diff --git a/src/core/components/init.js b/src/core/components/init.js
index d245e5fe33..21504c9128 100644
--- a/src/core/components/init.js
+++ b/src/core/components/init.js
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ module.exports = function init (self) {
         if (opts.pass) {
           self.log('creating keychain')
           const keychainOptions = Object.assign({passPhrase: opts.pass}, config.Keychain)
-          const keychain = new Keychain(self._repo.keys, keychainOptions)
-          keychain.importPeer('self', { privKey: privateKey }, cb)
+          self._keychain = new Keychain(self._repo.keys, keychainOptions)
+          self._keychain.importPeer('self', { privKey: privateKey }, cb)
         } else {
           cb(null, true)
         }
diff --git a/src/core/components/pre-start.js b/src/core/components/pre-start.js
index 76f94cf052..9a7c6eadf1 100644
--- a/src/core/components/pre-start.js
+++ b/src/core/components/pre-start.js
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ module.exports = function preStart (self) {
       (cb) => self._repo.config.get(cb),
       (config, cb) => {
         const pass = self._options.pass
-        if (pass) {
+        if (self._keychain) {
+          // most likely an init has happened
+        } else if (pass) {
           const keychainOptions = Object.assign({passPhrase: pass}, config.Keychain)
           self._keychain = new Keychain(self._repo.keys, keychainOptions)
           self.log('keychain constructed')