diff --git a/roles/web-app-matrix/meta/services.yml b/roles/web-app-matrix/meta/services.yml
index 686073b097..1bca8dd3b9 100644
--- a/roles/web-app-matrix/meta/services.yml
+++ b/roles/web-app-matrix/meta/services.yml
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ element:
   version: v1.12.33
   image: vectorim/element-web
   name: matrix-element
+  force_verification: true
   ports:
     local:
       http: 8022
diff --git a/roles/web-app-matrix/meta/variants.yml b/roles/web-app-matrix/meta/variants.yml
index ef086149db..e42ae62219 100644
--- a/roles/web-app-matrix/meta/variants.yml
+++ b/roles/web-app-matrix/meta/variants.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
       shared: false
     container_backup:
       enabled: true
+    element:
+      force_verification: false
     matrix:
       flavor: ansible
     n8n:
@@ -125,6 +127,8 @@
     container_backup:
       enabled: false
       shared: false # nocheck: variants-static-override backup shared stays literally true
+    element:
+      force_verification: false
     matrix:
       flavor: compose
     n8n:
diff --git a/roles/web-app-matrix/templates/flavor/ansible/vars.yml.j2 b/roles/web-app-matrix/templates/flavor/ansible/vars.yml.j2
index c1bf62cec7..709ae34af5 100644
--- a/roles/web-app-matrix/templates/flavor/ansible/vars.yml.j2
+++ b/roles/web-app-matrix/templates/flavor/ansible/vars.yml.j2
@@ -153,8 +153,8 @@ matrix_client_element_branding_auth_header_logo_url: {{ MATRIX_DESIGN_LOGO_URL |
 {% endif %}
 {% if MATRIX_DESIGN_ENABLED | bool %}
 matrix_client_element_branding_welcome_background_url: ""
-matrix_client_element_configuration_extension_json: '{"default_theme": null}'
 {% endif %}
+matrix_client_element_configuration_extension_json: {{ ({'force_verification': MATRIX_ELEMENT_FORCE_VERIFICATION | bool} | combine({'default_theme': none} if MATRIX_DESIGN_ENABLED | bool else {})) | to_json | to_json }}
 matrix_synapse_configuration_extension_yaml: |
   web_client_location: "{{ lookup('canonical_url', application_id, 'element') }}"
 
diff --git a/roles/web-app-matrix/templates/flavor/compose/element.config.json.j2 b/roles/web-app-matrix/templates/flavor/compose/element.config.json.j2
index 64e55b8991..b29bccd034 100644
--- a/roles/web-app-matrix/templates/flavor/compose/element.config.json.j2
+++ b/roles/web-app-matrix/templates/flavor/compose/element.config.json.j2
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
     "bug_report_endpoint_url": "https://element.io/bugreports/submit", {# nocheck: url #}
     "uisi_autorageshake_app": "element-auto-uisi",
     "show_labs_settings": true,
+    "force_verification": {{ MATRIX_ELEMENT_FORCE_VERIFICATION | bool | to_json }},
     "room_directory": {
         "servers": ["matrix.org", "gitter.im", "libera.chat"]
     },
diff --git a/roles/web-app-matrix/vars/main.yml b/roles/web-app-matrix/vars/main.yml
index d577af1aa4..900108fa9c 100644
--- a/roles/web-app-matrix/vars/main.yml
+++ b/roles/web-app-matrix/vars/main.yml
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ MATRIX_ELEMENT_DOMAIN: "{{ lookup('domains', application_id).element }}"
 MATRIX_ELEMENT_PORT: "{{ lookup('config', 'web-app-matrix', 'services.element.ports.local.http') }}"
 MATRIX_ELEMENT_CONTAINER_PORT: "{{ lookup('config', application_id, 'services.element.ports.internal.http') }}"
 MATRIX_ELEMENT_CONFIG_PATH_HOST: "{{ [ lookup('container', application_id, 'directories.config'), 'element-config.json' ] | path_join }}"
+MATRIX_ELEMENT_FORCE_VERIFICATION: "{{ lookup('config', application_id, 'services.element.force_verification') | bool }}"
 
 MATRIX_DESIGN_ENABLED: "{{ lookup('config', application_id, 'services.design.enabled') | bool }}"
 MATRIX_DESIGN_TITLE: "{{ (lookup('design', application_id).title or '') if MATRIX_DESIGN_ENABLED | bool else '' }}"