diff --git a/e2e-tests/full-flow.spec.ts b/e2e-tests/full-flow.spec.ts
index 3ae774e..3118329 100644
--- a/e2e-tests/full-flow.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e-tests/full-flow.spec.ts
@@ -138,6 +138,26 @@ test.describe.serial("authenticated admin journey", () => {
     await expect(page.locator("tr", { hasText: email })).toHaveCount(0);
   });
 
+  // Kratos accepts an admin-minted code only in the flow it was minted on, which the notice's link opens.
+  test("recovery code: the notice's link opens the flow that accepts the code, and the code signs the user in", async () => {
+    test.setTimeout(90_000);
+    const email = `admin-recovery-${suffix}@plainpages.local`;
+    await createIdentity(email);
+    await page.goto("/admin/users");
+    const editHref = await page.locator("tr", { hasText: email }).locator('a[href^="/admin/users/"]').first().getAttribute("href");
+    await page.goto(editHref!);
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Generate recovery code" }).click();
+    const code = await page.locator(".recovery-code code").innerText();
+    const link = await page.locator(".alert-body a").getAttribute("href");
+
+    const user = await watchedPage(await browser.newContext());
+    await user.goto(link!);
+    await user.fill('input[name="code"]', code);
+    await user.getByRole("button", { name: "Continue" }).click();
+    await expect(user).toHaveURL(/\/settings/);
+    await user.context().close();
+  });
+
   test("groups CRUD: create a group (writes go to Keto), see it listed, then grant it a permission", async ({ browser }) => {
     // A Keto set exists only while it has ≥1 member, so create needs a first member (the form
     // enforces it); pick the first option (a user) from the required picker.
diff --git a/src/auth/kratos-admin.test.ts b/src/auth/kratos-admin.test.ts
index 69a7278..b9c6d4f 100644
--- a/src/auth/kratos-admin.test.ts
+++ b/src/auth/kratos-admin.test.ts
@@ -100,9 +100,9 @@ test("updateMetadataPublic PATCHes a JSON-Patch `add /metadata_public` so it nev
 });
 
 test("createRecoveryCode POSTs the identity id to /admin/recovery/code → { code, link }", async () => {
-  const { calls, fetchImpl } = recorder(() => res(200, { recovery_code: "123456", recovery_link: "http://kratos/self-service/recovery?flow=f&code=123456" }));
+  const { calls, fetchImpl } = recorder(() => res(200, { recovery_code: "123456", recovery_link: "http://kratos/self-service/recovery?flow=f" }));
   const out = await createKratosAdmin({ baseUrl: BASE, fetchImpl }).createRecoveryCode(ID);
-  assert.deepEqual(out, { code: "123456", link: "http://kratos/self-service/recovery?flow=f&code=123456" });
+  assert.deepEqual(out, { code: "123456", link: "http://kratos/self-service/recovery?flow=f" });
   assert.equal(calls[0]!.method, "POST");
   assert.match(calls[0]!.url, /\/admin\/recovery\/code$/);
   assert.deepEqual(JSON.parse(calls[0]!.body!), { identity_id: ID });
diff --git a/src/auth/kratos-admin.ts b/src/auth/kratos-admin.ts
index 1ef631a..52c67dc 100644
--- a/src/auth/kratos-admin.ts
+++ b/src/auth/kratos-admin.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export interface ListOptions {
   pageToken?: string;
 }
 
-// A one-time recovery code + the self-service link wrapping it (admin "trigger recovery").
+// A one-time recovery code + the URL of the recovery flow it was minted on, the only flow that accepts it.
 export interface RecoveryCode {
   code: string;
   link: string;
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ export function createKratosAdmin(config: { baseUrl: string; fetchImpl?: typeof
       return (await res.json()) as Identity;
     },
 
-    // Mint a recovery code for an identity (admin "trigger recovery") — the link is mailed to the
-    // user by Kratos; the code/link are also returned so an operator can hand them over directly.
+    // Mint a recovery code for an identity (admin "trigger recovery"). Kratos mails nothing, so the
+    // operator hands the code and link to the user.
     async createRecoveryCode(userId, opts = {}) {
       const body: Record<string, unknown> = { identity_id: userId };
       if (opts.expiresIn) body.expires_in = opts.expiresIn;