diff --git a/certbot-dns-route53/certbot_dns_route53/dns_route53.py b/certbot-dns-route53/certbot_dns_route53/dns_route53.py
index c0e8e5495..08b1d03f0 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-route53/certbot_dns_route53/dns_route53.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-route53/certbot_dns_route53/dns_route53.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 """Certbot Route53 authenticator plugin."""
+import collections
 import logging
 import time
 
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ class Authenticator(dns_common.DNSAuthenticator):
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super(Authenticator, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
         self.r53 = boto3.client("route53")
+        self._resource_records = collections.defaultdict(list)
 
     def more_info(self):  # pylint: disable=missing-docstring,no-self-use
         return "Solve a DNS01 challenge using AWS Route53"
@@ -85,28 +87,22 @@ class Authenticator(dns_common.DNSAuthenticator):
         zones.sort(key=lambda z: len(z[0]), reverse=True)
         return zones[0][1]
 
-    def _get_validation_rrset(self, zone_id, validation_domain_name):
-        validation_domain_name += "."
-        records = self.r53.list_resource_record_sets(HostedZoneId=zone_id)
-        for record in records["ResourceRecordSets"]:
-            if record["Name"] == validation_domain_name and record["Type"] == "TXT":
-                return record["ResourceRecords"]
-        return []
-
     def _change_txt_record(self, action, validation_domain_name, validation):
         zone_id = self._find_zone_id_for_domain(validation_domain_name)
 
-        rrecords = self._get_validation_rrset(zone_id, validation_domain_name)
+        rrecords = self._resource_records[validation_domain_name]
         challenge = {"Value": '"{0}"'.format(validation)}
         if action == "DELETE":
-            if len(rrecords) > 1:
+            # Remove the record being deleted from the list of tracked records
+            rrecords.remove(challenge)
+            if rrecords:
                 # Need to update instead, as we're not deleting the rrset
                 action = "UPSERT"
-                # Remove the record being deleted from the list
-                rrecords = [rr for rr in rrecords if rr != challenge]
+            else:
+                # Create a new list containing the record to use with DELETE
+                rrecords = [challenge]
         else:
-            if challenge not in rrecords:
-                rrecords.append(challenge)
+            rrecords.append(challenge)
 
         response = self.r53.change_resource_record_sets(
             HostedZoneId=zone_id,
diff --git a/certbot-dns-route53/certbot_dns_route53/dns_route53_test.py b/certbot-dns-route53/certbot_dns_route53/dns_route53_test.py
index 9aec05b6e..7534e132c 100644
--- a/certbot-dns-route53/certbot_dns_route53/dns_route53_test.py
+++ b/certbot-dns-route53/certbot_dns_route53/dns_route53_test.py
@@ -178,9 +178,6 @@ class ClientTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_change_txt_record(self):
         self.client._find_zone_id_for_domain = mock.MagicMock()
-        self.client._get_validation_rrset = mock.MagicMock(
-            return_value=[]
-        )
         self.client.r53.change_resource_record_sets = mock.MagicMock(
             return_value={"ChangeInfo": {"Id": 1}})
 
@@ -189,10 +186,30 @@ class ClientTest(unittest.TestCase):
         call_count = self.client.r53.change_resource_record_sets.call_count
         self.assertEqual(call_count, 1)
 
+    def test_change_txt_record_delete(self):
+        self.client._find_zone_id_for_domain = mock.MagicMock()
+        self.client.r53.change_resource_record_sets = mock.MagicMock(
+            return_value={"ChangeInfo": {"Id": 1}})
+
+        validation = "some-value"
+        validation_record = {"Value": '"{0}"'.format(validation)}
+        self.client._resource_records[DOMAIN] = [validation_record]
+
+        self.client._change_txt_record("DELETE", DOMAIN, validation)
+
+        call_count = self.client.r53.change_resource_record_sets.call_count
+        self.assertEqual(call_count, 1)
+        call_args = self.client.r53.change_resource_record_sets.call_args_list[0][1]
+        call_args_batch = call_args["ChangeBatch"]["Changes"][0]
+        self.assertEqual(call_args_batch["Action"], "DELETE")
+        self.assertEqual(
+            call_args_batch["ResourceRecordSet"]["ResourceRecords"],
+            [validation_record])
+
     def test_change_txt_record_multirecord(self):
         self.client._find_zone_id_for_domain = mock.MagicMock()
         self.client._get_validation_rrset = mock.MagicMock()
-        self.client._get_validation_rrset.return_value = [
+        self.client._resource_records[DOMAIN] = [
             {"Value": "\"pre-existing-value\""},
             {"Value": "\"pre-existing-value-two\""},
         ]
@@ -211,35 +228,6 @@ class ClientTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.assertEqual(call_count, 1)
 
-    def test_get_validation_rrset(self):
-        self.client.r53.list_resource_record_sets = mock.MagicMock(
-            return_value={"ResourceRecordSets": [
-                {"Name": "_acme-challenge.example.org.",
-                 "Type": "TXT",
-                 "ResourceRecords": [
-                     {"Value": "\"validation-token\""},
-                     {"Value": "\"another-validation-token\""},
-                 ],
-                },
-                {"Name": "_acme-challenge.example.org.",
-                 "Type": "NS",
-                 "ResourceRecords": [
-                     {"Value": "ns1.example.com"},
-                 ],
-                }
-            ]})
-        rrset = self.client._get_validation_rrset("zoneid",
-            "_acme-challenge.example.org")
-        self.assertEquals(len(rrset), 2)
-        self.assertTrue({"Value": "\"another-validation-token\""} in rrset)
-
-    def test_get_validation_rrset_empty(self):
-        self.client.r53.list_resource_record_sets = mock.MagicMock(
-            return_value={"ResourceRecordSets": []})
-        rrset = self.client._get_validation_rrset("zoneid",
-            "_acme-challenge.example.org")
-        self.assertEquals(rrset, [])
-
     def test_wait_for_change(self):
         self.client.r53.get_change = mock.MagicMock(
             side_effect=[{"ChangeInfo": {"Status": "PENDING"}},