diff --git a/accounts/account_manager.go b/accounts/account_manager.go
index da0bd89004..ff21b8ae7b 100644
--- a/accounts/account_manager.go
+++ b/accounts/account_manager.go
@@ -93,3 +93,7 @@ func (am *AccountManager) Accounts() ([]Account, error) {
 	}
 	return accounts, err
 }
+
+func (am *AccountManager) KeyStore() crypto.KeyStore2 {
+	return am.keyStore
+}
diff --git a/cmd/mist/gui.go b/cmd/mist/gui.go
index 4af0cff433..60e5e3d4f2 100644
--- a/cmd/mist/gui.go
+++ b/cmd/mist/gui.go
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethutil"
@@ -175,7 +176,19 @@ func (gui *Gui) showWallet(context *qml.Context) (*qml.Window, error) {
 	return gui.win, nil
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) ImportKey(filePath string) {
+func (gui *Gui) ImportKey(fileURL string) {
+	filePath := fileURL[6:] // path after "file://"
+	pass := "bar"           // TODO: get from UI
+	fileContent, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		guilogger.Errorln("unable to import key: ", err)
+		// TODO: UI feedback
+	}
+	_, err = crypto.ImportPreSaleKey(gui.eth.AccountManager().KeyStore(), fileContent, pass)
+	if err != nil {
+		guilogger.Errorln("unable to import key: ", err)
+		// TODO: UI feedback
+	}
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) showKeyImport(context *qml.Context) (*qml.Window, error) {
diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index 0e5d244297..5729baf768 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"path"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
@@ -117,6 +118,7 @@ type Ethereum struct {
 	blockProcessor *core.BlockProcessor
 	txPool         *core.TxPool
 	chainManager   *core.ChainManager
+	accountManager *accounts.AccountManager
 	blockPool      *BlockPool
 	whisper        *whisper.Whisper
 
@@ -177,6 +179,12 @@ func New(config *Config) (*Ethereum, error) {
 	}
 
 	eth.chainManager = core.NewChainManager(db, eth.EventMux())
+
+	// TODO: add config flag and case on plain/protected key store
+	ks := crypto.NewKeyStorePlain(crypto.DefaultDataDir())
+	am := accounts.NewAccountManager(ks)
+	eth.accountManager = &am
+
 	eth.txPool = core.NewTxPool(eth.EventMux())
 	eth.blockProcessor = core.NewBlockProcessor(db, eth.txPool, eth.chainManager, eth.EventMux())
 	eth.chainManager.SetProcessor(eth.blockProcessor)
@@ -214,22 +222,23 @@ func New(config *Config) (*Ethereum, error) {
 	return eth, nil
 }
 
-func (s *Ethereum) KeyManager() *crypto.KeyManager       { return s.keyManager }
-func (s *Ethereum) Logger() ethlogger.LogSystem          { return s.logger }
-func (s *Ethereum) Name() string                         { return s.net.Name }
-func (s *Ethereum) ChainManager() *core.ChainManager     { return s.chainManager }
-func (s *Ethereum) BlockProcessor() *core.BlockProcessor { return s.blockProcessor }
-func (s *Ethereum) TxPool() *core.TxPool                 { return s.txPool }
-func (s *Ethereum) BlockPool() *BlockPool                { return s.blockPool }
-func (s *Ethereum) Whisper() *whisper.Whisper            { return s.whisper }
-func (s *Ethereum) EventMux() *event.TypeMux             { return s.eventMux }
-func (s *Ethereum) Db() ethutil.Database                 { return s.db }
-func (s *Ethereum) Miner() *miner.Miner                  { return s.miner }
-func (s *Ethereum) IsListening() bool                    { return true } // Always listening
-func (s *Ethereum) PeerCount() int                       { return s.net.PeerCount() }
-func (s *Ethereum) Peers() []*p2p.Peer                   { return s.net.Peers() }
-func (s *Ethereum) MaxPeers() int                        { return s.net.MaxPeers }
-func (s *Ethereum) Coinbase() []byte                     { return nil } // TODO
+func (s *Ethereum) KeyManager() *crypto.KeyManager           { return s.keyManager }
+func (s *Ethereum) Logger() ethlogger.LogSystem              { return s.logger }
+func (s *Ethereum) Name() string                             { return s.net.Name }
+func (s *Ethereum) ChainManager() *core.ChainManager         { return s.chainManager }
+func (s *Ethereum) AccountManager() *accounts.AccountManager { return s.accountManager }
+func (s *Ethereum) BlockProcessor() *core.BlockProcessor     { return s.blockProcessor }
+func (s *Ethereum) TxPool() *core.TxPool                     { return s.txPool }
+func (s *Ethereum) BlockPool() *BlockPool                    { return s.blockPool }
+func (s *Ethereum) Whisper() *whisper.Whisper                { return s.whisper }
+func (s *Ethereum) EventMux() *event.TypeMux                 { return s.eventMux }
+func (s *Ethereum) Db() ethutil.Database                     { return s.db }
+func (s *Ethereum) Miner() *miner.Miner                      { return s.miner }
+func (s *Ethereum) IsListening() bool                        { return true } // Always listening
+func (s *Ethereum) PeerCount() int                           { return s.net.PeerCount() }
+func (s *Ethereum) Peers() []*p2p.Peer                       { return s.net.Peers() }
+func (s *Ethereum) MaxPeers() int                            { return s.net.MaxPeers }
+func (s *Ethereum) Coinbase() []byte                         { return nil } // TODO
 
 // Start the ethereum
 func (s *Ethereum) Start() error {
diff --git a/xeth/xeth.go b/xeth/xeth.go
index 2985ce982e..de5aaa7489 100644
--- a/xeth/xeth.go
+++ b/xeth/xeth.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ var pipelogger = logger.NewLogger("XETH")
 type Backend interface {
 	BlockProcessor() *core.BlockProcessor
 	ChainManager() *core.ChainManager
+	AccountManager() *accounts.AccountManager
 	TxPool() *core.TxPool
 	PeerCount() int
 	IsListening() bool
@@ -41,6 +43,7 @@ type XEth struct {
 	eth            Backend
 	blockProcessor *core.BlockProcessor
 	chainManager   *core.ChainManager
+	accountManager *accounts.AccountManager
 	state          *State
 	whisper        *Whisper
 	miner          *miner.Miner
@@ -51,6 +54,7 @@ func New(eth Backend) *XEth {
 		eth:            eth,
 		blockProcessor: eth.BlockProcessor(),
 		chainManager:   eth.ChainManager(),
+		accountManager: eth.AccountManager(),
 		whisper:        NewWhisper(eth.Whisper()),
 		miner:          eth.Miner(),
 	}