diff --git a/server/app/main.go b/server/app/main.go
index c1eb3cd..0e32724 100644
--- a/server/app/main.go
+++ b/server/app/main.go
@@ -11,14 +11,14 @@ import (
 const privateKeyFile = "./private_key"
 
 func checkAndGenPrivateKey(privateKeyFile string) {
-	if _, err := os.Stat(privateKeyFile); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+	if _, err := os.Stat(privateKeyFile); 	os.IsNotExist(err) {
 		log.Printf("no private key found!")
 		log.Printf("generating new private key...")
-		pk, err := utils.GeneratePrivateKey()
-		if err != nil {
+		pk, pk_err := utils.GeneratePrivateKey()
+		if pk_err !=  nil {
 			log.Fatalf("error generating new private key: %v\n", err)
 		}
-		err = ioutil.WriteFile(privateKeyFile, []byte(utils.PrivateKeyToString(pk)), 0400)
+		err := ioutil.WriteFile(privateKeyFile, []byte(utils.PrivateKeyToString(pk)), 0400)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatalf("error writing new private key to file %s: %v\n", privateKeyFile, err)
 		}
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index b0063ba..70ac609 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/s-rah/go-ricochet/channels"
 	"github.com/s-rah/go-ricochet/utils"
 	"log"
-	"os"
-	"io/ioutil"
 )
 
 // Server encapsulates a complete, compliant Cwtch server.
@@ -23,16 +21,6 @@ type Server struct {
 func (s *Server) Run(privateKeyFile string) {
 	cwtchserver := new(application.RicochetApplication)
 
-	if _, err := os.Stat(privateKeyFile); 	os.IsNotExist(err) {
-		log.Printf("no private key found!")
-		log.Printf("generating new private key...")
-		pk, pk_err := utils.GeneratePrivateKey()
-		if pk_err !=  nil {
-			log.Fatalf("error generating new private key: %v", err)
-		}
-		ioutil.WriteFile(privateKeyFile, []byte(utils.PrivateKeyToString(pk)), 0400)
-	}
-
 	pk, err := utils.LoadPrivateKeyFromFile(privateKeyFile)
 
 	if err != nil {