Several hadronic observables are nowadays computed in lattice QCD with a sub-percent precision which requires the inclusion of strong isospin-breaking and electromagnetic effects. Most of the methods that implement the photon propagator in finite-volume lead to power-law suppressed finite-size effects and do not allow for a straightforward crosscheck against phenomenology and other calculations. Both issues can be avoided by working with a Pauli-Villars regulated photon propagator defined directly in the continuum and infinite volume. This methodology can be profitably exploited to improve the determination of leading-order electromagnetic corrections to several observables such as the HVP or nucleon masses. In this work we apply the strategy to the charged/neutral pion mass difference using CLS ensembles.