diff --git a/java/google/registry/BUILD b/java/google/registry/BUILD
index 64c2468b1..df83639a5 100644
--- a/java/google/registry/BUILD
+++ b/java/google/registry/BUILD
@@ -45,6 +45,22 @@ registry_ear_file(
     },
 )
 
+# We use the production "nocron" earfile only in the event of a datastore
+# restore.
+registry_ear_file(
+    name = "registry_nocron_ear",
+    out = "registry_nocron.ear",
+    configs = {
+        "env/common/META-INF/appengine-application.xml": "META-INF/appengine-application.xml",
+        "env/common/META-INF/application.xml": "META-INF/application.xml",
+    },
+    wars = {
+        "registry_default_nocron.war": "default",
+        "registry_backend.war": "backend",
+        "registry_tools.war": "tools",
+    },
+)
+
 zip_file(
     name = "registry_default_war",
     srcs = [
@@ -69,6 +85,13 @@ zip_file(
     ],
 )
 
+zip_file(
+    name = "registry_default_nocron_war",
+    out = "registry_default_nocron.war",
+    exclude = ["WEB-INF/cron.xml"],
+    deps = [":registry_default_war"],
+)
+
 zip_file(
     name = "registry_backend_war",
     srcs = [
@@ -185,6 +208,26 @@ registry_ear_file(
     },
 )
 
+# The "nocron" files are, unsurprisingly, versions of the archives that have
+# had cron.xml removed.  We do this because it's necessary to deploy them in
+# this way when restoring a backup.
+#
+# "nocron" archives are currently prepared for production and alpha. To
+# prepare them for another environment, just do something similar.
+registry_ear_file(
+    name = "registry_alpha_nocron_ear",
+    out = "registry_alpha_nocron.ear",
+    configs = {
+        "env/common/META-INF/appengine-application.xml": "META-INF/appengine-application.xml",
+        "env/common/META-INF/application.xml": "META-INF/application.xml",
+    },
+    wars = {
+        "registry_default_alpha_nocron.war": "default",
+        "registry_backend_alpha.war": "backend",
+        "registry_tools_alpha.war": "tools",
+    },
+)
+
 zip_file(
     name = "registry_default_alpha_war",
     srcs = [
@@ -198,6 +241,13 @@ zip_file(
     deps = [":registry_default_war"],
 )
 
+zip_file(
+    name = "registry_default_alpha_nocron_war",
+    out = "registry_default_alpha_nocron.war",
+    exclude = ["WEB-INF/cron.xml"],
+    deps = [":registry_default_alpha_war"],
+)
+
 zip_file(
     name = "registry_backend_alpha_war",
     srcs = [
diff --git a/java/google/registry/builddefs/zip_file.bzl b/java/google/registry/builddefs/zip_file.bzl
index 5c67f963a..9ef5905ec 100644
--- a/java/google/registry/builddefs/zip_file.bzl
+++ b/java/google/registry/builddefs/zip_file.bzl
@@ -107,6 +107,18 @@ A zip file can be assembled across many rules. For example:
       mappings = {"webapp/html": ""},
   )
 
+You can exclude files with the "exclude" attribute:
+
+  # //webapp/BUILD
+  zip_file(
+      name = "war_without_tears",
+      deps = ["war"],
+      exclude = ["assets/js/tears.js"],
+  )
+
+Note that "exclude" excludes based on the mapped path relative to the root of
+the zipfile. If the file doesn't exist, you'll get an error.
+
 """
 
 load('//java/google/registry/builddefs:defs.bzl',
@@ -136,6 +148,7 @@ def _zip_file(ctx):
   ]
   cmd += ['"${zipper}" x "${repo}/%s"' % dep.zip_file.path
           for dep in ctx.attr.deps]
+  cmd += ['rm %s' % filename for filename in ctx.attr.exclude]
   cmd += ['mkdir -p "${tmp}/%s"' % zip_path
           for zip_path in set(
               [zip_path[:zip_path.rindex('/')]
@@ -217,6 +230,7 @@ zip_file = rule(
         'srcs': attr.label_list(allow_files=True),
         'data': attr.label_list(cfg='data', allow_files=True),
         'deps': attr.label_list(providers=['zip_file']),
+        'exclude': attr.string_list(),
         'mappings': attr.string_dict(),
         '_zipper': attr.label(default=Label(ZIPPER), single_file=True),
     })