diff --git a/CHANGELOG_PENDING.md b/CHANGELOG_PENDING.md
index a7fab7af9..55eb55b1a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG_PENDING.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG_PENDING.md
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ Friendly reminder: We have a [bug bounty program](https://hackerone.com/tendermi
     Some core types have been kept in the `mempool` package such as `TxCache` and it's implementations, the `Mempool` interface itself
     and `TxInfo`. (@alexanderbez)
   - [crypto/sr25519] \#6526 Do not re-execute the Ed25519-style key derivation step when doing signing and verification.  The derivation is now done once and only once.  This breaks `sr25519.GenPrivKeyFromSecret` output compatibility. (@Yawning)
+  - [types] \#6627 Move `NodeKey` to types to make the type public. 
+  - [config] \#6627 Extend `config` to contain methods `LoadNodeKeyID` and `LoadorGenNodeKeyID`
 
 - Blockchain Protocol
 
diff --git a/cmd/tendermint/commands/gen_node_key.go b/cmd/tendermint/commands/gen_node_key.go
index 472a82fa3..f796f4b7f 100644
--- a/cmd/tendermint/commands/gen_node_key.go
+++ b/cmd/tendermint/commands/gen_node_key.go
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/internal/p2p"
 	tmjson "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/json"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 )
 
 // GenNodeKeyCmd allows the generation of a node key. It prints JSON-encoded
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ var GenNodeKeyCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 func genNodeKey(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-	nodeKey := p2p.GenNodeKey()
+	nodeKey := types.GenNodeKey()
 
 	bz, err := tmjson.Marshal(nodeKey)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/tendermint/commands/init.go b/cmd/tendermint/commands/init.go
index 8499c9085..bc94f763b 100644
--- a/cmd/tendermint/commands/init.go
+++ b/cmd/tendermint/commands/init.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
 	cfg "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/config"
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/internal/p2p"
 	tmos "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/os"
 	tmrand "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/rand"
 	tmtime "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/time"
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ func initFilesWithConfig(config *cfg.Config) error {
 	if tmos.FileExists(nodeKeyFile) {
 		logger.Info("Found node key", "path", nodeKeyFile)
 	} else {
-		if _, err := p2p.LoadOrGenNodeKey(nodeKeyFile); err != nil {
+		if _, err := types.LoadOrGenNodeKey(nodeKeyFile); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		logger.Info("Generated node key", "path", nodeKeyFile)
diff --git a/cmd/tendermint/commands/show_node_id.go b/cmd/tendermint/commands/show_node_id.go
index 192de74ee..7a5814c3b 100644
--- a/cmd/tendermint/commands/show_node_id.go
+++ b/cmd/tendermint/commands/show_node_id.go
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/internal/p2p"
 )
 
 // ShowNodeIDCmd dumps node's ID to the standard output.
@@ -18,11 +16,11 @@ var ShowNodeIDCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 func showNodeID(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-	nodeKey, err := p2p.LoadNodeKey(config.NodeKeyFile())
+	nodeKeyID, err := config.LoadNodeKeyID()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	fmt.Println(nodeKey.ID)
+	fmt.Println(nodeKeyID)
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/cmd/tendermint/commands/testnet.go b/cmd/tendermint/commands/testnet.go
index 337ffdaad..a7307b38f 100644
--- a/cmd/tendermint/commands/testnet.go
+++ b/cmd/tendermint/commands/testnet.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 
 	cfg "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/config"
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/internal/p2p"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/bytes"
 	tmrand "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/rand"
 	tmtime "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/time"
@@ -274,11 +273,11 @@ func persistentPeersArray(config *cfg.Config) ([]string, error) {
 	for i := 0; i < nValidators+nNonValidators; i++ {
 		nodeDir := filepath.Join(outputDir, fmt.Sprintf("%s%d", nodeDirPrefix, i))
 		config.SetRoot(nodeDir)
-		nodeKey, err := p2p.LoadNodeKey(config.NodeKeyFile())
+		nodeKey, err := config.LoadNodeKeyID()
 		if err != nil {
 			return []string{}, err
 		}
-		peers[i] = nodeKey.ID.AddressString(fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", hostnameOrIP(i), p2pPort))
+		peers[i] = nodeKey.AddressString(fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", hostnameOrIP(i), p2pPort))
 	}
 	return peers, nil
 }
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 7c38aabc6..de1217134 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -4,12 +4,16 @@ import (
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
+	tmjson "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/json"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/log"
+	tmos "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/os"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -282,6 +286,41 @@ func (cfg BaseConfig) NodeKeyFile() string {
 	return rootify(cfg.NodeKey, cfg.RootDir)
 }
 
+// LoadNodeKey loads NodeKey located in filePath.
+func (cfg BaseConfig) LoadNodeKeyID() (types.NodeID, error) {
+	jsonBytes, err := ioutil.ReadFile(cfg.NodeKeyFile())
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	nodeKey := types.NodeKey{}
+	err = tmjson.Unmarshal(jsonBytes, &nodeKey)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	nodeKey.ID = types.NodeIDFromPubKey(nodeKey.PubKey())
+	return nodeKey.ID, nil
+}
+
+// LoadOrGenNodeKey attempts to load the NodeKey from the given filePath. If
+// the file does not exist, it generates and saves a new NodeKey.
+func (cfg BaseConfig) LoadOrGenNodeKeyID() (types.NodeID, error) {
+	if tmos.FileExists(cfg.NodeKeyFile()) {
+		nodeKey, err := cfg.LoadNodeKeyID()
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		return nodeKey, nil
+	}
+
+	nodeKey := types.GenNodeKey()
+
+	if err := nodeKey.SaveAs(cfg.NodeKeyFile()); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	return nodeKey.ID, nil
+}
+
 // DBDir returns the full path to the database directory
 func (cfg BaseConfig) DBDir() string {
 	return rootify(cfg.DBPath, cfg.RootDir)
diff --git a/internal/p2p/mock/peer.go b/internal/p2p/mock/peer.go
index b47e58662..cede51768 100644
--- a/internal/p2p/mock/peer.go
+++ b/internal/p2p/mock/peer.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func NewPeer(ip net.IP) *Peer {
 	} else {
 		netAddr = types.NewNetAddressIPPort(ip, 26656)
 	}
-	nodeKey := p2p.GenNodeKey()
+	nodeKey := types.GenNodeKey()
 	netAddr.ID = nodeKey.ID
 	mp := &Peer{
 		ip:   ip,
diff --git a/internal/p2p/peer_set_test.go b/internal/p2p/peer_set_test.go
index 96e6ebd5a..3e2397d2d 100644
--- a/internal/p2p/peer_set_test.go
+++ b/internal/p2p/peer_set_test.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func newMockPeer(ip net.IP) *mockPeer {
 	if ip == nil {
 		ip = net.IP{127, 0, 0, 1}
 	}
-	nodeKey := GenNodeKey()
+	nodeKey := types.GenNodeKey()
 	return &mockPeer{
 		ip: ip,
 		id: nodeKey.ID,
diff --git a/internal/p2p/switch.go b/internal/p2p/switch.go
index fa8338834..e35a307d6 100644
--- a/internal/p2p/switch.go
+++ b/internal/p2p/switch.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ type Switch struct {
 	dialing      *cmap.CMap
 	reconnecting *cmap.CMap
 	nodeInfo     types.NodeInfo // our node info
-	nodeKey      NodeKey        // our node privkey
+	nodeKey      types.NodeKey  // our node privkey
 	addrBook     AddrBook
 	// peers addresses with whom we'll maintain constant connection
 	persistentPeersAddrs []*NetAddress
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ func (sw *Switch) NodeInfo() types.NodeInfo {
 
 // SetNodeKey sets the switch's private key for authenticated encryption.
 // NOTE: Not goroutine safe.
-func (sw *Switch) SetNodeKey(nodeKey NodeKey) {
+func (sw *Switch) SetNodeKey(nodeKey types.NodeKey) {
 	sw.nodeKey = nodeKey
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/p2p/test_util.go b/internal/p2p/test_util.go
index 18b8c8d70..b2851646d 100644
--- a/internal/p2p/test_util.go
+++ b/internal/p2p/test_util.go
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ func MakeSwitch(
 	opts ...SwitchOption,
 ) *Switch {
 
-	nodeKey := GenNodeKey()
+	nodeKey := types.GenNodeKey()
 	nodeInfo := testNodeInfo(nodeKey.ID, fmt.Sprintf("node%d", i))
 	addr, err := types.NewNetAddressString(
 		nodeKey.ID.AddressString(nodeInfo.ListenAddr),
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index 662f60a07..5bf13f8e4 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ type nodeImpl struct {
 	router      *p2p.Router
 	addrBook    pex.AddrBook // known peers
 	nodeInfo    types.NodeInfo
-	nodeKey     p2p.NodeKey // our node privkey
+	nodeKey     types.NodeKey // our node privkey
 	isListening bool
 
 	// services
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ type nodeImpl struct {
 // PrivValidator, ClientCreator, GenesisDoc, and DBProvider.
 // It implements NodeProvider.
 func newDefaultNode(config *cfg.Config, logger log.Logger) (service.Service, error) {
-	nodeKey, err := p2p.LoadOrGenNodeKey(config.NodeKeyFile())
+	nodeKey, err := types.LoadOrGenNodeKey(config.NodeKeyFile())
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to load or gen node key %s: %w", config.NodeKeyFile(), err)
 	}
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ func newDefaultNode(config *cfg.Config, logger log.Logger) (service.Service, err
 // makeNode returns a new, ready to go, Tendermint Node.
 func makeNode(config *cfg.Config,
 	privValidator types.PrivValidator,
-	nodeKey p2p.NodeKey,
+	nodeKey types.NodeKey,
 	clientCreator proxy.ClientCreator,
 	genesisDocProvider genesisDocProvider,
 	dbProvider cfg.DBProvider,
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ func makeNode(config *cfg.Config,
 // makeSeedNode returns a new seed node, containing only p2p, pex reactor
 func makeSeedNode(config *cfg.Config,
 	dbProvider cfg.DBProvider,
-	nodeKey p2p.NodeKey,
+	nodeKey types.NodeKey,
 	genesisDocProvider genesisDocProvider,
 	logger log.Logger,
 ) (service.Service, error) {
diff --git a/node/node_test.go b/node/node_test.go
index 135902716..d619d22d9 100644
--- a/node/node_test.go
+++ b/node/node_test.go
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/internal/evidence"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/internal/mempool"
 	mempoolv0 "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/internal/mempool/v0"
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/internal/p2p"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/internal/test/factory"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/log"
 	tmrand "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/rand"
@@ -486,7 +485,7 @@ func TestNodeNewSeedNode(t *testing.T) {
 	config.Mode = cfg.ModeSeed
 	defer os.RemoveAll(config.RootDir)
 
-	nodeKey, err := p2p.LoadOrGenNodeKey(config.NodeKeyFile())
+	nodeKey, err := types.LoadOrGenNodeKey(config.NodeKeyFile())
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	ns, err := makeSeedNode(config,
diff --git a/node/public.go b/node/public.go
index e64306044..99a8226d0 100644
--- a/node/public.go
+++ b/node/public.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/config"
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/internal/p2p"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/log"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/service"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/privval"
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@ func New(conf *config.Config,
 	cf proxy.ClientCreator,
 	gen *types.GenesisDoc,
 ) (service.Service, error) {
-	nodeKey, err := p2p.LoadOrGenNodeKey(conf.NodeKeyFile())
+	nodeKey, err := types.LoadOrGenNodeKey(conf.NodeKeyFile())
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to load or gen node key %s: %w", conf.NodeKeyFile(), err)
 	}
diff --git a/node/setup.go b/node/setup.go
index ac48353e3..a3d88267e 100644
--- a/node/setup.go
+++ b/node/setup.go
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ func createSwitch(
 	evidenceReactor *p2p.ReactorShim,
 	proxyApp proxy.AppConns,
 	nodeInfo types.NodeInfo,
-	nodeKey p2p.NodeKey,
+	nodeKey types.NodeKey,
 	p2pLogger log.Logger,
 ) *p2p.Switch {
 
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ func createSwitch(
 }
 
 func createAddrBookAndSetOnSwitch(config *cfg.Config, sw *p2p.Switch,
-	p2pLogger log.Logger, nodeKey p2p.NodeKey) (pex.AddrBook, error) {
+	p2pLogger log.Logger, nodeKey types.NodeKey) (pex.AddrBook, error) {
 
 	addrBook := pex.NewAddrBook(config.P2P.AddrBookFile(), config.P2P.AddrBookStrict)
 	addrBook.SetLogger(p2pLogger.With("book", config.P2P.AddrBookFile()))
@@ -709,7 +709,7 @@ func createPEXReactorV2(
 
 func makeNodeInfo(
 	config *cfg.Config,
-	nodeKey p2p.NodeKey,
+	nodeKey types.NodeKey,
 	eventSinks []indexer.EventSink,
 	genDoc *types.GenesisDoc,
 	state sm.State,
@@ -778,7 +778,7 @@ func makeNodeInfo(
 
 func makeSeedNodeInfo(
 	config *cfg.Config,
-	nodeKey p2p.NodeKey,
+	nodeKey types.NodeKey,
 	genDoc *types.GenesisDoc,
 	state sm.State,
 ) (types.NodeInfo, error) {
diff --git a/test/e2e/runner/setup.go b/test/e2e/runner/setup.go
index 1baa1f503..c2b61617e 100644
--- a/test/e2e/runner/setup.go
+++ b/test/e2e/runner/setup.go
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/config"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto/ed25519"
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/internal/p2p"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/privval"
 	e2e "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/test/e2e/pkg"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
@@ -106,7 +105,7 @@ func Setup(testnet *e2e.Testnet) error {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		err = (&p2p.NodeKey{PrivKey: node.NodeKey}).SaveAs(filepath.Join(nodeDir, "config", "node_key.json"))
+		err = (&types.NodeKey{PrivKey: node.NodeKey}).SaveAs(filepath.Join(nodeDir, "config", "node_key.json"))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/internal/p2p/key.go b/types/node_key.go
similarity index 91%
rename from internal/p2p/key.go
rename to types/node_key.go
index 8249d24bb..b8277649a 100644
--- a/internal/p2p/key.go
+++ b/types/node_key.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package p2p
+package types
 
 import (
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto/ed25519"
 	tmjson "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/json"
 	tmos "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/os"
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 )
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -18,7 +17,7 @@ import (
 // It contains the nodes private key for authentication.
 type NodeKey struct {
 	// Canonical ID - hex-encoded pubkey's address (IDByteLength bytes)
-	ID types.NodeID `json:"id"`
+	ID NodeID `json:"id"`
 	// Private key
 	PrivKey crypto.PrivKey `json:"priv_key"`
 }
@@ -65,7 +64,7 @@ func LoadOrGenNodeKey(filePath string) (NodeKey, error) {
 func GenNodeKey() NodeKey {
 	privKey := ed25519.GenPrivKey()
 	return NodeKey{
-		ID:      types.NodeIDFromPubKey(privKey.PubKey()),
+		ID:      NodeIDFromPubKey(privKey.PubKey()),
 		PrivKey: privKey,
 	}
 }
@@ -81,6 +80,6 @@ func LoadNodeKey(filePath string) (NodeKey, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return NodeKey{}, err
 	}
-	nodeKey.ID = types.NodeIDFromPubKey(nodeKey.PubKey())
+	nodeKey.ID = NodeIDFromPubKey(nodeKey.PubKey())
 	return nodeKey, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/p2p/key_test.go b/types/node_key_test.go
similarity index 71%
rename from internal/p2p/key_test.go
rename to types/node_key_test.go
index 5189f95cf..7c0b945c3 100644
--- a/internal/p2p/key_test.go
+++ b/types/node_key_test.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package p2p_test
+package types_test
 
 import (
 	"os"
@@ -7,17 +7,17 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/internal/p2p"
 	tmrand "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/rand"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 )
 
 func TestLoadOrGenNodeKey(t *testing.T) {
 	filePath := filepath.Join(os.TempDir(), tmrand.Str(12)+"_peer_id.json")
 
-	nodeKey, err := p2p.LoadOrGenNodeKey(filePath)
+	nodeKey, err := types.LoadOrGenNodeKey(filePath)
 	require.Nil(t, err)
 
-	nodeKey2, err := p2p.LoadOrGenNodeKey(filePath)
+	nodeKey2, err := types.LoadOrGenNodeKey(filePath)
 	require.Nil(t, err)
 	require.Equal(t, nodeKey, nodeKey2)
 }
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@ func TestLoadOrGenNodeKey(t *testing.T) {
 func TestLoadNodeKey(t *testing.T) {
 	filePath := filepath.Join(os.TempDir(), tmrand.Str(12)+"_peer_id.json")
 
-	_, err := p2p.LoadNodeKey(filePath)
+	_, err := types.LoadNodeKey(filePath)
 	require.True(t, os.IsNotExist(err))
 
-	_, err = p2p.LoadOrGenNodeKey(filePath)
+	_, err = types.LoadOrGenNodeKey(filePath)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	nodeKey, err := p2p.LoadNodeKey(filePath)
+	nodeKey, err := types.LoadNodeKey(filePath)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NotNil(t, nodeKey)
 }
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func TestNodeKeySaveAs(t *testing.T) {
 	filePath := filepath.Join(os.TempDir(), tmrand.Str(12)+"_peer_id.json")
 	require.NoFileExists(t, filePath)
 
-	nodeKey := p2p.GenNodeKey()
+	nodeKey := types.GenNodeKey()
 	require.NoError(t, nodeKey.SaveAs(filePath))
 	require.FileExists(t, filePath)
 }