Dehydrins (DHNs) are proteins that accumulate abundantly in various plant tissues in response to environmental stresses and during seed maturation, possibly assisting cells in tolerating dehydration. White lupins (Lupinus albus L.) are able to withstand periods of severe water deficit (WD) and previous work suggested that the stem plays a central role as a survival structure. To investigate DHNs involvement in this strategy, we studied tissue specific protein accumulation of a RAB16-like DHN in lupin during a progressive WD and early recovery. Differences were found between leaves, stems and roots. In leaves and roots, the accumulation of the RAB16-like DHN was independent of the water status whereas in the stem (cortex and stele), DHNs were only detected under severe plant WD (stele relative water content, RWC, reduction of 6–7% and cortex RWC reduction of 20%). DHN mRNA analysis by RT–PCR, showed the presence of one DHN mRNA regardless of the tissue or the plant water status.