diff --git a/acme4j-client/src/main/java/org/shredzone/acme4j/Registration.java b/acme4j-client/src/main/java/org/shredzone/acme4j/Registration.java
index 67ef8c2a..4f214407 100644
--- a/acme4j-client/src/main/java/org/shredzone/acme4j/Registration.java
+++ b/acme4j-client/src/main/java/org/shredzone/acme4j/Registration.java
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import org.shredzone.acme4j.exception.AcmeException;
 import org.shredzone.acme4j.exception.AcmeLazyLoadingException;
 import org.shredzone.acme4j.exception.AcmeProtocolException;
 import org.shredzone.acme4j.exception.AcmeRetryAfterException;
+import org.shredzone.acme4j.exception.AcmeServerException;
 import org.shredzone.acme4j.provider.pebble.Pebble;
 import org.shredzone.acme4j.util.JSON;
 import org.shredzone.acme4j.util.JSONBuilder;
@@ -176,28 +177,40 @@ public class Registration extends AcmeResource {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Authorizes a domain. The domain is associated with this registration.
+     * Pre-authorizes a domain. The CA will check if it accepts the domain for
+     * certification, and returns the necessary challenges.
      * <p>
-     * IDN domain names will be ACE encoded automatically.
+     * Some servers may not allow pre-authorization.
      *
      * @param domain
-     *            Domain name to be authorized
+     *            Domain name to be pre-authorized. IDN names are accepted and will be ACE
+     *            encoded automatically.
      * @return {@link Authorization} object for this domain
+     * @throws AcmeException
+     *             if the server does not allow pre-authorization
+     * @throws AcmeServerException
+     *             if the server allows pre-authorization, but will refuse to issue a
+     *             certificate for this domain
      */
-    public Authorization authorizeDomain(String domain) throws AcmeException {
+    public Authorization preAuthorizeDomain(String domain) throws AcmeException {
         Objects.requireNonNull(domain, "domain");
         if (domain.isEmpty()) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("domain must not be empty");
         }
 
-        LOG.debug("authorizeDomain {}", domain);
+        URL newAuthzUrl = getSession().resourceUrl(Resource.NEW_AUTHZ);
+        if (newAuthzUrl == null) {
+            throw new AcmeException("Server does not allow pre-authorization");
+        }
+
+        LOG.debug("preAuthorizeDomain {}", domain);
         try (Connection conn = getSession().provider().connect()) {
             JSONBuilder claims = new JSONBuilder();
             claims.object("identifier")
                     .put("type", "dns")
                     .put("value", toAce(domain));
 
-            conn.sendSignedRequest(getSession().resourceUrl(Resource.NEW_AUTHZ), claims, getSession());
+            conn.sendSignedRequest(newAuthzUrl, claims, getSession());
             conn.accept(HttpURLConnection.HTTP_CREATED);
 
             JSON json = conn.readJsonResponse();
diff --git a/acme4j-client/src/test/java/org/shredzone/acme4j/RegistrationTest.java b/acme4j-client/src/test/java/org/shredzone/acme4j/RegistrationTest.java
index 1bcdf26e..f36fabc8 100644
--- a/acme4j-client/src/test/java/org/shredzone/acme4j/RegistrationTest.java
+++ b/acme4j-client/src/test/java/org/shredzone/acme4j/RegistrationTest.java
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import org.shredzone.acme4j.challenge.Dns01Challenge;
 import org.shredzone.acme4j.challenge.Http01Challenge;
 import org.shredzone.acme4j.connector.Resource;
 import org.shredzone.acme4j.exception.AcmeException;
+import org.shredzone.acme4j.exception.AcmeServerException;
 import org.shredzone.acme4j.provider.AcmeProvider;
 import org.shredzone.acme4j.provider.TestableConnectionProvider;
 import org.shredzone.acme4j.util.JSON;
@@ -251,10 +252,10 @@ public class RegistrationTest {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Test that a new {@link Authorization} can be created.
+     * Test that a domain can be pre-authorized.
      */
     @Test
-    public void testAuthorizeDomain() throws Exception {
+    public void testPreAuthorizeDomain() throws Exception {
         TestableConnectionProvider provider = new TestableConnectionProvider() {
             @Override
             public void sendSignedRequest(URL url, JSONBuilder claims, Session session) {
@@ -292,7 +293,7 @@ public class RegistrationTest {
         String domainName = "example.org";
 
         Registration registration = new Registration(session, locationUrl);
-        Authorization auth = registration.authorizeDomain(domainName);
+        Authorization auth = registration.preAuthorizeDomain(domainName);
 
         assertThat(auth.getDomain(), is(domainName));
         assertThat(auth.getStatus(), is(Status.PENDING));
@@ -305,29 +306,80 @@ public class RegistrationTest {
         provider.close();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Test that a domain pre-authorization can fail.
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void testNoPreAuthorizeDomain() throws Exception {
+        URI problemType = URI.create("urn:ietf:params:acme:error:rejectedIdentifier");
+        String problemDetail = "example.org is blacklisted";
+
+        TestableConnectionProvider provider = new TestableConnectionProvider() {
+            @Override
+            public void sendSignedRequest(URL url, JSONBuilder claims, Session session) {
+                assertThat(url, is(resourceUrl));
+                assertThat(claims.toString(), sameJSONAs(getJSON("newAuthorizationRequest").toString()));
+                assertThat(session, is(notNullValue()));
+            }
+
+            @Override
+            public int accept(int... httpStatus) throws AcmeException {
+                Problem problem = TestUtils.createProblem(problemType, problemDetail, resourceUrl);
+                throw new AcmeServerException(problem);
+            }
+        };
+
+        Session session = provider.createSession();
+
+        provider.putTestResource(Resource.NEW_AUTHZ, resourceUrl);
+
+        Registration registration = new Registration(session, locationUrl);
+
+        try {
+            registration.preAuthorizeDomain("example.org");
+            fail("preauthorization was accepted");
+        } catch (AcmeServerException ex) {
+            assertThat(ex.getType(), is(problemType));
+            assertThat(ex.getMessage(), is(problemDetail));
+        }
+
+        provider.close();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Test that a bad domain parameter is not accepted.
      */
     @Test
     public void testAuthorizeBadDomain() throws Exception {
         TestableConnectionProvider provider = new TestableConnectionProvider();
+        // just provide a resource record so the provider returns a directory
+        provider.putTestResource(Resource.NEW_NONCE, resourceUrl);
+
         Session session = provider.createSession();
         Registration registration = Registration.bind(session, locationUrl);
 
         try {
-            registration.authorizeDomain(null);
+            registration.preAuthorizeDomain(null);
             fail("null domain was accepted");
         } catch (NullPointerException ex) {
             // expected
         }
 
         try {
-            registration.authorizeDomain("");
+            registration.preAuthorizeDomain("");
             fail("empty domain string was accepted");
         } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
             // expected
         }
 
+        try {
+            registration.preAuthorizeDomain("example.com");
+            fail("preauthorization was accepted");
+        } catch (AcmeException ex) {
+            // expected
+            assertThat(ex.getMessage(), is("Server does not allow pre-authorization"));
+        }
+
         provider.close();
     }
 
diff --git a/acme4j-example/src/main/java/org/shredzone/acme4j/ClientTest.java b/acme4j-example/src/main/java/org/shredzone/acme4j/ClientTest.java
index c2055ea4..18f02699 100644
--- a/acme4j-example/src/main/java/org/shredzone/acme4j/ClientTest.java
+++ b/acme4j-example/src/main/java/org/shredzone/acme4j/ClientTest.java
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ public class ClientTest {
      */
     private void authorize(Registration reg, String domain) throws AcmeException {
         // Authorize the domain.
-        Authorization auth = reg.authorizeDomain(domain);
+        Authorization auth = reg.preAuthorizeDomain(domain);
         LOG.info("Authorization for domain " + domain);
 
         // Find the desired challenge and prepare it.