diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7e57b8a32..1cadfc352 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ FEATURES
   - Auth has its invariants checked within the framework
 * [tests] Add WaitForNextNBlocksTM helper method
 * [keys] New keys now have 24 word recovery keys, for heightened security
+- [keys] Add a temporary method for exporting the private key
 
 IMPROVEMENTS
 * [x/bank] Now uses go-wire codec instead of 'encoding/json'
diff --git a/cmd/gaia/cli_test/cli_test.go b/cmd/gaia/cli_test/cli_test.go
index 645a6c276..e37e4d521 100644
--- a/cmd/gaia/cli_test/cli_test.go
+++ b/cmd/gaia/cli_test/cli_test.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func TestGaiaCLISend(t *testing.T) {
 
 	defer proc.Stop(false)
 	tests.WaitForTMStart(port)
-	tests.WaitForNextHeightTM(port)
+	tests.WaitForNextNBlocksTM(2, port)
 
 	fooAddr, _ := executeGetAddrPK(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli keys show foo --output=json --home=%s", gaiacliHome))
 	barAddr, _ := executeGetAddrPK(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli keys show bar --output=json --home=%s", gaiacliHome))
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func TestGaiaCLISend(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, int64(50), fooAcc.GetCoins().AmountOf("steak").Int64())
 
 	executeWrite(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli send %v --amount=10steak --to=%s --from=foo", flags, barAddr), pass)
-	tests.WaitForNextHeightTM(port)
+	tests.WaitForNextNBlocksTM(2, port)
 
 	barAcc := executeGetAccount(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli account %s %v", barAddr, flags))
 	require.Equal(t, int64(10), barAcc.GetCoins().AmountOf("steak").Int64())
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func TestGaiaCLISend(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// test autosequencing
 	executeWrite(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli send %v --amount=10steak --to=%s --from=foo", flags, barAddr), pass)
-	tests.WaitForNextHeightTM(port)
+	tests.WaitForNextNBlocksTM(2, port)
 
 	barAcc = executeGetAccount(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli account %s %v", barAddr, flags))
 	require.Equal(t, int64(20), barAcc.GetCoins().AmountOf("steak").Int64())
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func TestGaiaCLISend(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// test memo
 	executeWrite(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli send %v --amount=10steak --to=%s --from=foo --memo 'testmemo'", flags, barAddr), pass)
-	tests.WaitForNextHeightTM(port)
+	tests.WaitForNextNBlocksTM(2, port)
 
 	barAcc = executeGetAccount(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli account %s %v", barAddr, flags))
 	require.Equal(t, int64(30), barAcc.GetCoins().AmountOf("steak").Int64())
@@ -101,14 +101,14 @@ func TestGaiaCLICreateValidator(t *testing.T) {
 
 	defer proc.Stop(false)
 	tests.WaitForTMStart(port)
-	tests.WaitForNextHeightTM(port)
+	tests.WaitForNextNBlocksTM(2, port)
 
 	fooAddr, _ := executeGetAddrPK(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli keys show foo --output=json --home=%s", gaiacliHome))
 	barAddr, barPubKey := executeGetAddrPK(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli keys show bar --output=json --home=%s", gaiacliHome))
 	barCeshPubKey := sdk.MustBech32ifyValPub(barPubKey)
 
 	executeWrite(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli send %v --amount=10steak --to=%s --from=foo", flags, barAddr), pass)
-	tests.WaitForNextHeightTM(port)
+	tests.WaitForNextNBlocksTM(2, port)
 
 	barAcc := executeGetAccount(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli account %s %v", barAddr, flags))
 	require.Equal(t, int64(10), barAcc.GetCoins().AmountOf("steak").Int64())
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func TestGaiaCLICreateValidator(t *testing.T) {
 	cvStr += fmt.Sprintf(" --moniker=%v", "bar-vally")
 
 	executeWrite(t, cvStr, pass)
-	tests.WaitForNextHeightTM(port)
+	tests.WaitForNextNBlocksTM(2, port)
 
 	barAcc = executeGetAccount(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli account %s %v", barAddr, flags))
 	require.Equal(t, int64(8), barAcc.GetCoins().AmountOf("steak").Int64(), "%v", barAcc)
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ func TestGaiaCLICreateValidator(t *testing.T) {
 
 	success := executeWrite(t, unbondStr, pass)
 	require.True(t, success)
-	tests.WaitForNextHeightTM(port)
+	tests.WaitForNextNBlocksTM(2, port)
 
 	/* // this won't be what we expect because we've only started unbonding, haven't completed
 	barAcc = executeGetAccount(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli account %v %v", barCech, flags))
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ func TestGaiaCLISubmitProposal(t *testing.T) {
 
 	defer proc.Stop(false)
 	tests.WaitForTMStart(port)
-	tests.WaitForNextHeightTM(port)
+	tests.WaitForNextNBlocksTM(2, port)
 
 	fooAddr, _ := executeGetAddrPK(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli keys show foo --output=json --home=%s", gaiacliHome))
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func TestGaiaCLISubmitProposal(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, int64(50), fooAcc.GetCoins().AmountOf("steak").Int64())
 
 	executeWrite(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli gov submit-proposal %v --proposer=%s --deposit=5steak --type=Text --title=Test --description=test --from=foo", flags, fooAddr), pass)
-	tests.WaitForNextHeightTM(port)
+	tests.WaitForNextNBlocksTM(2, port)
 
 	fooAcc = executeGetAccount(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli account %s %v", fooAddr, flags))
 	require.Equal(t, int64(45), fooAcc.GetCoins().AmountOf("steak").Int64())
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ func TestGaiaCLISubmitProposal(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, gov.StatusDepositPeriod, proposal1.GetStatus())
 
 	executeWrite(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli gov deposit %v --depositer=%s --deposit=10steak --proposalID=1 --from=foo", flags, fooAddr), pass)
-	tests.WaitForNextHeightTM(port)
+	tests.WaitForNextNBlocksTM(2, port)
 
 	fooAcc = executeGetAccount(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli account %s %v", fooAddr, flags))
 	require.Equal(t, int64(35), fooAcc.GetCoins().AmountOf("steak").Int64())
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ func TestGaiaCLISubmitProposal(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, gov.StatusVotingPeriod, proposal1.GetStatus())
 
 	executeWrite(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli gov vote %v --proposalID=1 --voter=%s --option=Yes --from=foo", flags, fooAddr), pass)
-	tests.WaitForNextHeightTM(port)
+	tests.WaitForNextNBlocksTM(2, port)
 
 	vote := executeGetVote(t, fmt.Sprintf("gaiacli gov query-vote  --proposalID=1 --voter=%s --output=json %v", fooAddr, flags))
 	require.Equal(t, int64(1), vote.ProposalID)
diff --git a/crypto/keys/keybase.go b/crypto/keys/keybase.go
index 80de47d3d..ef2c6243a 100644
--- a/crypto/keys/keybase.go
+++ b/crypto/keys/keybase.go
@@ -240,6 +240,31 @@ func (kb dbKeybase) Sign(name, passphrase string, msg []byte) (sig tcrypto.Signa
 	return sig, pub, nil
 }
 
+func (kb dbKeybase) ExportPrivateKeyObject(name string, passphrase string) (tcrypto.PrivKey, error) {
+	info, err := kb.Get(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	var priv tcrypto.PrivKey
+	switch info.(type) {
+	case localInfo:
+		linfo := info.(localInfo)
+		if linfo.PrivKeyArmor == "" {
+			err = fmt.Errorf("private key not available")
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		priv, err = unarmorDecryptPrivKey(linfo.PrivKeyArmor, passphrase)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	case ledgerInfo:
+		return nil, errors.New("Only works on local private keys")
+	case offlineInfo:
+		return nil, errors.New("Only works on local private keys")
+	}
+	return priv, nil
+}
+
 func (kb dbKeybase) Export(name string) (armor string, err error) {
 	bz := kb.db.Get(infoKey(name))
 	if bz == nil {
diff --git a/crypto/keys/types.go b/crypto/keys/types.go
index 74cedf919..c3f5d7834 100644
--- a/crypto/keys/types.go
+++ b/crypto/keys/types.go
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ type Keybase interface {
 	ImportPubKey(name string, armor string) (err error)
 	Export(name string) (armor string, err error)
 	ExportPubKey(name string) (armor string, err error)
+
+	// *only* works on locally-stored keys. Temporary method until we redo the exporting API
+	ExportPrivateKeyObject(name string, passphrase string) (crypto.PrivKey, error)
 }
 
 // Info is the publicly exposed information about a keypair