diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user.ex b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
index 2a1b5af94..4383f8f53 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/user.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
@@ -681,6 +681,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User do
     |> validate_exclusion(:nickname, Config.get([User, :restricted_nicknames]))
     |> validate_format(:nickname, local_nickname_regex())
     |> put_ap_id()
+    |> put_keys()
     |> unique_constraint(:ap_id)
     |> put_following_and_follower_and_featured_address()
   end
@@ -740,6 +741,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User do
     |> validate_length(:registration_reason, max: reason_limit)
     |> maybe_validate_required_email(opts[:external])
     |> put_password_hash
+    |> put_keys()
     |> put_ap_id()
     |> unique_constraint(:ap_id)
     |> put_following_and_follower_and_featured_address()
@@ -755,6 +757,11 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User do
     end
   end
 
+  def put_keys(changeset) do
+    {:ok, pem} = Keys.generate_rsa_pem()
+    put_change(changeset, :keys, pem)
+  end
+
   def put_ap_id(changeset) do
     ap_id = ap_id(%User{nickname: get_field(changeset, :nickname)})
     put_change(changeset, :ap_id, ap_id)
diff --git a/test/pleroma/user_test.exs b/test/pleroma/user_test.exs
index 67136e95b..645622e43 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/user_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/user_test.exs
@@ -620,13 +620,14 @@ defmodule Pleroma.UserTest do
       assert changeset.valid?
     end
 
-    test "it sets the password_hash and ap_id" do
+    test "it sets the password_hash, ap_id and PEM key" do
       changeset = User.register_changeset(%User{}, @full_user_data)
 
       assert changeset.valid?
 
       assert is_binary(changeset.changes[:password_hash])
       assert changeset.changes[:ap_id] == User.ap_id(%User{nickname: @full_user_data.nickname})
+      assert is_binary(changeset.changes[:keys])
 
       assert changeset.changes.follower_address == "#{changeset.changes.ap_id}/followers"
     end