json=data,
     )
     assert r.status_code == 404
-    assert r.json()["detail"] == "The user with this username does not exist in the system"
+    assert (
+        r.json()["detail"] == "The user with this username does not exist in the system"
+    )
 
 
 def test_delete_user_super_user(
@@ -331,9 +342,7 @@ def test_delete_user_super_user(
     assert deleted_user["message"] == "User deleted successfully"
 
 
-def test_delete_user_current_user(
-    client: TestClient, db: Session
-) -> None:
+def test_delete_user_current_user(client: TestClient, db: Session) -> None:
     username = random_email()
     password = random_lower_string()
     user_in = UserCreate(email=username, password=password)
diff --git a/backend/app/utils.py b/backend/app/utils.py
index 05b75b37c6..ff228cbf14 100644
--- a/backend/app/utils.py
+++ b/backend/app/utils.py
@@ -1,26 +1,38 @@
 import logging
+from dataclasses import dataclass
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any
 
 import emails
-from emails.template import JinjaTemplate
-from jose import jwt
+from jinja2 import Template
+from jose import JWTError, jwt
 
 from app.core.config import settings
 
 
+@dataclass
+class EmailData:
+    html_content: str
+    subject: str
+
+
+def render_email_template(*, template_name: str, context: dict[str, Any]):
+    template_str = (Path(settings.EMAIL_TEMPLATES_DIR) / template_name).read_text()
+    html_content = Template(template_str).render(context)
+    return html_content
+
+
 def send_email(
+    *,
     email_to: str,
-    subject_template: str = "",
-    html_template: str = "",
-    environment: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
+    subject: str = "",
+    html_content: str = "",
 ) -> None:
-    current_environment = environment or {}
     assert settings.EMAILS_ENABLED, "no provided configuration for email variables"
     message = emails.Message(
-        subject=JinjaTemplate(subject_template),
-        html=JinjaTemplate(html_template),
+        subject=subject,
+        html=html_content,
         mail_from=(settings.EMAILS_FROM_NAME, settings.EMAILS_FROM_EMAIL),
     )
     smtp_options = {"host": settings.SMTP_HOST, "port": settings.SMTP_PORT}
@@ -30,35 +42,28 @@ def send_email(
         smtp_options["user"] = settings.SMTP_USER
     if settings.SMTP_PASSWORD:
         smtp_options["password"] = settings.SMTP_PASSWORD
-    response = message.send(to=email_to, render=current_environment, smtp=smtp_options)
+    response = message.send(to=email_to, smtp=smtp_options)
     logging.info(f"send email result: {response}")
 
 
-def send_test_email(email_to: str) -> None:
+def generate_test_email(email_to: str) -> EmailData:
     project_name = settings.PROJECT_NAME
     subject = f"{project_name} - Test email"
-    with open(Path(settings.EMAIL_TEMPLATES_DIR) / "test_email.html") as f:
-        template_str = f.read()
-    send_email(
-        email_to=email_to,
-        subject_template=subject,
-        html_template=template_str,
-        environment={"project_name": settings.PROJECT_NAME, "email": email_to},
+    html_content = render_email_template(
+        template_name="test_email.html",
+        context={"project_name": settings.PROJECT_NAME, "email": email_to},
     )
+    return EmailData(html_content=html_content, subject=subject)
 
 
-def send_reset_password_email(email_to: str, email: str, token: str) -> None:
+def generate_reset_password_email(email_to: str, email: str, token: str) -> EmailData:
     project_name = settings.PROJECT_NAME
     subject = f"{project_name} - Password recovery for user {email}"
-    with open(Path(settings.EMAIL_TEMPLATES_DIR) / "reset_password.html") as f:
-        template_str = f.read()
     server_host = settings.SERVER_HOST
     link = f"{server_host}/reset-password?token={token}"
-    send_email(
-        email_to=email_to,
-        subject_template=subject,
-        html_template=template_str,
-        environment={
+    html_content = render_email_template(
+        template_name="reset_password.html",
+        context={
             "project_name": settings.PROJECT_NAME,
             "username": email,
             "email": email_to,
@@ -66,19 +71,18 @@ def send_reset_password_email(email_to: str, email: str, token: str) -> None:
             "link": link,
         },
     )
+    return EmailData(html_content=html_content, subject=subject)
 
 
-def send_new_account_email(email_to: str, username: str, password: str) -> None:
+def generate_new_account_email(
+    email_to: str, username: str, password: str
+) -> EmailData:
     project_name = settings.PROJECT_NAME
     subject = f"{project_name} - New account for user {username}"
-    with open(Path(settings.EMAIL_TEMPLATES_DIR) / "new_account.html") as f:
-        template_str = f.read()
     link = settings.SERVER_HOST
-    send_email(
-        email_to=email_to,
-        subject_template=subject,
-        html_template=template_str,
-        environment={
+    html_content = render_email_template(
+        template_name="new_account.html",
+        context={
             "project_name": settings.PROJECT_NAME,
             "username": username,
             "password": password,
@@ -86,6 +90,7 @@ def send_new_account_email(email_to: str, username: str, password: str) -> None:
             "link": link,
         },
     )
+    return EmailData(html_content=html_content, subject=subject)
 
 
 def generate_password_reset_token(email: str) -> str:
@@ -105,5 +110,5 @@ def verify_password_reset_token(token: str) -> str | None:
     try:
         decoded_token = jwt.decode(token, settings.SECRET_KEY, algorithms=["HS256"])
         return decoded_token["sub"]
-    except jwt.JWTError:
+    except JWTError:
         return None