diff --git a/certbot/client.py b/certbot/client.py
index 03525cc0d..ef59c6ce3 100644
--- a/certbot/client.py
+++ b/certbot/client.py
@@ -151,10 +151,10 @@ def perform_registration(acme, config):
     except messages.Error as e:
         if e.typ == "urn:acme:error:invalidEmail":
             if config.noninteractive_mode:
-                msg = ("The email you specified was unable to be verified "
-                       "by acme. Please ensure it is a valid email and "
-                       "attempt registration again.")
-                raise errors.MissingCommandlineFlag(msg)
+                msg = ("The ACME server believes %s is an invalid email address. "
+                       "Please ensure it is a valid email and attempt "
+                       "registration again." % config.email)
+                raise errors.Error(msg)
             else:
                 config.namespace.email = display_ops.get_email(invalid=True)
                 return perform_registration(acme, config)
diff --git a/certbot/tests/client_test.py b/certbot/tests/client_test.py
index 29718c263..1ed63f466 100644
--- a/certbot/tests/client_test.py
+++ b/certbot/tests/client_test.py
@@ -61,13 +61,13 @@ class RegisterTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     @mock.patch("certbot.account.report_new_account")
     @mock.patch("certbot.client.display_ops.get_email")
-    def test_email_retry(self, _rep, mock_get_email):
+    def test_email_invalid_noninteractive(self, _rep, mock_get_email):
         from acme import messages
         msg = "DNS problem: NXDOMAIN looking up MX for example.com"
         mx_err = messages.Error(detail=msg, typ="urn:acme:error:invalidEmail")
         with mock.patch("certbot.client.acme_client.Client") as mock_client:
             mock_client().register.side_effect = [mx_err, mock.MagicMock()]
-            self.assertRaises(errors.MissingCommandlineFlag, self._call)
+            self.assertRaises(errors.Error, self._call)
 
     def test_needs_email(self):
         self.config.email = None