diff --git a/certbot/account.py b/certbot/account.py
index cc50a6ea6..5e0d4f2fd 100644
--- a/certbot/account.py
+++ b/certbot/account.py
@@ -186,16 +186,29 @@ class AccountFileStorage(interfaces.AccountStorage):
         return acc
 
     def save(self, account):
+        self._save(account, regr_only=False)
+
+    def save_regr(self, account):
+        """Save the registration resource.
+
+        :param Account account: account whose regr should be saved
+
+        """
+        self._save(account, regr_only=True)
+
+    def _save(self, account, regr_only):
         account_dir_path = self._account_dir_path(account.id)
         le_util.make_or_verify_dir(account_dir_path, 0o700, os.geteuid(),
                                    self.config.strict_permissions)
         try:
             with open(self._regr_path(account_dir_path), "w") as regr_file:
                 regr_file.write(account.regr.json_dumps())
-            with le_util.safe_open(self._key_path(account_dir_path),
-                                   "w", chmod=0o400) as key_file:
-                key_file.write(account.key.json_dumps())
-            with open(self._metadata_path(account_dir_path), "w") as metadata_file:
-                metadata_file.write(account.meta.json_dumps())
+            if not regr_only:
+                with le_util.safe_open(self._key_path(account_dir_path),
+                                       "w", chmod=0o400) as key_file:
+                    key_file.write(account.key.json_dumps())
+                with open(self._metadata_path(
+                        account_dir_path), "w") as metadata_file:
+                    metadata_file.write(account.meta.json_dumps())
         except IOError as error:
             raise errors.AccountStorageError(error)
diff --git a/certbot/tests/account_test.py b/certbot/tests/account_test.py
index a96e57507..4cd2bfebf 100644
--- a/certbot/tests/account_test.py
+++ b/certbot/tests/account_test.py
@@ -137,6 +137,16 @@ class AccountFileStorageTest(unittest.TestCase):
         # restore
         self.assertEqual(self.acc, self.storage.load(self.acc.id))
 
+    def test_save_regr(self):
+        self.storage.save_regr(self.acc)
+        account_path = os.path.join(self.config.accounts_dir, self.acc.id)
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(account_path))
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(os.path.join(
+            account_path, "regr.json")))
+        for file_name in "meta.json", "private_key.json":
+            self.assertFalse(os.path.exists(
+                os.path.join(account_path, file_name)))
+
     def test_find_all(self):
         self.storage.save(self.acc)
         self.assertEqual([self.acc], self.storage.find_all())