diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4d1596a..3977d9e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ smtp/
 |---|---|---|
 | `user.created` | yes | `user_id`, `username`, `full_name`, `email?` |
 | `user.password_reset` | yes | `user_id`, `username`, `full_name`, `email?` |
-| `notification.assigned` | no (default on) | `recipient_user_id`, `recipient_email?`, `recipient_name`, `actor_name`, `link_url` |
+| `notification.assigned` | no (default on) | `recipient_account_id`, `recipient_email?`, `recipient_name`, `actor_name`, `link_url` |
 | `notification.mentioned` | no (default on) | same shape as `notification.assigned` |
 | `notification.doc_mentioned` | no (default on) | same shape as `notification.assigned` |
 | `notification.task_description_mentioned` | no (default on) | same shape as `notification.assigned` |
diff --git a/backend/events.go b/backend/events.go
index 3eca068..9580023 100644
--- a/backend/events.go
+++ b/backend/events.go
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ type passwordSetEventPayload struct {
 // plugin treats that as "nothing to do" and no-ops, per the event-handling
 // switch below.
 type notificationPayload struct {
-	RecipientUserID string `json:"recipient_user_id"`
-	RecipientEmail  string `json:"recipient_email"`
-	RecipientName   string `json:"recipient_name"`
-	ActorName       string `json:"actor_name"`
-	LinkURL         string `json:"link_url"`
+	RecipientAccountID string `json:"recipient_account_id"`
+	RecipientEmail     string `json:"recipient_email"`
+	RecipientName      string `json:"recipient_name"`
+	ActorName          string `json:"actor_name"`
+	LinkURL            string `json:"link_url"`
 	// EntityTitle is the title of the task (assigned/mentioned/
 	// task_description_mentioned) or document (doc_mentioned) the
 	// notification is about. May be empty — an older core that predates the
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func (p *smtpPlugin) handleEvent(topic string) plugin.EventHandler {
 		// immediately for every email sent afterward.
 		branding, _ := plugin.GetBranding()
 
-		var recipientUserID, recipientEmail, recipientName, subject, htmlBody, textBody string
+		var recipientAccountID, recipientEmail, recipientName, subject, htmlBody, textBody string
 
 		switch topic {
 		case topicUserCreated, topicUserPasswordReset:
@@ -83,28 +83,28 @@ func (p *smtpPlugin) handleEvent(topic string) plugin.EventHandler {
 			// configured, mandatory topic) that it's actually going to
 			// deliver a set-password link.
 			token, err := p.issuePasswordSetToken(data.UserID) //nolint:staticcheck // SA4023: native (!wasip1) stub always errors; wasip1 build can return nil
-			if err != nil { //nolint:staticcheck // SA4023: native (!wasip1) stub always errors; wasip1 build can return nil
+			if err != nil {                                    //nolint:staticcheck // SA4023: native (!wasip1) stub always errors; wasip1 build can return nil
 				p.log.Error("handleEvent(" + topic + "): issue password set token: " + err.Error())
 				return
 			}
 			publicURL, _ := p.cfg.Get("PUBLIC_URL")
 			inviteURL := strings.TrimRight(publicURL, "/") + "/set-password?token=" + token
 
-			recipientUserID, recipientEmail, recipientName = data.UserID, data.Email, data.FullName
+			recipientAccountID, recipientEmail, recipientName = data.UserID, data.Email, data.FullName
 			subject, htmlBody, textBody = renderPasswordSetEmail(branding, topic, data, inviteURL)
 		case topicNotificationAssigned, topicNotificationMentioned, topicNotificationDocMentioned, topicNotificationTaskDescMentioned:
 			data, err := plugin.JSONPayload[notificationPayload](evt)
 			if err != nil || data.RecipientEmail == "" {
 				return
 			}
-			recipientUserID, recipientEmail, recipientName = data.RecipientUserID, data.RecipientEmail, data.RecipientName
+			recipientAccountID, recipientEmail, recipientName = data.RecipientAccountID, data.RecipientEmail, data.RecipientName
 			subject, htmlBody, textBody = renderNotificationEmail(branding, topic, data)
 		default:
 			return
 		}
 
 		if !mandatory {
-			disabled, err := p.loadUserPreferences(recipientUserID)
+			disabled, err := p.loadUserPreferences(recipientAccountID)
 			if err == nil && containsString(disabled, topic) {
 				return
 			}
diff --git a/backend/plugin_test.go b/backend/plugin_test.go
index 99bb067..03b1df1 100644
--- a/backend/plugin_test.go
+++ b/backend/plugin_test.go
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ func TestHandleEvent_Notification_SkipsWhenRecipientOptedOut(t *testing.T) {
 
 	before := len(tc.Log.Entries())
 	payload, _ := json.Marshal(notificationPayload{
-		RecipientUserID: "u2", RecipientEmail: "u2@example.com", RecipientName: "U2",
+		RecipientAccountID: "u2", RecipientEmail: "u2@example.com", RecipientName: "U2",
 		ActorName: "Alice", LinkURL: "https://paca.example.com/tasks/1",
 	})
 	if ok := plugin.DispatchEvent(tc.PluginContext(), topicNotificationAssigned, payload); !ok {
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ func TestHandleEvent_Notification_ReachesSendBoundary(t *testing.T) {
 		`["notification.assigned"]`)
 
 	payload, _ := json.Marshal(notificationPayload{
-		RecipientUserID: "u2", RecipientEmail: "u2@example.com", RecipientName: "U2",
+		RecipientAccountID: "u2", RecipientEmail: "u2@example.com", RecipientName: "U2",
 		ActorName: "Alice", LinkURL: "https://paca.example.com/tasks/1",
 	})
 	if ok := plugin.DispatchEvent(tc.PluginContext(), topicNotificationAssigned, payload); !ok {
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ func TestHandleEvent_Notification_NoOpWhenRecipientEmailMissing(t *testing.T) {
 		`["notification.mentioned"]`)
 
 	before := len(tc.Log.Entries())
-	payload, _ := json.Marshal(notificationPayload{RecipientUserID: "u3", ActorName: "Alice"})
+	payload, _ := json.Marshal(notificationPayload{RecipientAccountID: "u3", ActorName: "Alice"})
 	if ok := plugin.DispatchEvent(tc.PluginContext(), topicNotificationMentioned, payload); !ok {
 		t.Fatal("expected notification.mentioned handler to be registered")
 	}