diff --git a/locales/en.json b/locales/en.json
index c1d4d9a39..6c6c8f277 100644
--- a/locales/en.json
+++ b/locales/en.json
@@ -216,10 +216,11 @@
     "service_conf_file_copy_failed": "Unable to copy the new configuration file '{new}' to '{conf}'",
     "service_conf_file_manually_modified": "The configuration file '{conf}' has been manually modified and will not be updated",
     "service_conf_file_manually_removed": "The configuration file '{conf}' has been manually removed and will not be created",
-    "service_conf_file_not_managed": "The configuration file '{conf}' is not managed yet and will not be updated",
     "service_conf_file_remove_failed": "Unable to remove the configuration file '{conf}'",
     "service_conf_file_removed": "The configuration file '{conf}' has been removed",
     "service_conf_file_updated": "The configuration file '{conf}' has been updated",
+    "service_conf_new_managed_file": "The configuration file '{conf}' is now managed by the service {service}.",
+    "service_conf_file_kept_back": "The configuration file '{conf}' is expected to be deleted by service {service} but has been kept back.",
     "service_conf_up_to_date": "The configuration is already up-to-date for service '{service}'",
     "service_conf_updated": "The configuration has been updated for service '{service}'",
     "service_conf_would_be_updated": "The configuration would have been updated for service '{service}'",
diff --git a/src/yunohost/service.py b/src/yunohost/service.py
index e64c9cd89..91e654f0b 100644
--- a/src/yunohost/service.py
+++ b/src/yunohost/service.py
@@ -391,15 +391,21 @@ def service_regen_conf(names=[], with_diff=False, force=False, dry_run=False,
                     logger.debug("> no changes to system conf has been made")
                     conf_status = 'managed'
                     regenerated = True
-                elif force and to_remove:
+                elif not to_remove:
+                    # If the conf exist but is not managed yet, and is not to be removed,
+                    # we assume that it is safe to regen it, since the file is backuped
+                    # anyway (by default in _regen), as long as we warn the user
+                    # appropriately.
+                    logger.warning(m18n.n('service_conf_new_managed_file',
+                                          conf=system_path, service=service))
+                    regenerated = _regen(system_path, pending_path)
+                    conf_status = 'new'
+                elif force:
                     regenerated = _regen(system_path)
                     conf_status = 'force-removed'
-                elif force:
-                    regenerated = _regen(system_path, pending_path)
-                    conf_status = 'force-updated'
                 else:
-                    logger.warning(m18n.n('service_conf_file_not_managed',
-                                          conf=system_path))
+                    logger.warning(m18n.n('service_conf_file_kept_back',
+                                          conf=system_path, service=service))
                     conf_status = 'unmanaged'
             # -> system conf has not been manually modified
             elif system_hash == saved_hash: