diff --git a/cmd/swarm/access_test.go b/cmd/swarm/access_test.go
index ed589f9f4..384d25630 100644
--- a/cmd/swarm/access_test.go
+++ b/cmd/swarm/access_test.go
@@ -145,7 +145,9 @@ func TestAccessPassword(t *testing.T) {
 	if a.KdfParams == nil {
 		t.Fatal("manifest access kdf params is nil")
 	}
-
+	if a.Publisher != "" {
+		t.Fatal("should be empty")
+	}
 	client := swarm.NewClient(cluster.Nodes[0].URL)
 
 	hash, err := client.UploadManifest(&m, false)
@@ -222,7 +224,7 @@ func TestAccessPassword(t *testing.T) {
 // the test will fail if the proxy's given private key is not granted on the ACT.
 func TestAccessPK(t *testing.T) {
 	// Setup Swarm and upload a test file to it
-	cluster := newTestCluster(t, 1)
+	cluster := newTestCluster(t, 2)
 	defer cluster.Shutdown()
 
 	// create a tmp file
@@ -302,6 +304,20 @@ func TestAccessPK(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("stdout not matched")
 	}
 
+	//get the public key from the publisher directory
+	publicKeyFromDataDir := runSwarm(t,
+		"--bzzaccount",
+		publisherAccount.Address.String(),
+		"--password",
+		passFile.Name(),
+		"--datadir",
+		publisherDir,
+		"print-keys",
+		"--compressed",
+	)
+	_, publicKeyString := publicKeyFromDataDir.ExpectRegexp(".+")
+	publicKeyFromDataDir.ExpectExit()
+	pkComp := strings.Split(publicKeyString[0], "=")[1]
 	var m api.Manifest
 
 	err = json.Unmarshal([]byte(matches[0]), &m)
@@ -335,7 +351,9 @@ func TestAccessPK(t *testing.T) {
 	if a.KdfParams != nil {
 		t.Fatal("manifest access kdf params should be nil")
 	}
-
+	if a.Publisher != pkComp {
+		t.Fatal("publisher key did not match")
+	}
 	client := swarm.NewClient(cluster.Nodes[0].URL)
 
 	hash, err := client.UploadManifest(&m, false)
@@ -499,6 +517,22 @@ func testAccessACT(t *testing.T, bogusEntries int) {
 	if len(matches) == 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("stdout not matched")
 	}
+
+	//get the public key from the publisher directory
+	publicKeyFromDataDir := runSwarm(t,
+		"--bzzaccount",
+		publisherAccount.Address.String(),
+		"--password",
+		passFile.Name(),
+		"--datadir",
+		publisherDir,
+		"print-keys",
+		"--compressed",
+	)
+	_, publicKeyString := publicKeyFromDataDir.ExpectRegexp(".+")
+	publicKeyFromDataDir.ExpectExit()
+	pkComp := strings.Split(publicKeyString[0], "=")[1]
+
 	hash := matches[0]
 	m, _, err := client.DownloadManifest(hash)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -531,7 +565,9 @@ func testAccessACT(t *testing.T, bogusEntries int) {
 	if a.KdfParams != nil {
 		t.Fatal("manifest access kdf params should be nil")
 	}
-
+	if a.Publisher != pkComp {
+		t.Fatal("publisher key did not match")
+	}
 	httpClient := &http.Client{}
 
 	// all nodes except the skipped node should be able to decrypt the content
diff --git a/cmd/swarm/main.go b/cmd/swarm/main.go
index 637ae06e9..e65440937 100644
--- a/cmd/swarm/main.go
+++ b/cmd/swarm/main.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"crypto/ecdsa"
+	"encoding/hex"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
@@ -208,6 +209,10 @@ var (
 		Name:  "data",
 		Usage: "Initializes the resource with the given hex-encoded data. Data must be prefixed by 0x",
 	}
+	SwarmCompressedFlag = cli.BoolFlag{
+		Name:  "compressed",
+		Usage: "Prints encryption keys in compressed form",
+	}
 )
 
 //declare a few constant error messages, useful for later error check comparisons in test
@@ -252,6 +257,14 @@ func init() {
 			Usage:              "Print version numbers",
 			Description:        "The output of this command is supposed to be machine-readable",
 		},
+		{
+			Action:             keys,
+			CustomHelpTemplate: helpTemplate,
+			Name:               "print-keys",
+			Flags:              []cli.Flag{SwarmCompressedFlag},
+			Usage:              "Print public key information",
+			Description:        "The output of this command is supposed to be machine-readable",
+		},
 		{
 			Action:             upload,
 			CustomHelpTemplate: helpTemplate,
@@ -580,6 +593,17 @@ func main() {
 	}
 }
 
+func keys(ctx *cli.Context) error {
+	privateKey := getPrivKey(ctx)
+	pub := hex.EncodeToString(crypto.FromECDSAPub(&privateKey.PublicKey))
+	pubCompressed := hex.EncodeToString(crypto.CompressPubkey(&privateKey.PublicKey))
+	if !ctx.Bool(SwarmCompressedFlag.Name) {
+		fmt.Println(fmt.Sprintf("publicKey=%s", pub))
+	}
+	fmt.Println(fmt.Sprintf("publicKeyCompressed=%s", pubCompressed))
+	return nil
+}
+
 func version(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	fmt.Println(strings.Title(clientIdentifier))
 	fmt.Println("Version:", sv.VersionWithMeta)