diff --git a/server/lib/oauthUsers.js b/server/lib/oauthUsers.js
index 1e3252b..4bd9a02 100644
--- a/server/lib/oauthUsers.js
+++ b/server/lib/oauthUsers.js
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ function formatUserResponse(user) {
 async function linkOAuthProvider(userId, provider, providerId, opts = {}) {
   const pool = require('../db')
   const idColumn = provider === 'google' ? 'google_id' : 'github_id'
+  const providerEmail = opts.email?.toLowerCase()
 
   const taken = await pool.query(
     `SELECT id FROM users WHERE ${idColumn} = $1 AND id != $2`,
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ async function linkOAuthProvider(userId, provider, providerId, opts = {}) {
   }
 
   const current = await pool.query(
-    `SELECT google_id, github_id FROM users WHERE id = $1`,
+    `SELECT email, google_id, github_id FROM users WHERE id = $1`,
     [userId]
   )
   if (current.rows[0]?.[idColumn]) {
@@ -70,7 +71,11 @@ async function linkOAuthProvider(userId, provider, providerId, opts = {}) {
     updates.push(`email = COALESCE(email, $${param++})`)
     values.push(opts.email)
   }
-  if (opts.emailVerified) {
+  const canVerifyStoredEmail = opts.email && opts.emailVerified && (
+    !current.rows[0]?.email ||
+    current.rows[0].email.toLowerCase() === providerEmail
+  )
+  if (canVerifyStoredEmail) {
     updates.push(`email_verified = CASE WHEN $${param++} THEN true ELSE email_verified END`)
     values.push(true)
   }
diff --git a/server/middleware/requireVerifiedEmail.js b/server/middleware/requireVerifiedEmail.js
index ad0de07..8ae7816 100644
--- a/server/middleware/requireVerifiedEmail.js
+++ b/server/middleware/requireVerifiedEmail.js
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 const pool = require('../db')
 
 /**
- * Blocks posting for local email/password users until email is verified.
- * OAuth and ORCID-linked users may post without email verification.
+ * Blocks posting until the account's stored email identity is verified.
  */
 async function requireVerifiedEmail(req, res, next) {
   try {
     const result = await pool.query(
-      `SELECT email_verified, google_id, github_id, orcid_id
-       FROM users WHERE id = $1`,
+      'SELECT email_verified FROM users WHERE id = $1',
       [req.user.userId]
     )
     const user = result.rows[0]
@@ -16,10 +14,6 @@ async function requireVerifiedEmail(req, res, next) {
       return res.status(401).json({ error: 'Unauthorized' })
     }
 
-    if (user.google_id || user.github_id || user.orcid_id) {
-      return next()
-    }
-
     if (!user.email_verified) {
       return res.status(403).json({
         error: 'Please verify your email before posting',
diff --git a/server/tests/auth-verify.test.js b/server/tests/auth-verify.test.js
index c612787..a8d8a02 100644
--- a/server/tests/auth-verify.test.js
+++ b/server/tests/auth-verify.test.js
@@ -70,6 +70,21 @@ describe('Email verification flow', () => {
     expect(res.body.code).toBe('EMAIL_UNVERIFIED')
   })
 
+  it('still blocks posting when an unverified user links an OAuth provider', async () => {
+    await pool.query(
+      'UPDATE users SET google_id = $1 WHERE id = $2',
+      [`google_verify_${ts}`, userId]
+    )
+
+    const res = await request(app)
+      .post(`/discussions/${discussionId}/comments`)
+      .set('Cookie', cookie)
+      .send({ body: 'OAuth link should not bypass email verification' })
+
+    expect(res.status).toBe(403)
+    expect(res.body.code).toBe('EMAIL_UNVERIFIED')
+  })
+
   it('allows posting after email verification', async () => {
     const rawToken = crypto.randomBytes(32).toString('hex')
     await pool.query(
diff --git a/server/tests/oauth-users.test.js b/server/tests/oauth-users.test.js
index ae58a24..5a00b81 100644
--- a/server/tests/oauth-users.test.js
+++ b/server/tests/oauth-users.test.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ jest.mock('../db', () => ({
 
 const db = require('../db')
 const { findOrCreateOAuthUser } = require('../routes/google')
+const { linkOAuthProvider } = require('../lib/oauthUsers')
 
 beforeEach(() => {
   db.query.mockReset()
@@ -116,3 +117,58 @@ describe('findOrCreateOAuthUser', () => {
     expect(db.query).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
   })
 })
+
+describe('linkOAuthProvider', () => {
+  it('does not verify an existing account email with a different provider email', async () => {
+    db.query
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ rows: [] })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        rows: [{
+          email: 'local@example.com',
+          google_id: null,
+          github_id: null,
+        }],
+      })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ rows: [] })
+
+    await linkOAuthProvider('user-1', 'google', 'google-1', {
+      email: 'provider@example.com',
+      emailVerified: true,
+    })
+
+    expect(db.query).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)
+    expect(db.query.mock.calls[2][0]).not.toContain('email_verified')
+    expect(db.query.mock.calls[2][1]).toEqual([
+      'google-1',
+      'provider@example.com',
+      'user-1',
+    ])
+  })
+
+  it('verifies the stored account email when the provider confirms the same email', async () => {
+    db.query
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ rows: [] })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        rows: [{
+          email: 'local@example.com',
+          google_id: null,
+          github_id: null,
+        }],
+      })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ rows: [] })
+
+    await linkOAuthProvider('user-1', 'google', 'google-1', {
+      email: 'LOCAL@example.com',
+      emailVerified: true,
+    })
+
+    expect(db.query).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)
+    expect(db.query.mock.calls[2][0]).toContain('email_verified')
+    expect(db.query.mock.calls[2][1]).toEqual([
+      'google-1',
+      'LOCAL@example.com',
+      true,
+      'user-1',
+    ])
+  })
+})