diff --git a/x/stake/genesis.go b/x/stake/genesis.go
index e6baa099b..a2cd58bdb 100644
--- a/x/stake/genesis.go
+++ b/x/stake/genesis.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ func InitGenesis(ctx sdk.Context, k Keeper, data GenesisState) {
 		// Staking assumes bonded validators are already stored, need to force update
 		validator.PoolShares.Status = sdk.Unbonded
 		k.setValidator(ctx, validator)
+		k.setValidatorByPubKeyIndex(ctx, validator)
 		k.updateValidator(ctx, validator)
 	}
 	for _, bond := range data.Bonds {
diff --git a/x/stake/handler.go b/x/stake/handler.go
index 53653557c..6f2360adf 100644
--- a/x/stake/handler.go
+++ b/x/stake/handler.go
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ func handleMsgDeclareCandidacy(ctx sdk.Context, msg MsgDeclareCandidacy, k Keepe
 
 	validator := NewValidator(msg.ValidatorAddr, msg.PubKey, msg.Description)
 	k.setValidator(ctx, validator)
+	k.setValidatorByPubKeyIndex(ctx, validator)
 	tags := sdk.NewTags(
 		"action", []byte("declareCandidacy"),
 		"validator", msg.ValidatorAddr.Bytes(),
diff --git a/x/stake/keeper.go b/x/stake/keeper.go
index 21b58c1fe..b94f392a6 100644
--- a/x/stake/keeper.go
+++ b/x/stake/keeper.go
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ func (k Keeper) setValidator(ctx sdk.Context, validator Validator) {
 	// set main store
 	bz := k.cdc.MustMarshalBinary(validator)
 	store.Set(GetValidatorKey(validator.Owner), bz)
+}
+
+func (k Keeper) setValidatorByPubKeyIndex(ctx sdk.Context, validator Validator) {
+	store := ctx.KVStore(k.storeKey)
 	// set pointer by pubkey
 	store.Set(GetValidatorByPubKeyIndexKey(validator.PubKey), validator.Owner)
 }