diff --git a/src/keyring.cpp b/src/keyring.cpp
index 3e7afe0..08500f7 100644
--- a/src/keyring.cpp
+++ b/src/keyring.cpp
@@ -377,41 +377,6 @@ static bool file_put_sencode (const std::string&fn, sencode*in)
 	return true;
 }
 
-bool keyring::load()
-{
-	std::string dir = get_user_dir();
-	std::string fn;
-	bool res;
-
-	/*
-	 * pubkeys loading
-	 */
-	fn = dir + PUBKEYS_FILENAME;
-
-	sencode* pubkeys = file_get_sencode (fn);
-	if (!pubkeys) return false;
-
-	res = parse_pubkeys (pubkeys, pubs);
-	sencode_destroy (pubkeys);
-	if (!res) return false;
-
-
-	/*
-	 * keypairs loading
-	 */
-	fn = dir + SECRETS_FILENAME;
-
-	sencode*keypairs = file_get_sencode (fn);
-	if (!keypairs) return false;
-
-	res = parse_keypairs (keypairs, pairs);
-	sencode_destroy (keypairs);
-	if (!res) return false;
-
-	//all okay
-	return true;
-}
-
 bool keyring::save()
 {
 	std::string dir, fn;
@@ -457,7 +422,35 @@ bool keyring::open()
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	//load the public keys
+	fn = dir + PUBKEYS_FILENAME;
+
+	sencode *pubkeys, *keypairs;
+	bool res;
+
+	pubkeys = file_get_sencode (fn);
+	if (!pubkeys) goto close_and_fail;
+
+	res = parse_pubkeys (pubkeys, pubs);
+	sencode_destroy (pubkeys);
+	if (!res) goto close_and_fail;
+
+	//load keypairs
+	fn = dir + SECRETS_FILENAME;
+
+	keypairs = file_get_sencode (fn);
+	if (!keypairs) goto close_and_fail;
+
+	res = parse_keypairs (keypairs, pairs);
+	sencode_destroy (keypairs);
+	if (!res) goto close_and_fail;
+
+	//all okay
 	return true;
+
+close_and_fail:
+	close();
+	return false;
 }
 
 bool keyring::close()
diff --git a/src/keyring.h b/src/keyring.h
index fc18d9f..62d7223 100644
--- a/src/keyring.h
+++ b/src/keyring.h
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ public:
 
 	bool open();
 	bool close();
-	bool load();
 	bool save();
 
 	static std::string get_keyid (const std::string& pubkey);
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index a22506a..df0bfd3 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -392,14 +392,6 @@ int main (int argc, char**argv)
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	int exitval = 0;
-
-	if (!KR.load() ) {
-		err ("could not load keyring!");
-		exitval = 1;
-		goto exit;
-	}
-
 	//register all available algorithms
 	fill_algorithm_suite (AS);
 
@@ -407,6 +399,8 @@ int main (int argc, char**argv)
 	 * cin/cout redirection
 	 */
 
+	int exitval = 0;
+
 	if (input.length() && !redirect_cin (input) ) {
 		progerr ("could not open input file");
 		exitval = 1;