diff --git a/web/context.go b/web/context.go
index a748137a0aa..36cd28bbf29 100644
--- a/web/context.go
+++ b/web/context.go
@@ -35,7 +35,12 @@ type RequestEvent struct {
 	Slug           string   `json:",omitempty"`
 	InternalErrors []string `json:",omitempty"`
 	Error          string   `json:",omitempty"`
-	UserAgent      string   `json:"ua,omitempty"`
+	// If there is an error checking the data store for our rate limits
+	// we ignore it, but attach the error to the log event for analysis.
+	// TODO(#7796): Treat errors from the rate limit system as normal
+	// errors and put them into InternalErrors.
+	IgnoredRateLimitError string `json:",omitempty"`
+	UserAgent             string `json:"ua,omitempty"`
 	// Origin is sent by the browser from XHR-based clients.
 	Origin string                 `json:",omitempty"`
 	Extra  map[string]interface{} `json:",omitempty"`
diff --git a/wfe2/wfe.go b/wfe2/wfe.go
index fe0cf7c3603..18a9d224acb 100644
--- a/wfe2/wfe.go
+++ b/wfe2/wfe.go
@@ -789,8 +789,7 @@ func (wfe *WebFrontEndImpl) NewAccount(
 			wfe.sendError(response, logEvent, probs.RateLimited(err.Error()), err)
 			return
 		} else {
-			wfe.sendError(response, logEvent, web.ProblemDetailsForError(err, "While checking rate limits"), err)
-			return
+			logEvent.IgnoredRateLimitError = err.Error()
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -2372,7 +2371,7 @@ func (wfe *WebFrontEndImpl) NewOrder(
 				wfe.sendError(response, logEvent, probs.RateLimited(err.Error()), err)
 				return
 			} else {
-				wfe.sendError(response, logEvent, web.ProblemDetailsForError(err, "While checking rate limits"), err)
+				logEvent.IgnoredRateLimitError = err.Error()
 				return
 			}
 		}