 
                     cb()  # we return early, because there is no need to let someone wait for sending the email
 
-                    # do not send email if project doesn't have network access (and user is not a paying customer)
-                    if (not await is_paying_customer(@database, @account_id) and not await project_has_network_access(@database, mesg.project_id))
-                        dbg("NOT send_email invite to #{locals.email_address} -- due to project lacking network access (and user not a customer)")
-                        return
+                    ## do not send email if project doesn't have network access (and user is not a paying customer)
+                    #if (not await is_paying_customer(@database, @account_id) and not await project_has_network_access(@database, mesg.project_id))
+                    #    dbg("NOT send_email invite to #{locals.email_address} -- due to project lacking network access (and user not a customer)")
+                    #    return
+
+                    # we always send invite emails. for non-upgraded projects, we sanitize the content of the body
+                    # ATTN: this must harmonize with smc-webapp/projects → allow_urls_in_emails
+                    # also see mesg_invite_noncloud_collaborators
 
                     dbg("send_email invite to #{locals.email_address}")
                     # available message fields

                        subject  = mesg.subject

                    try
                        email_body = create_email_body(subject, mesg.email, locals.email_address, mesg.title, mesg.link2proj)
                    catch err
                        cb(err)
                        return

                                subject  = mesg.subject

                            try
                                email_body = create_email_body(subject, mesg.email, email_address, mesg.title, mesg.link2proj, await @allow_urls_in_emails())
                            catch err
                                cb(err)
                                return
