diff --git a/cmd/geth/main.go b/cmd/geth/main.go
index 199b980eb9..e9464872b4 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/main.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/main.go
@@ -51,13 +51,10 @@ var (
 	// flags that configure the node
 	nodeFlags = []cli.Flag{
 		utils.IdentityFlag,
-		utils.UnlockedAccountFlag,
-		utils.PasswordFileFlag,
 		utils.BootnodesFlag,
 		utils.BootnodesV4Flag,
 		utils.BootnodesV5Flag,
 		utils.DataDirFlag,
-		utils.KeyStoreDirFlag,
 		utils.NoUSBFlag,
 		utils.DashboardEnabledFlag,
 		utils.DashboardAddrFlag,
diff --git a/cmd/geth/usage.go b/cmd/geth/usage.go
index 9d63c68f7f..0560876006 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/usage.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/usage.go
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ var AppHelpFlagGroups = []flagGroup{
 		Flags: []cli.Flag{
 			configFileFlag,
 			utils.DataDirFlag,
-			utils.KeyStoreDirFlag,
 			utils.NoUSBFlag,
 			utils.NetworkIdFlag,
 			utils.TestnetFlag,
@@ -135,13 +134,6 @@ var AppHelpFlagGroups = []flagGroup{
 			utils.TrieCacheGenFlag,
 		},
 	},
-	{
-		Name: "ACCOUNT",
-		Flags: []cli.Flag{
-			utils.UnlockedAccountFlag,
-			utils.PasswordFileFlag,
-		},
-	},
 	{
 		Name: "API AND CONSOLE",
 		Flags: []cli.Flag{
diff --git a/cmd/swarm/main.go b/cmd/swarm/main.go
index ac09ae9981..d0765e4fad 100644
--- a/cmd/swarm/main.go
+++ b/cmd/swarm/main.go
@@ -460,7 +460,6 @@ pv(1) tool to get a progress bar:
 		utils.NATFlag,
 		utils.IPCDisabledFlag,
 		utils.IPCPathFlag,
-		utils.PasswordFileFlag,
 		// bzzd-specific flags
 		CorsStringFlag,
 		EnsAPIFlag,
@@ -610,11 +609,8 @@ func getAccount(bzzaccount string, ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node) *ecdsa.Pr
 		log.Info("Swarm account key loaded", "address", crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key.PublicKey))
 		return key
 	}
-	// Otherwise try getting it from the keystore.
-	am := stack.AccountManager()
-	ks := am.Backends(keystore.KeyStoreType)[0].(*keystore.KeyStore)
-
-	return decryptStoreAccount(ks, bzzaccount, utils.MakePasswordList(ctx))
+	utils.Fatalf(SWARM_ERR_NO_BZZACCOUNT)
+	return nil
 }
 
 // getPrivKey returns the private key of the specified bzzaccount
diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index c7532dde1e..45f46e7657 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ package utils
 import (
 	"crypto/ecdsa"
 	"fmt"
-	"io/ioutil"
 	"math/big"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -343,16 +342,6 @@ var (
 		Usage: "Block extra data set by the miner (default = client version)",
 	}
 	// Account settings
-	UnlockedAccountFlag = cli.StringFlag{
-		Name:  "unlock",
-		Usage: "Comma separated list of accounts to unlock",
-		Value: "",
-	}
-	PasswordFileFlag = cli.StringFlag{
-		Name:  "password",
-		Usage: "Password file to use for non-interactive password input",
-		Value: "",
-	}
 	ExternalSignerFlag = cli.StringFlag{
 		Name:  "signer",
 		Usage: "External signer (url or path to ipc file)",
@@ -814,23 +803,6 @@ func setEtherbase(ctx *cli.Context, cfg *eth.Config) {
 	}
 }
 
-// MakePasswordList reads password lines from the file specified by the global --password flag.
-func MakePasswordList(ctx *cli.Context) []string {
-	path := ctx.GlobalString(PasswordFileFlag.Name)
-	if path == "" {
-		return nil
-	}
-	text, err := ioutil.ReadFile(path)
-	if err != nil {
-		Fatalf("Failed to read password file: %v", err)
-	}
-	lines := strings.Split(string(text), "\n")
-	// Sanitise DOS line endings.
-	for i := range lines {
-		lines[i] = strings.TrimRight(lines[i], "\r")
-	}
-	return lines
-}
 
 func SetP2PConfig(ctx *cli.Context, cfg *p2p.Config) {
 	setNodeKey(ctx, cfg)
diff --git a/console/console.go b/console/console.go
index 56e03837ac..9ceabdb358 100644
--- a/console/console.go
+++ b/console/console.go
@@ -159,37 +159,6 @@ func (c *Console) init(preload []string) error {
 	// Initialize the global name register (disabled for now)
 	//c.jsre.Run(`var GlobalRegistrar = eth.contract(` + registrar.GlobalRegistrarAbi + `);   registrar = GlobalRegistrar.at("` + registrar.GlobalRegistrarAddr + `");`)
 
-	// If the console is in interactive mode, instrument password related methods to query the user
-	if c.prompter != nil {
-		// Retrieve the account management object to instrument
-		personal, err := c.jsre.Get("personal")
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		// Override the openWallet, unlockAccount, newAccount and sign methods since
-		// these require user interaction. Assign these method in the Console the
-		// original web3 callbacks. These will be called by the jeth.* methods after
-		// they got the password from the user and send the original web3 request to
-		// the backend.
-		if obj := personal.Object(); obj != nil { // make sure the personal api is enabled over the interface
-			if _, err = c.jsre.Run(`jeth.openWallet = personal.openWallet;`); err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("personal.openWallet: %v", err)
-			}
-			if _, err = c.jsre.Run(`jeth.unlockAccount = personal.unlockAccount;`); err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("personal.unlockAccount: %v", err)
-			}
-			if _, err = c.jsre.Run(`jeth.newAccount = personal.newAccount;`); err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("personal.newAccount: %v", err)
-			}
-			if _, err = c.jsre.Run(`jeth.sign = personal.sign;`); err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("personal.sign: %v", err)
-			}
-			obj.Set("openWallet", bridge.OpenWallet)
-			obj.Set("unlockAccount", bridge.UnlockAccount)
-			obj.Set("newAccount", bridge.NewAccount)
-			obj.Set("sign", bridge.Sign)
-		}
-	}
 	// The admin.sleep and admin.sleepBlocks are offered by the console and not by the RPC layer.
 	admin, err := c.jsre.Get("admin")
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/ethapi/api.go b/internal/ethapi/api.go
index 02245128bf..b6b9503ae3 100644
--- a/internal/ethapi/api.go
+++ b/internal/ethapi/api.go
@@ -1336,6 +1336,9 @@ func NewExternalSigner(endpoint string) (*ExternalSignerAPI, error) {
 }
 
 func (api *ExternalSignerAPI) signTransaction(ctx context.Context, args SendTxArgs) (*types.Transaction, error) {
+	if api == nil{
+		return nil, errors.New("External API not initialized")
+	}
 	res := SignTransactionResult{}
 	if err := api.client.Call(&res, "account_signTransaction", args); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -1343,6 +1346,9 @@ func (api *ExternalSignerAPI) signTransaction(ctx context.Context, args SendTxAr
 	return res.Tx, nil
 }
 func (api *ExternalSignerAPI) listAccounts() ([]common.Address, error) {
+	if api == nil{
+		return []common.Address{}, errors.New("External API not initialized")
+	}
 	var res []common.Address
 	if err := api.client.Call(&res, "account_listAccounts"); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -1350,6 +1356,9 @@ func (api *ExternalSignerAPI) listAccounts() ([]common.Address, error) {
 	return res, nil
 }
 func (api *ExternalSignerAPI) newAccount() (common.Address, error) {
+	if api == nil{
+		return common.Address{}, errors.New("External API not initialized")
+	}
 	var res accounts.Account
 
 	if err := api.client.Call(&res, "account_new"); err != nil {