diff --git a/src/cpp/controller/User.cpp b/src/cpp/controller/User.cpp
index ad1fd9fc5..389642f71 100644
--- a/src/cpp/controller/User.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/controller/User.cpp
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ namespace controller {
 	//! \return -1 no matching entry found
 	//! \return -2 if user id is not set or invalid
 	//! \return  0 matching entry found
-	int User::tryLoadPassphraseUserBackup()
+	int User::tryLoadPassphraseUserBackup(KeyPairEd25519** createdKeyPair = nullptr)
 	{
 		auto user_model = getModel();
 		if (user_model->getID() <= 0) return -2;
@@ -308,7 +308,11 @@ namespace controller {
 				continue;
 			}
 			auto key_pair = std::unique_ptr<KeyPairEd25519>(user_backup->createGradidoKeyPair());
+			
 			if (key_pair->isTheSame(user_model->getPublicKey())) {
+				if (createdKeyPair) {
+					*createdKeyPair = key_pair.get();
+				}
 				return 0;
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/src/cpp/controller/User.h b/src/cpp/controller/User.h
index 5c856780f..e251beb19 100644
--- a/src/cpp/controller/User.h
+++ b/src/cpp/controller/User.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ namespace controller {
 		//! \return -1 no matching entry found
 		//! \return -2 user id invalid or net set
 		//! \return  0 matching entry found
-		int tryLoadPassphraseUserBackup();
+		int tryLoadPassphraseUserBackup(KeyPairEd25519** createdKeyPair = nullptr);
 
 		inline size_t load(const std::string& email) { return getModel()->loadFromDB("email", email); }
 		//! \brief try to load user from db via user_id
diff --git a/src/cpp/tasks/SigningTransaction.cpp b/src/cpp/tasks/SigningTransaction.cpp
index d7dbd7086..d2fd51a3b 100644
--- a/src/cpp/tasks/SigningTransaction.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/tasks/SigningTransaction.cpp
@@ -71,10 +71,20 @@ int SigningTransaction::run() {
 	//auto privKey = mUser->getPrivKey();
 	//if (!mUser->hasPrivKey()) {
 	auto gradido_key_pair = mNewUser->getGradidoKeyPair();
+
 	if(!gradido_key_pair || !gradido_key_pair->hasPrivateKey()) {
-		addError(new Error("SigningTransaction", "user cannot decrypt private key"));
-		sendErrorsAsEmail();
-		return -2;
+		KeyPairEd25519** key_pair_ptr = nullptr;
+		if (!mNewUser->tryLoadPassphraseUserBackup(key_pair_ptr)) {
+			if(mNewUser->setGradidoKeyPair(*key_pair_ptr))
+			{
+				mNewUser->getModel()->updatePrivkey();
+			}
+		}
+		else {
+			addError(new Error("SigningTransaction", "user cannot decrypt private key"));
+			sendErrorsAsEmail();
+			return -2;
+		}
 	}
 	// get body bytes
 	model::messages::gradido::Transaction transaction;