diff --git a/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt b/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
index d801d3bb8..b0d5d12b0 100644
--- a/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
+++ b/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 7.7.1
+ - rfe #9353: Welcome message template
 
 7.7.0
  - fixed #9913: New Content Side Bar missing in Asset window
diff --git a/docs/upgrades/packages-7.7.1/root_import_auth_webgui_create_default-webgui-welcome-message-template.wgpkg b/docs/upgrades/packages-7.7.1/root_import_auth_webgui_create_default-webgui-welcome-message-template.wgpkg
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..868b4da2b
Binary files /dev/null and b/docs/upgrades/packages-7.7.1/root_import_auth_webgui_create_default-webgui-welcome-message-template.wgpkg differ
diff --git a/docs/upgrades/upgrade_7.7.0-7.7.1.pl b/docs/upgrades/upgrade_7.7.0-7.7.1.pl
index 1bfaeb404..743274c68 100644
--- a/docs/upgrades/upgrade_7.7.0-7.7.1.pl
+++ b/docs/upgrades/upgrade_7.7.0-7.7.1.pl
@@ -32,8 +32,17 @@ my $session = start(); # this line required
 
 # upgrade functions go here
 
+addWelcomeMessageTemplateToSettings( $session );
+
 finish($session); # this line required
 
+sub addWelcomeMessageTemplateToSettings {
+    my $session = shift;
+    print "\tAdding welcome message template to settings \n" unless $quiet;
+
+    $session->db->write("insert into settings values ('webguiWelcomeMessageTemplate', 'PBtmpl0000000000000015');");
+    print "Done.\n" unless $quiet;
+}
 
 #----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Describe what our function does
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Auth.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Auth.pm
index b39f72804..dbfec3184 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Auth.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Auth.pm
@@ -298,11 +298,14 @@ sub createAccountSave {
     $self->saveParams($userId,$self->authMethod,$properties);
 
 	if ($self->getSetting("sendWelcomeMessage")){
-		my $authInfo = "\n\n".$i18n->get(50).": ".$username;
-		$authInfo .= "\n".$i18n->get(51).": ".$password if($password);
-		$authInfo .= "\n\n";
-		WebGUI::Inbox->new($self->session)->addMessage({
-			message	=> $self->getSetting("welcomeMessage").$authInfo,
+        my $var;
+        $var->{welcomeMessage}      = $self->getSetting("welcomeMessage");
+        $var->{newUser_username}    = $username;
+        $var->{newUser_password}    = $password;
+        my $message = WebGUI::Asset::Template->new($self->session,$self->getSetting('welcomeMessageTemplate'))->process($var);
+        WebGUI::Macro::process($self->session,\$message);
+        WebGUI::Inbox->new($self->session)->addMessage({
+            message => $message,
 			subject	=> $i18n->get(870),
 			userId	=> $self->userId,
             status  => 'completed',
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Auth/WebGUI.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Auth/WebGUI.pm
index a0bc70e45..f8f0043c0 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Auth/WebGUI.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Auth/WebGUI.pm
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ sub editUserSettingsForm {
         -label     => $i18n->get(868,'WebGUI'),
         -hoverHelp => $i18n->get('868 help','WebGUI'),
     );
-    $f->textarea(
+    $f->HTMLArea(
         -name      => "webguiWelcomeMessage",
         -value     => $self->session->setting->get("webguiWelcomeMessage"),
         -label     => $i18n->get(869,'WebGUI'),
@@ -577,6 +577,13 @@ sub editUserSettingsForm {
 		-label     => $i18n->get("password recovery template"),
 		-hoverHelp => $i18n->get("password recovery template help")
     );
+    $f->template(
+        -name      => "webguiWelcomeMessageTemplate",
+        -value     => $self->session->setting->get("webguiWelcomeMessageTemplate"),
+        -namespace => "Auth/WebGUI/Welcome",
+        -label     => $i18n->get("welcome message template"),
+        -hoverHelp => $i18n->get("welcome message template help")
+    );
     $f->template(
         -name      => "webguiAccountActivationTemplate",
         -value     => $self->session->setting->get("webguiAccountActivationTemplate"),
@@ -635,6 +642,7 @@ sub editUserSettingsFormSave {
 	$s->set("webguiExpiredPasswordTemplate", $f->process("webguiExpiredPasswordTemplate","template"));
 	$s->set("webguiLoginTemplate", $f->process("webguiLoginTemplate","template"));
 	$s->set("webguiPasswordRecoveryTemplate", $f->process("webguiPasswordRecoveryTemplate","template"));
+    $s->set("webguiWelcomeMessageTemplate", $f->process("webguiWelcomeMessageTemplate","template"));
     $s->set("webguiAccountActivationTemplate", $f->process("webguiAccountActivationTemplate","template")); 
 
     if (@errors) {
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Help/AuthWebGUI.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Help/AuthWebGUI.pm
index 6103b6cea..9eb272195 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Help/AuthWebGUI.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Help/AuthWebGUI.pm
@@ -163,6 +163,18 @@ our $HELP = {
         related   => [],
     },
 
+    'webgui welcome message template' => {
+        title => 'welcome message template title',
+        body  => '',
+        variables => [
+            { 'name' => 'welcomeMessage' },
+            { 'name' => 'newUser_username' },
+            { 'name' => 'newUser_password' },
+        ],
+        fields  => [],
+        related => []
+    },
+
     'account activation template' => {
         title => 'account activation template title',
         body  => '',
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Inbox/Message.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Inbox/Message.pm
index 9cbcfbd19..fb6bf0b96 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Inbox/Message.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Inbox/Message.pm
@@ -163,14 +163,9 @@ sub create {
             $preface = sprintf($i18n->get('from user preface'), $fromUser->username);
         }
         my $msg = (defined $properties->{emailMessage}) ? $properties->{emailMessage} : $self->{_properties}{message};
-		if ($msg =~ m/\<.*\>/) {
-            $msg = '<p>' . $preface . '</p><br />'.$msg if($preface ne "");
-			$mail->addHtml($msg);
-		} else {
-            $msg = $preface."\n\n".$msg if($preface ne "");
-			$mail->addText($msg);
-		}
-		$mail->addFooter;
+		$msg = '<p>' . $preface . '</p><br />'.$msg if($preface ne "");
+        $mail->addHtml($msg);
+        $mail->addFooter;
 		$mail->queue;
 	}
 	$self->{_session} = $session;
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/i18n/English/AuthWebGUI.pm b/lib/WebGUI/i18n/English/AuthWebGUI.pm
index 39ec97a98..e15756d17 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/i18n/English/AuthWebGUI.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/i18n/English/AuthWebGUI.pm
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ our $I18N = {
     'account activation template title' => {
         message => q|WebGUI Authentication Account Activation Mail Template|,
         lastUpdated => 1230600500,
-        context => q|The title of the help page for the webgui auth welcome message template.|,
+        context => q|The title of the help page for the webgui auth account activition mail template.|,
     },
 
     'account activation template' => {
@@ -84,7 +84,33 @@ our $I18N = {
         message => q|The url to activate the newly created account.|,
         lastUpdated => 1230600500,
     },
- 
+
+    'welcome message template title' => {
+        message => q|WebGUI Authentication Welcome Message Template|,
+        lastUpdated => 0,
+        context => q|The title of the help page for the webgui auth welcome message template.|,
+    },
+
+    'welcome message template' => {
+        message => q|Welcome Message Template|,
+        lastUpdated => 0,
+        context => q|The label for the 'welcome message template' field on the Authentication tab of the Settings
+screen.|,
+    },
+
+    'welcome message template help' => {
+        message => q|Select a template for the welcome message that is sent to new users.|,
+        lastUpdated => 0,
+        context => q|The description of the 'welcome message template' field on the Authentication tab of the
+Settings screen, displayed as hoverhelp.|,
+    },
+
+    'welcomeMessage' => {
+        message => q|The welcome message as defined in the authentication settings.|,
+        lastUpdated => 0,
+        context => q|Description of the welcomeMessage tmpl_var for the template help.|,
+    },
+
 	'use captcha' => {
 		message => q|Use captcha image?|,
 		lastUpdated => 1078852836
@@ -764,6 +790,12 @@ our $I18N = {
         message     => 'Username of registering user',
     },
 
+    'newUser_password' => {
+        message => q|The password for the newly created account.|,
+        lastUpdated => 0,
+        context => q|Description of the newUser_password tmpl_var for the template help.|,
+    },
+
 };
 
 1;