diff --git a/app/mailbox_utils.py b/app/mailbox_utils.py
index 194995679..bc7f86b6e 100644
--- a/app/mailbox_utils.py
+++ b/app/mailbox_utils.py
@@ -37,8 +37,9 @@ def __init__(self):
 
 
 class CannotVerifyError(MailboxError):
-    def __init__(self, msg: str):
+    def __init__(self, msg: str, deleted_activation_code: bool = False):
         self.msg = msg
+        self.deleted_activation_code = deleted_activation_code
 
 
 MAX_ACTIVATION_TRIES = 3
@@ -196,7 +197,10 @@ def verify_mailbox_code(user: User, mailbox_id: int, code: str) -> Mailbox:
     if activation.tries >= MAX_ACTIVATION_TRIES:
         LOG.i(f"User {user} failed to verify mailbox {mailbox_id} more than 3 times")
         clear_activation_codes_for_mailbox(mailbox)
-        raise CannotVerifyError("Invalid activation code. Please request another code.")
+        raise CannotVerifyError(
+            "Invalid activation code. Please request another code.",
+            deleted_activation_code=True,
+        )
     if activation.created_at < arrow.now().shift(minutes=-15):
         LOG.i(
             f"User {user} failed to verify mailbox {mailbox_id} because code is too old"
diff --git a/tests/test_mailbox_utils.py b/tests/test_mailbox_utils.py
index 030bf1301..d716b3135 100644
--- a/tests/test_mailbox_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_mailbox_utils.py
@@ -314,10 +314,13 @@ def test_verify_too_may():
     output = mailbox_utils.create_mailbox(user, random_email())
     output.activation.tries = mailbox_utils.MAX_ACTIVATION_TRIES
     Session.commit()
-    with pytest.raises(mailbox_utils.CannotVerifyError):
+    try:
         mailbox_utils.verify_mailbox_code(
             user, output.mailbox.id, output.activation.code
         )
+        assert False
+    except mailbox_utils.CannotVerifyError as e:
+        assert e.deleted_activation_code
 
 
 @mail_sender.store_emails_test_decorator