diff --git a/src/meshcore_cli/meshcore_cli.py b/src/meshcore_cli/meshcore_cli.py
index 46d0647..5162bff 100644
--- a/src/meshcore_cli/meshcore_cli.py
+++ b/src/meshcore_cli/meshcore_cli.py
@@ -990,7 +990,18 @@ async def process_contact_chat_line(mc, contact, line):
         password_file = ""
         password = ""
         if os.path.isdir(MCCLI_CONFIG_DIR) :
+            # if a password file exists with node name open it and destroy it
             password_file = MCCLI_CONFIG_DIR + contact['adv_name'] + ".pass"
+            if os.path.exists(password_file) :
+                with open(password_file, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f :
+                    password=f.readline().strip()
+                os.remove(password_file)
+                password_file = MCCLI_CONFIG_DIR + contact["public_key"] + ".pass"
+                with open(password_file, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f :
+                    f.write(password)
+
+            # this is the new correct password file, using pubkey
+            password_file = MCCLI_CONFIG_DIR + contact["public_key"] + ".pass"
             if os.path.exists(password_file) :
                 with open(password_file, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f :
                     password=f.readline().strip()
@@ -1013,6 +1024,9 @@ async def process_contact_chat_line(mc, contact, line):
 
     if line.startswith("forget_password") or line.startswith("fp"):
         password_file = MCCLI_CONFIG_DIR + contact['adv_name'] + ".pass"
+        if os.path.exists(password_file):
+            os.remove(password_file)
+        password_file = MCCLI_CONFIG_DIR + contact['public_key'] + ".pass"
         if os.path.exists(password_file):
             os.remove(password_file)
         try: