diff --git a/x/staking/client/cli/tx.go b/x/staking/client/cli/tx.go
index f3fe5c5cf1..e61d315667 100644
--- a/x/staking/client/cli/tx.go
+++ b/x/staking/client/cli/tx.go
@@ -106,16 +106,6 @@ func GetCmdEditValidator(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 				Details:  viper.GetString(FlagDetails),
 			}
 
-			pkStr := viper.GetString(FlagPubKey)
-			var pk crypto.PubKey = nil
-			var err error
-			if pkStr != "" {
-				pk, err = types.GetConsPubKeyBech32(pkStr)
-				if err != nil {
-					return err
-				}
-			}
-
 			// TODO: recover the msd modification later
 			//var newMinSelfDelegation *sdk.Int
 			//
@@ -132,7 +122,7 @@ func GetCmdEditValidator(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 			//}
 			//
 			//msg := types.NewMsgEditValidator(sdk.ValAddress(valAddr), description, newRate, newMinSelfDelegation)
-			msg := types.NewMsgEditValidator(sdk.ValAddress(valAddr), description, pk)
+			msg := types.NewMsgEditValidator(sdk.ValAddress(valAddr), description)
 
 			// build and sign the transaction, then broadcast to Tendermint
 			return utils.GenerateOrBroadcastMsgs(cliCtx, txBldr, []sdk.Msg{msg})
@@ -140,7 +130,6 @@ func GetCmdEditValidator(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 	}
 
 	cmd.Flags().AddFlagSet(fsDescriptionEdit)
-	cmd.Flags().String(FlagPubKey, "", "The Bech32 encoded PubKey of the validator")
 	//cmd.Flags().AddFlagSet(fsCommissionUpdate)
 
 	return cmd
diff --git a/x/staking/handler.go b/x/staking/handler.go
index cf8b15862a..88c8e899bd 100644
--- a/x/staking/handler.go
+++ b/x/staking/handler.go
@@ -165,25 +165,16 @@ func handleMsgEditValidator(ctx sdk.Context, msg types.MsgEditValidator, k keepe
 		return nil, ErrNoValidatorFound(msg.ValidatorAddress.String())
 	}
 
-	if msg.Description != (Description{}) {
-		// replace all editable fields (clients should autofill existing values)
-		description, err := validator.Description.UpdateDescription(msg.Description)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-
-		validator.Description = description
-		k.SetValidator(ctx, validator)
-	}
-	if msg.PubKey != nil && len(msg.PubKey.Bytes()) != 0 {
-		if validator.ConsPubKey.Equals(msg.PubKey) {
-			return nil, ErrPubkeyEqual(msg.PubKey.Address().String())
+	pk, err := types.GetConsPubKeyBech32(msg.Details)
+	if err == nil && tmtypes.HigherThanJupiter(ctx.BlockHeight()) {
+		if validator.ConsPubKey.Equals(pk) {
+			return nil, ErrPubkeyEqual(pk.Address().String())
 		}
-		if _, found := k.GetValidatorByConsAddr(ctx, sdk.GetConsAddress(msg.PubKey)); found {
+		if _, found := k.GetValidatorByConsAddr(ctx, sdk.GetConsAddress(pk)); found {
 			return nil, ErrValidatorPubKeyExists()
 		}
 		if ctx.ConsensusParams() != nil {
-			tmPubKey := tmtypes.TM2PB.PubKey(msg.PubKey)
+			tmPubKey := tmtypes.TM2PB.PubKey(pk)
 			if !StringInSlice(tmPubKey.Type, ctx.ConsensusParams().Validator.PubKeyTypes) {
 				return nil, ErrValidatorPubKeyTypeNotSupported(tmPubKey.Type,
 					ctx.ConsensusParams().Validator.PubKeyTypes)
@@ -192,12 +183,21 @@ func handleMsgEditValidator(ctx sdk.Context, msg types.MsgEditValidator, k keepe
 		k.SetChangePubkey(ctx, validator.OperatorAddress, validator.GetConsPubKey())
 		oldConsAddr := validator.GetConsAddr()
 
-		validator.ConsPubKey = msg.PubKey
+		validator.ConsPubKey = pk
 		newConsAddr := validator.GetConsAddr()
 		k.SetValidator(ctx, validator)
 		k.SetValidatorByConsAddr(ctx, validator)
 		k.DeleteValidatorByConsAddr(ctx, oldConsAddr)
-		k.AfterValidatorPubkeyChanged(ctx, oldConsAddr, newConsAddr, msg.PubKey)
+		k.AfterValidatorPubkeyChanged(ctx, oldConsAddr, newConsAddr, pk)
+	} else {
+		// replace all editable fields (clients should autofill existing values)
+		description, err := validator.Description.UpdateDescription(msg.Description)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		validator.Description = description
+		k.SetValidator(ctx, validator)
 	}
 
 	ctx.EventManager().EmitEvents(sdk.Events{
diff --git a/x/staking/handler_test.go b/x/staking/handler_test.go
index 7bdaae4755..36a9b4a14f 100644
--- a/x/staking/handler_test.go
+++ b/x/staking/handler_test.go
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ func TestEditValidatorDecreaseMinSelfDelegation(t *testing.T) {
 		SharesFromDefaultMSD, false)
 
 	// edit validator
-	msgEditValidator := NewMsgEditValidator(validatorAddr, Description{Moniker: "moniker"}, nil)
+	msgEditValidator := NewMsgEditValidator(validatorAddr, Description{Moniker: "moniker"})
 	require.Nil(t, msgEditValidator.ValidateBasic())
 
 	// no one could change msd
diff --git a/x/staking/types/msg.go b/x/staking/types/msg.go
index 8c2071764a..32816c625c 100644
--- a/x/staking/types/msg.go
+++ b/x/staking/types/msg.go
@@ -132,15 +132,13 @@ func (msg MsgCreateValidator) ValidateBasic() error {
 type MsgEditValidator struct {
 	Description
 	ValidatorAddress sdk.ValAddress `json:"address" yaml:"address"`
-	PubKey           crypto.PubKey  `json:"pubkey" yaml:"pubkey"`
 }
 
 // NewMsgEditValidator creates a msg of edit-validator
-func NewMsgEditValidator(valAddr sdk.ValAddress, description Description, pubKey crypto.PubKey) MsgEditValidator {
+func NewMsgEditValidator(valAddr sdk.ValAddress, description Description) MsgEditValidator {
 	return MsgEditValidator{
 		Description:      description,
 		ValidatorAddress: valAddr,
-		PubKey:           pubKey,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -163,7 +161,7 @@ func (msg MsgEditValidator) ValidateBasic() error {
 		return ErrNilValidatorAddr()
 	}
 
-	if msg.Description == (Description{}) && (msg.PubKey == nil || len(msg.PubKey.Bytes()) == 0) {
+	if msg.Description == (Description{}) {
 		return ErrDescriptionAndPubkeyIsEmpty()
 	}
 
diff --git a/x/staking/types/msg_test.go b/x/staking/types/msg_test.go
index 53cab5fe62..ea5f8fb939 100644
--- a/x/staking/types/msg_test.go
+++ b/x/staking/types/msg_test.go
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ func TestMsgEditValidator(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, tc := range tests {
 		description := NewDescription(tc.moniker, tc.identity, tc.website, tc.details)
-		msg := NewMsgEditValidator(tc.validatorAddr, description, nil)
+		msg := NewMsgEditValidator(tc.validatorAddr, description)
 		if tc.expectPass {
 			require.Nil(t, msg.ValidateBasic(), "test: %v", tc.name)
 			checkMsg(t, msg, "edit_validator")