diff --git a/mediagoblin/static/css/base.css b/mediagoblin/static/css/base.css
index 2d099526..2073ecb8 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/static/css/base.css
+++ b/mediagoblin/static/css/base.css
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ a {
   color: #999;
 }
 
+a.highlight {
+  color: #fff;
+}
+
 label {
   font-weight: normal;
 }
diff --git a/mediagoblin/templates/mediagoblin/base.html b/mediagoblin/templates/mediagoblin/base.html
index b38ad674..22a691b5 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/templates/mediagoblin/base.html
+++ b/mediagoblin/templates/mediagoblin/base.html
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@
                 <a href="{{ request.urlgen('mediagoblin.user_pages.user_home',
                                             user= request.user['username']) }}">
                   {{ request.user['username'] }}</a>'s account 
+                <!-- the following link should only appear when verification is needed -->
+                <a href="{{ request.urlgen('mediagoblin.user_pages.user_home',
+                                            user= request.user['username']) }}" class="highlight">
+                  needs verification!</a>
                 (<a href="{{ request.urlgen('mediagoblin.auth.logout') }}">logout</a>)
               {% else %}
                  <a href="{{ request.urlgen('mediagoblin.auth.login') }}">
diff --git a/mediagoblin/templates/mediagoblin/user_pages/user.html b/mediagoblin/templates/mediagoblin/user_pages/user.html
index 7ab2031e..b0c1027c 100644
--- a/mediagoblin/templates/mediagoblin/user_pages/user.html
+++ b/mediagoblin/templates/mediagoblin/user_pages/user.html
@@ -26,6 +26,20 @@
 
 {% block mediagoblin_content -%}
   {% if user %}
+    <!-- this is the "Need verification!" box -->
+    <div class="grid_6 prefix_1 suffix_1 form_box">
+      <h1>Verification needed</h1>
+      <!-- this should only be visible when you are this user -->
+      <p>Almost done! Your account still needs to be verified.</p>
+      <p>An email should arrive in a few moments with instructions on how to do so.</p>
+      <p>In case it doesn't:</p>
+      <!-- I don't know whether the following should be a link or an input button, but it should resend the email -->
+      <a href="somewhere" class="button">Resend verification email</a>
+      <!-- this should be visible if you're somebody else or not logged in -->
+      <p>Someone has registered an account with this username, but it still has to be verified.</p>
+      <p>If you are that person but you've lost your verification email, you can <a href="{{ request.urlgen('mediagoblin.auth.login') }}">log in</a> and resend it.</p>
+    </div>
+    {#
     <h1>{{ user.username }}'s profile</h1>
     <div class="grid_6 alpha">
       {% include "mediagoblin/utils/profile.html" %}
@@ -43,6 +57,7 @@
                      user=user.username) }}>atom feed</a>
     </div>
     <div class="clear"></div>
+    #}
   {% else %}
     {# This *should* not occur as the view makes sure we pass in a user. #}
     <p>Sorry, no such user found.<p/>