diff --git a/certbot/tests/client_test.py b/certbot/tests/client_test.py
index 0219cb0f3..118470214 100644
--- a/certbot/tests/client_test.py
+++ b/certbot/tests/client_test.py
@@ -60,8 +60,6 @@ class RegisterTest(test_util.ConfigTestCase):
         self.config.register_unsafely_without_email = False
         self.config.email = "alias@example.com"
         self.account_storage = account.AccountMemoryStorage()
-        self.config.eab_hmac_key = "hmac-key-for-testing"
-        self.config.eab_kid = "kid-for-testing"
 
     def _call(self):
         from certbot.client import register
@@ -75,14 +73,19 @@ class RegisterTest(test_util.ConfigTestCase):
         return m
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _directory_getitem_mock(input):
-        return "/acme/new-account"
+    def _directory_mock(ea_required):
+        def _directory_getitem_mock(input):
+            if input == "meta":
+                return {'externalAccountRequired': ea_required}
+            else:
+                return "/acme/new-account"
+
+        return _directory_getitem_mock
 
     def test_no_tos(self):
         with mock.patch("certbot.client.acme_client.BackwardsCompatibleClientV2") as mock_client:
             mock_client.new_account_and_tos().terms_of_service = "http://tos"
-            mock_client().client.net.key.public_key = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._public_key_mock)
-            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_getitem_mock)
+            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_mock(False))
             with mock.patch("certbot.eff.handle_subscription") as mock_handle:
                 with mock.patch("certbot.account.report_new_account"):
                     mock_client().new_account_and_tos.side_effect = errors.Error
@@ -95,8 +98,7 @@ class RegisterTest(test_util.ConfigTestCase):
 
     def test_it(self):
         with mock.patch("certbot.client.acme_client.BackwardsCompatibleClientV2") as mock_client:
-            mock_client().client.net.key.public_key = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._public_key_mock)
-            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_getitem_mock)
+            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_mock(False))
             with mock.patch("certbot.account.report_new_account"):
                 with mock.patch("certbot.eff.handle_subscription"):
                     self._call()
@@ -109,8 +111,7 @@ class RegisterTest(test_util.ConfigTestCase):
         msg = "DNS problem: NXDOMAIN looking up MX for example.com"
         mx_err = messages.Error.with_code('invalidContact', detail=msg)
         with mock.patch("certbot.client.acme_client.BackwardsCompatibleClientV2") as mock_client:
-            mock_client().client.net.key.public_key = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._public_key_mock)
-            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_getitem_mock)
+            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_mock(False))
             with mock.patch("certbot.eff.handle_subscription") as mock_handle:
                 mock_client().new_account_and_tos.side_effect = [mx_err, mock.MagicMock()]
                 self._call()
@@ -124,8 +125,7 @@ class RegisterTest(test_util.ConfigTestCase):
         msg = "DNS problem: NXDOMAIN looking up MX for example.com"
         mx_err = messages.Error.with_code('invalidContact', detail=msg)
         with mock.patch("certbot.client.acme_client.BackwardsCompatibleClientV2") as mock_client:
-            mock_client().client.net.key.public_key = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._public_key_mock)
-            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_getitem_mock)
+            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_mock(False))
             with mock.patch("certbot.eff.handle_subscription"):
                 mock_client().new_account_and_tos.side_effect = [mx_err, mock.MagicMock()]
                 self.assertRaises(errors.Error, self._call)
@@ -138,8 +138,7 @@ class RegisterTest(test_util.ConfigTestCase):
     def test_without_email(self, mock_logger):
         with mock.patch("certbot.eff.handle_subscription") as mock_handle:
             with mock.patch("certbot.client.acme_client.BackwardsCompatibleClientV2") as mock_client:
-                mock_client().client.net.key.public_key = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._public_key_mock)
-                mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_getitem_mock)
+                mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_mock(False))
                 with mock.patch("certbot.account.report_new_account"):
                     self.config.email = None
                     self.config.register_unsafely_without_email = True
@@ -153,8 +152,7 @@ class RegisterTest(test_util.ConfigTestCase):
     def test_dry_run_no_staging_account(self, _rep, mock_get_email):
         """Tests dry-run for no staging account, expect account created with no email"""
         with mock.patch("certbot.client.acme_client.BackwardsCompatibleClientV2") as mock_client:
-            mock_client().client.net.key.public_key = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._public_key_mock)
-            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_getitem_mock)
+            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_mock(False))
             with mock.patch("certbot.eff.handle_subscription"):
                 with mock.patch("certbot.account.report_new_account"):
                     self.config.dry_run = True
@@ -164,13 +162,45 @@ class RegisterTest(test_util.ConfigTestCase):
                     # check Certbot created an account with no email. Contact should return empty
                     self.assertFalse(mock_client().new_account_and_tos.call_args[0][0].contact)
 
+    def test_with_eab_arguments(self):
+        with mock.patch("certbot.client.acme_client.BackwardsCompatibleClientV2") as mock_client:
+            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_mock(False))
+            with mock.patch("certbot.eff.handle_subscription"):
+                with mock.patch("certbot.client.messages.ExternalAccountBinding.from_data") as mock_eab_from_data:
+                    self.config.eab_kid = "test-kid"
+                    self.config.eab_hmac_key = "J2OAqW4MHXsrHVa_PVg0Y-L_R4SYw0_aL1le6mfblbE"
+                    self._call()
+
+                    self.assertTrue(mock_eab_from_data.called)
+
+    def test_without_eab_arguments(self):
+        with mock.patch("certbot.client.acme_client.BackwardsCompatibleClientV2") as mock_client:
+            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_mock(False))
+            with mock.patch("certbot.eff.handle_subscription"):
+                with mock.patch("certbot.client.messages.ExternalAccountBinding.from_data") as mock_eab_from_data:
+                    self.config.eab_kid = None
+                    self.config.eab_hmac_key = None
+                    self._call()
+
+                    self.assertFalse(mock_eab_from_data.called)
+
+    def test_external_account_required_without_eab_arguments(self):
+        with mock.patch("certbot.client.acme_client.BackwardsCompatibleClientV2") as mock_client:
+            mock_client().client.net.key.public_key = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._public_key_mock)
+            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_mock(True))
+            with mock.patch("certbot.eff.handle_subscription"):
+                with mock.patch("certbot.client.messages.ExternalAccountBinding.from_data") as mock_eab_from_data:
+                    self.config.eab_kid = None
+                    self.config.eab_hmac_key = None
+
+                    self.assertRaises(errors.Error, self._call)
+
     def test_unsupported_error(self):
         from acme import messages
         msg = "Test"
         mx_err = messages.Error(detail=msg, typ="malformed", title="title")
         with mock.patch("certbot.client.acme_client.BackwardsCompatibleClientV2") as mock_client:
-            mock_client().client.net.key.public_key = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._public_key_mock)
-            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_getitem_mock)
+            mock_client().client.directory.__getitem__ = mock.Mock(side_effect=self._directory_mock(False))
             with mock.patch("certbot.eff.handle_subscription") as mock_handle:
                 mock_client().new_account_and_tos.side_effect = [mx_err, mock.MagicMock()]
                 self.assertRaises(messages.Error, self._call)