diff --git a/client/commands/txs/helpers.go b/client/commands/txs/helpers.go
index 68e53915f..45c811ecf 100644
--- a/client/commands/txs/helpers.go
+++ b/client/commands/txs/helpers.go
@@ -92,6 +92,11 @@ func SignTx(tx basecoin.Tx) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// abort early if we don't want to sign
+	if viper.GetBool(FlagNoSign) {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	name := viper.GetString(FlagName)
 	manager := keycmd.GetKeyManager()
 
diff --git a/client/commands/txs/root.go b/client/commands/txs/root.go
index e2b88a6e6..d5a31a940 100644
--- a/client/commands/txs/root.go
+++ b/client/commands/txs/root.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 // nolint
 const (
 	FlagName    = "name"
+	FlagNoSign  = "no-sign"
 	FlagIn      = "in"
 	FlagPrepare = "prepare"
 )
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ var RootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 func init() {
 	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().String(FlagName, "", "name to sign the tx")
-	// TODO: prepare needs to override the SignAndPost somehow to SignAndSave
+	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().Bool(FlagNoSign, false, "don't add a signature")
 	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().String(FlagPrepare, "", "file to store prepared tx")
 	RootCmd.Flags().String(FlagIn, "", "file with tx in json format")
 }