diff --git a/src/cpp/controller/User.cpp b/src/cpp/controller/User.cpp
index 209237877..045be46a0 100644
--- a/src/cpp/controller/User.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/controller/User.cpp
@@ -153,9 +153,10 @@ namespace controller {
 		//	printf("[User::login] password key hashed is the same as saved password hash\n");
 			MemoryBin* clear_private_key = nullptr;
 
+			mPassword = authenticated_encryption;
+
 			// additional check if saved private key found, decrypt and derive public key and compare with saved public key
-			if (!model->hasPrivateKeyEncrypted()) {
-				mPassword = authenticated_encryption;
+			if (!model->hasPrivateKeyEncrypted()) {	
 				return 1;
 			}
 			else 
@@ -163,7 +164,6 @@ namespace controller {
 				if (AuthenticatedEncryption::AUTH_DECRYPT_OK == authenticated_encryption->decrypt(model->getPrivateKeyEncrypted(), &clear_private_key)) {
 					if (mGradidoKeyPair) {
 						if (mGradidoKeyPair->isTheSame(clear_private_key) == 0) {
-							mPassword = authenticated_encryption;
 							mCanDecryptPrivateKey = true;
 							return 1;
 						}
@@ -180,7 +180,6 @@ namespace controller {
 						return -1;
 					}
 					//printf("correct pwd\n");
-					mPassword = authenticated_encryption;
 					mCanDecryptPrivateKey = true;
 					return 1;
 				}
@@ -208,6 +207,7 @@ namespace controller {
 		model->setPublicKey(mGradidoKeyPair->getPublicKey());
 		if (mPassword && mPassword->hasKey()) {
 			model->setPrivateKey(mGradidoKeyPair->getCryptedPrivKey(mPassword));
+			mCanDecryptPrivateKey = true;
 			return 1;
 		}
 		return 0;
diff --git a/src/cpp/model/Session.cpp b/src/cpp/model/Session.cpp
index 4de342bdb..d462a0bb6 100644
--- a/src/cpp/model/Session.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/model/Session.cpp
@@ -749,12 +749,14 @@ UserStates Session::loadUser(const std::string& email, const std::string& passwo
 			auto user_model = mNewUser->getModel();
 			auto user_backups = controller::UserBackups::load(user_model->getID());
 			for (auto it = user_backups.begin(); it != user_backups.end(); it++) {
-				auto key = (*it)->createGradidoKeyPair();
-				if (key->isTheSame(user_model->getPublicKey())) {
-					auto crypted_private_key = key->getCryptedPrivKey(mNewUser->getPassword());
-					if (crypted_private_key) {
-						user_model->setPrivateKey(crypted_private_key);
-						MemoryManager::getInstance()->releaseMemory(crypted_private_key);
+				auto key = std::unique_ptr<KeyPairEd25519>((*it)->createGradidoKeyPair());
+				if (key->isTheSame(user_model->getPublicKey())) 
+				{
+					
+					// set valid key pair
+					if (1 == mNewUser->setGradidoKeyPair(key.release())) {
+						// save new encrypted private key
+						user_model->updatePrivkey();
 					}
 					else {
 						auto em = ErrorManager::getInstance();
@@ -764,7 +766,6 @@ UserStates Session::loadUser(const std::string& email, const std::string& passwo
 					}
 					break;
 				}
-				delete key;
 			}
 		}
 		// can be removed if session user isn't used any more
diff --git a/src/cpp/tasks/SigningTransaction.cpp b/src/cpp/tasks/SigningTransaction.cpp
index a2b9721a8..a81e57fc5 100644
--- a/src/cpp/tasks/SigningTransaction.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/tasks/SigningTransaction.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@ int SigningTransaction::run() {
 
 	//auto privKey = mUser->getPrivKey();
 	//if (!mUser->hasPrivKey()) {
-	if(!mNewUser->canDecryptPrivateKey()) {
+	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;
@@ -86,7 +87,7 @@ int SigningTransaction::run() {
 	}
 	// sign
 	//auto sign = mUser->sign((const unsigned char*)bodyBytes->data(), bodyBytes->size());
-	auto sign = mNewUser->getGradidoKeyPair()->sign(*bodyBytes);
+	auto sign = gradido_key_pair->sign(*bodyBytes);
 	if (!sign) {
 		ErrorManager::getInstance()->sendErrorsAsEmail();
 		sendErrorsAsEmail();