diff --git a/wfe2/wfe.go b/wfe2/wfe.go
index 351c27c02b3..ba351bcd2ab 100644
--- a/wfe2/wfe.go
+++ b/wfe2/wfe.go
@@ -1416,8 +1416,10 @@ func (wfe *WebFrontEndImpl) Account(
 		return
 	}
 
-	// If the body was not empty, then this is an account update request.
-	if string(body) != "" {
+	// An empty string means POST-as-GET (i.e. no update). A body of "{}" means
+	// an update of zero fields, returning the unchanged object. This was the
+	// recommended way to fetch the account object in ACMEv1.
+	if string(body) != "" && string(body) != "{}" {
 		currAcct, prob = wfe.updateAccount(ctx, body, currAcct)
 		if prob != nil {
 			wfe.sendError(response, logEvent, prob, nil)
diff --git a/wfe2/wfe_test.go b/wfe2/wfe_test.go
index d3c243fabc4..0b524bdd44d 100644
--- a/wfe2/wfe_test.go
+++ b/wfe2/wfe_test.go
@@ -1569,7 +1569,6 @@ func TestNewECDSAAccount(t *testing.T) {
 // a populated acct object will be returned.
 func TestEmptyAccount(t *testing.T) {
 	wfe, _, signer := setupWFE(t)
-	responseWriter := httptest.NewRecorder()
 
 	// Test Key 1 is mocked in the mock StorageAuthority used in setupWFE to
 	// return a populated account for GetRegistrationByKey when test key 1 is
@@ -1578,31 +1577,66 @@ func TestEmptyAccount(t *testing.T) {
 	_, ok := key.(*rsa.PrivateKey)
 	test.Assert(t, ok, "Couldn't load RSA key")
 
-	payload := `{}`
 	path := "1"
 	signedURL := "http://localhost/1"
-	_, _, body := signer.byKeyID(1, key, signedURL, payload)
-	request := makePostRequestWithPath(path, body)
 
-	// Send an account update with the trivial body
-	wfe.Account(
-		ctx,
-		newRequestEvent(),
-		responseWriter,
-		request)
+	testCases := []struct {
+		Name           string
+		Payload        string
+		ExpectedStatus int
+	}{
+		{
+			Name:           "POST empty string to acct",
+			Payload:        "",
+			ExpectedStatus: http.StatusOK,
+		},
+		{
+			Name:           "POST empty JSON object to acct",
+			Payload:        "{}",
+			ExpectedStatus: http.StatusOK,
+		},
+		{
+			Name:           "POST invalid empty JSON string to acct",
+			Payload:        "\"\"",
+			ExpectedStatus: http.StatusBadRequest,
+		},
+		{
+			Name:           "POST invalid empty JSON array to acct",
+			Payload:        "[]",
+			ExpectedStatus: http.StatusBadRequest,
+		},
+	}
 
-	responseBody := responseWriter.Body.String()
-	// There should be no error
-	test.AssertNotContains(t, responseBody, probs.ErrorNS)
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		t.Run(tc.Name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			responseWriter := httptest.NewRecorder()
 
-	// We should get back a populated Account
-	var acct core.Registration
-	err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(responseBody), &acct)
-	test.AssertNotError(t, err, "Couldn't unmarshal returned account object")
-	test.Assert(t, len(*acct.Contact) >= 1, "No contact field in account")
-	test.AssertEquals(t, (*acct.Contact)[0], "mailto:person@mail.com")
-	test.AssertEquals(t, acct.Agreement, "")
-	responseWriter.Body.Reset()
+			_, _, body := signer.byKeyID(1, key, signedURL, tc.Payload)
+			request := makePostRequestWithPath(path, body)
+
+			// Send an account update with the trivial body
+			wfe.Account(
+				ctx,
+				newRequestEvent(),
+				responseWriter,
+				request)
+
+			responseBody := responseWriter.Body.String()
+			test.AssertEquals(t, responseWriter.Code, tc.ExpectedStatus)
+
+			// If success is expected, we should get back a populated Account
+			if tc.ExpectedStatus == http.StatusOK {
+				var acct core.Registration
+				err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(responseBody), &acct)
+				test.AssertNotError(t, err, "Couldn't unmarshal returned account object")
+				test.Assert(t, len(*acct.Contact) >= 1, "No contact field in account")
+				test.AssertEquals(t, (*acct.Contact)[0], "mailto:person@mail.com")
+				test.AssertEquals(t, acct.Agreement, "")
+			}
+
+			responseWriter.Body.Reset()
+		})
+	}
 }
 
 func TestNewAccount(t *testing.T) {