diff --git a/ant-node/tests/data_with_churn.rs b/ant-node/tests/data_with_churn.rs
index ffe2a879ab..20047e828c 100644
--- a/ant-node/tests/data_with_churn.rs
+++ b/ant-node/tests/data_with_churn.rs
@@ -285,7 +285,12 @@ fn create_registers_task(
             let mut retries = 1;
             loop {
                 match client
-                    .register_create(random_data.clone(), &random_name, owner.clone(), &wallet)
+                    .register_create(
+                        Some(random_data.clone()),
+                        &random_name,
+                        owner.clone(),
+                        &wallet,
+                    )
                     .await
                 {
                     Ok(register) => {
diff --git a/ant-node/tests/verify_data_location.rs b/ant-node/tests/verify_data_location.rs
index db934a4c67..94a18d5de4 100644
--- a/ant-node/tests/verify_data_location.rs
+++ b/ant-node/tests/verify_data_location.rs
@@ -392,7 +392,12 @@ async fn store_registers(
             .map(char::from)
             .collect();
         let register = client
-            .register_create(vec![1, 2, 3, 4].into(), &rand_name, key.clone(), wallet)
+            .register_create(
+                Some(vec![1, 2, 3, 4].into()),
+                &rand_name,
+                key.clone(),
+                wallet,
+            )
             .await?;
 
         println!("Created Register at {:?}", register.address());
diff --git a/autonomi-cli/src/commands/file.rs b/autonomi-cli/src/commands/file.rs
index 6d3f051015..94d31d77ac 100644
--- a/autonomi-cli/src/commands/file.rs
+++ b/autonomi-cli/src/commands/file.rs
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ pub async fn upload(file: &str, public: bool, peers: Vec<Multiaddr>) -> Result<(
     let local_addr;
     let archive = if public {
         let xor_name = client
-            .dir_upload(dir_path, &wallet)
+            .dir_and_archive_upload(dir_path, &wallet)
             .await
             .wrap_err("Failed to upload file")?;
         local_addr = addr_to_str(xor_name);
diff --git a/autonomi-cli/src/commands/register.rs b/autonomi-cli/src/commands/register.rs
index 0aad3ab844..17c30b2559 100644
--- a/autonomi-cli/src/commands/register.rs
+++ b/autonomi-cli/src/commands/register.rs
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ pub async fn create(name: &str, value: &str, public: bool, peers: Vec<Multiaddr>
         let permissions = RegisterPermissions::new_anyone_can_write();
         client
             .register_create_with_permissions(
-                value.as_bytes().to_vec().into(),
+                Some(value.as_bytes().to_vec().into()),
                 name,
                 register_key,
                 permissions,
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ pub async fn create(name: &str, value: &str, public: bool, peers: Vec<Multiaddr>
         info!("With private write access");
         client
             .register_create(
-                value.as_bytes().to_vec().into(),
+                Some(value.as_bytes().to_vec().into()),
                 name,
                 register_key,
                 &wallet,
diff --git a/autonomi/src/client/fs.rs b/autonomi/src/client/fs.rs
index 15e32d1bf5..37f95127e6 100644
--- a/autonomi/src/client/fs.rs
+++ b/autonomi/src/client/fs.rs
@@ -109,11 +109,24 @@ impl Client {
 
     /// Upload a directory to the network. The directory is recursively walked.
     /// Reads all files, splits into chunks, uploads chunks, uploads datamaps, uploads archive, returns ArchiveAddr (pointing to the archive)
-    pub async fn dir_upload(
+    pub async fn dir_and_archive_upload(
         &self,
         dir_path: PathBuf,
         wallet: &EvmWallet,
     ) -> Result<ArchiveAddr, UploadError> {
+        match self.dir_upload(dir_path.clone(), wallet).await {
+            Ok(archive) => Ok(self.archive_upload(&archive, wallet).await?),
+            Err(e) => Err(e),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Upload a directory to the network. The directory is recursively walked.
+    /// Reads all files, splits into chunks, uploads chunks, uploads datamaps, returns Archive but does not upload that to the network.
+    pub async fn dir_upload(
+        &self,
+        dir_path: PathBuf,
+        wallet: &EvmWallet,
+    ) -> Result<Archive, UploadError> {
         info!("Uploading directory: {dir_path:?}");
         let start = tokio::time::Instant::now();
 
@@ -152,14 +165,20 @@ impl Client {
             }
         }
 
-        // upload archive
-        let archive_serialized = archive.into_bytes()?;
-        let arch_addr = self.data_put(archive_serialized, wallet.into()).await?;
-
         info!("Complete archive upload completed in {:?}", start.elapsed());
         #[cfg(feature = "loud")]
         println!("Upload completed in {:?}", start.elapsed());
-        Ok(arch_addr)
+        Ok(archive)
+    }
+
+    /// Upload a directory Archive to the network
+    pub async fn archive_upload(
+        &self,
+        archive: &Archive,
+        wallet: &EvmWallet,
+    ) -> Result<ArchiveAddr, UploadError> {
+        let archive_serialized = archive.into_bytes()?;
+        Ok(self.data_put(archive_serialized, wallet.into()).await?)
     }
 
     /// Upload a file to the network.
diff --git a/autonomi/src/client/registers.rs b/autonomi/src/client/registers.rs
index c405fd6cf7..1d49dbad99 100644
--- a/autonomi/src/client/registers.rs
+++ b/autonomi/src/client/registers.rs
@@ -255,12 +255,12 @@ impl Client {
         RegisterAddress::new(name, pk)
     }
 
-    /// Creates a new Register with a name and an initial value and uploads it to the network.
+    /// Creates a new Register with a name and optional initial value and uploads it to the network.
     ///
     /// The Register is created with the owner as the only writer.
     pub async fn register_create(
         &self,
-        value: Bytes,
+        value: Option<Bytes>,
         name: &str,
         owner: RegisterSecretKey,
         wallet: &EvmWallet,
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ impl Client {
     /// Unlike `register_create`, this function allows you to specify the permissions for the register.
     pub async fn register_create_with_permissions(
         &self,
-        value: Bytes,
+        value: Option<Bytes>,
         name: &str,
         owner: RegisterSecretKey,
         permissions: RegisterPermissions,
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ impl Client {
         let name = XorName::from_content_parts(&[name.as_bytes()]);
 
         // Owner can write to the register.
-        let register = Register::new(Some(value), name, owner, permissions)?;
+        let register = Register::new(value, name, owner, permissions)?;
         let address = register.address();
 
         let reg_xor = address.xorname();
diff --git a/autonomi/tests/fs.rs b/autonomi/tests/fs.rs
index 274fc447f2..35a948308e 100644
--- a/autonomi/tests/fs.rs
+++ b/autonomi/tests/fs.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ async fn dir_upload_download() -> Result<()> {
     let wallet = get_funded_wallet();
 
     let addr = client
-        .dir_upload("tests/file/test_dir".into(), &wallet)
+        .dir_and_archive_upload("tests/file/test_dir".into(), &wallet)
         .await?;
 
     sleep(Duration::from_secs(10)).await;
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ async fn file_into_vault() -> Result<()> {
     let client_sk = bls::SecretKey::random();
 
     let addr = client
-        .dir_upload("tests/file/test_dir".into(), &wallet)
+        .dir_and_archive_upload("tests/file/test_dir".into(), &wallet)
         .await?;
     sleep(Duration::from_secs(2)).await;
 
diff --git a/autonomi/tests/register.rs b/autonomi/tests/register.rs
index 266908c293..e698809d46 100644
--- a/autonomi/tests/register.rs
+++ b/autonomi/tests/register.rs
@@ -34,7 +34,12 @@ async fn register() -> Result<()> {
         .map(char::from)
         .collect();
     let register = client
-        .register_create(vec![1, 2, 3, 4].into(), &rand_name, key.clone(), &wallet)
+        .register_create(
+            Some(vec![1, 2, 3, 4].into()),
+            &rand_name,
+            key.clone(),
+            &wallet,
+        )
         .await
         .unwrap();