diff --git a/cmd/delete.go b/cmd/delete.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6c0185166
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/delete.go
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+// Copyright © 2017 Ethan Frey
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+// deleteCmd represents the delete command
+var deleteCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "delete <name>",
+	Short: "DANGER: Delete a private key from your system",
+	RunE:  runDeleteCmd,
+}
+
+func runDeleteCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	if len(args) != 1 || len(args[0]) == 0 {
+		return errors.New("You must provide a name for the key")
+	}
+	name := args[0]
+
+	oldpass, err := getPassword("DANGER - enter password to permanently delete key:")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	err = GetKeyManager().Delete(name, oldpass)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	fmt.Println("Password deleted forever (uh oh!)")
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/new.go b/cmd/new.go
index b48f9727a..2969a1042 100644
--- a/cmd/new.go
+++ b/cmd/new.go
@@ -15,14 +15,20 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"github.com/tendermint/go-crypto/keys"
+	"github.com/tendermint/go-wire/data"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/cli"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
 
 const (
-	flagType = "type"
+	flagType     = "type"
+	flagNoBackup = "no-backup"
 )
 
 // newCmd represents the new command
@@ -37,6 +43,7 @@ passed as a command line argument for security.`,
 
 func init() {
 	newCmd.Flags().StringP(flagType, "t", "ed25519", "Type of key (ed25519|secp256k1)")
+	newCmd.Flags().Bool(flagNoBackup, false, "Don't print out seed phrase (if others are watching the terminal)")
 }
 
 func runNewCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
@@ -51,9 +58,37 @@ func runNewCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	info, _, err := GetKeyManager().Create(name, pass, algo)
+	info, seed, err := GetKeyManager().Create(name, pass, algo)
 	if err == nil {
-		printInfo(info)
+		printCreate(info, seed)
 	}
 	return err
 }
+
+type NewOutput struct {
+	Key  keys.Info `json:"key"`
+	Seed string    `json:"seed"`
+}
+
+func printCreate(info keys.Info, seed string) {
+	switch viper.Get(cli.OutputFlag) {
+	case "text":
+		printInfo(info)
+		// print seed unless requested not to.
+		if !viper.GetBool(flagNoBackup) {
+			fmt.Println("**Important** write this seed phrase in a safe place.")
+			fmt.Println("It is the only way to recover your account if you ever forget your password.\n")
+			fmt.Println(seed)
+		}
+	case "json":
+		out := NewOutput{Key: info}
+		if !viper.GetBool(flagNoBackup) {
+			out.Seed = seed
+		}
+		json, err := data.ToJSON(out)
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err) // really shouldn't happen...
+		}
+		fmt.Println(string(json))
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/recover.go b/cmd/recover.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e3bd919b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/recover.go
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+// Copyright © 2017 Ethan Frey
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+// recoverCmd represents the recover command
+var recoverCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "recover <name>",
+	Short: "Change the password for a private key",
+	RunE:  runRecoverCmd,
+}
+
+func runRecoverCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	if len(args) != 1 || len(args[0]) == 0 {
+		return errors.New("You must provide a name for the key")
+	}
+	name := args[0]
+
+	pass, err := getPassword("Enter the new passphrase:")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// not really a password... huh?
+	seed, err := getSeed("Enter your recovery seed phrase")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	info, err := GetKeyManager().Recover(name, pass, seed)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	printInfo(info)
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index ad5a633fb..cfd3d1adf 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ func init() {
 	RootCmd.AddCommand(listCmd)
 	RootCmd.AddCommand(newCmd)
 	RootCmd.AddCommand(updateCmd)
+	RootCmd.AddCommand(deleteCmd)
+	RootCmd.AddCommand(recoverCmd)
 }
 
 func RegisterServer() {
diff --git a/cmd/utils.go b/cmd/utils.go
index e54343b7a..7978f78a7 100644
--- a/cmd/utils.go
+++ b/cmd/utils.go
@@ -76,6 +76,12 @@ func getPassword(prompt string) (pass string, err error) {
 	return pass, nil
 }
 
+func getSeed(prompt string) (seed string, err error) {
+	seed, err = stdinPassword()
+	seed = strings.TrimSpace(seed)
+	return
+}
+
 func getCheckPassword(prompt, prompt2 string) (string, error) {
 	// simple read on no-tty
 	if !inputIsTty() {
diff --git a/tests/keys.sh b/tests/keys.sh
index 82c8083ec..c848f8dd2 100755
--- a/tests/keys.sh
+++ b/tests/keys.sh
@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@ oneTimeSetUp() {
 newKey(){
   assertNotNull "keyname required" "$1"
   KEYPASS=${2:-qwertyuiop}
-  KEY=$(echo $KEYPASS | ${EXE} new $1)
-  assertTrue "created $1" $?
+  KEY=$(echo $KEYPASS | ${EXE} new $1 -o json)
+  if ! assertTrue "created $1" $?; then return 1; fi
+  assertEquals "$1" $(echo $KEY | jq .key.name | tr -d \")
   return $?
 }
 
@@ -59,6 +60,52 @@ test02updateKeys() {
   assertTrue "takes new key after update" "updateKey $USER $PASS2 $PASS3"
 }
 
+test03recoverKeys() {
+  USER=sleepy
+  PASS1=S4H.9j.D9S7hso
+
+  USER2=easy
+  PASS2=1234567890
+
+  # make a user and check they exist
+  echo "create..."
+  KEY=$(echo $PASS1 | ${EXE} new $USER -o json)
+  if ! assertTrue "created $USER" $?; then return 1; fi
+  if [ -n "$DEBUG" ]; then echo $KEY; echo; fi
+
+  SEED=$(echo $KEY | jq .seed | tr -d \")
+  ADDR=$(echo $KEY | jq .key.address | tr -d \")
+  PUBKEY=$(echo $KEY | jq .key.pubkey | tr -d \")
+  assertTrue "${EXE} get $USER > /dev/null"
+
+  # let's delete this key
+  echo "delete..."
+  assertFalse "echo foo | ${EXE} delete $USER > /dev/null"
+  assertTrue "echo $PASS1 | ${EXE} delete $USER > /dev/null"
+  assertFalse "${EXE} get $USER > /dev/null"
+
+  # fails on short password
+  echo "recover..."
+  assertFalse "echo foo; echo $SEED | ${EXE} recover $USER2 -o json > /dev/null"
+  # fails on bad seed
+  assertFalse "echo $PASS2; echo \"silly white whale tower bongo\" | ${EXE} recover $USER2 -o json > /dev/null"
+  # now we got it
+  KEY2=$((echo $PASS2; echo $SEED) | ${EXE} recover $USER2 -o json)
+  if ! assertTrue "recovery failed: $KEY2" $?; then return 1; fi
+  if [ -n "$DEBUG" ]; then echo $KEY2; echo; fi
+
+  # make sure it looks the same
+  NAME2=$(echo $KEY2 | jq .name | tr -d \")
+  ADDR2=$(echo $KEY2 | jq .address | tr -d \")
+  PUBKEY2=$(echo $KEY2 | jq .pubkey | tr -d \")
+  assertEquals "wrong username" "$USER2" "$NAME2"
+  assertEquals "address doesn't match" "$ADDR" "$ADDR2"
+  assertEquals "pubkey doesn't match" "$PUBKEY" "$PUBKEY2"
+
+  # and we can find the info
+  assertTrue "${EXE} get $USER2 > /dev/null"
+}
+
 # load and run these tests with shunit2!
 DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd )" #get this files directory
 . $DIR/shunit2