diff --git a/peer/cwtch_peer.go b/peer/cwtch_peer.go
index 49f3624..d84cc2c 100644
--- a/peer/cwtch_peer.go
+++ b/peer/cwtch_peer.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ type cwtchPeer struct {
 	Log                chan string `json:"-"`
 	connectionsManager *connections.Manager
 	profilefile        string
-	password           [32]byte
+	key                [32]byte
 	salt               [128]byte
 }
 
@@ -74,44 +74,45 @@ type CwtchPeerInterface interface {
 	Shutdown()
 }
 
-// CreateKey derives a key and salt for use in encrypting the Profile
-func CreateKey(key string) ([32]byte, [128]byte) {
+// createKey derives a key and salt for use in encrypting cwtchPeers
+func createKey(password string) ([32]byte, [128]byte) {
 	var salt [128]byte
 	if _, err := io.ReadFull(rand.Reader, salt[:]); err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
-	dk := pbkdf2.Key([]byte(key), salt[:], 4096, 32, sha3.New512)
+	dk := pbkdf2.Key([]byte(password), salt[:], 4096, 32, sha3.New512)
 
 	var dkr [32]byte
 	copy(dkr[:], dk)
 	return dkr, salt
 }
 
-//EncryptMessage takes a message and encrypts the message under the group key.
-func EncryptProfile(p *cwtchPeer, password [32]byte) []byte {
+//encryptProfile encrypts the cwtchPeer via the specified key.
+func encryptProfile(p *cwtchPeer, key [32]byte) []byte {
 	var nonce [24]byte
+
 	if _, err := io.ReadFull(rand.Reader, nonce[:]); err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
-	//copy Peer struct, then remove password and save the copy
+
+	//copy the struct, then remove the key and salt before saving the copy
 	cpc := &cwtchPeer{}
 	deepcopier.Copy(p).To(cpc)
-	var blankpass [32]byte
+	var blankkey [32]byte
 	var blanksalt [128]byte
-	cpc.password = blankpass
+	cpc.key = blankkey
 	cpc.salt = blanksalt
 	bytes, _ := json.Marshal(cpc)
-
-	encrypted := secretbox.Seal(nonce[:], []byte(bytes), &nonce, &password)
+	encrypted := secretbox.Seal(nonce[:], []byte(bytes), &nonce, &key)
 	return encrypted
 }
 
-//EncryptMessage takes a message and encrypts the message under the group key.
-func DecryptProfile(ciphertext []byte, password [32]byte) (error, *cwtchPeer) {
+//decryptProfile decrypts the passed ciphertext into a cwtchPeer via the specified key.
+func decryptProfile(ciphertext []byte, key [32]byte) (error, *cwtchPeer) {
 
 	var decryptNonce [24]byte
 	copy(decryptNonce[:], ciphertext[:24])
-	decrypted, ok := secretbox.Open(nil, ciphertext[24:], &decryptNonce, &password)
+	decrypted, ok := secretbox.Open(nil, ciphertext[24:], &decryptNonce, &key)
 	if ok {
 		cp := &cwtchPeer{}
 		err := json.Unmarshal(decrypted, &cp)
@@ -149,8 +150,8 @@ func NewCwtchPeer(name string, password string) CwtchPeerInterface {
 	cp := new(cwtchPeer)
 	cp.Profile = model.GenerateNewProfile(name)
 	cp.setup()
-	pass, salt := CreateKey(password)
-	cp.password = pass
+	key, salt := createKey(password)
+	cp.key = key
 	cp.salt = salt
 	return cp
 }
@@ -158,7 +159,9 @@ func NewCwtchPeer(name string, password string) CwtchPeerInterface {
 // Save saves the cwtchPeer profile state to a file.
 func (cp *cwtchPeer) Save(profilefile string) error {
 	cp.mutex.Lock()
-	encryptedbytes := EncryptProfile(cp, cp.password)
+	encryptedbytes := encryptProfile(cp, cp.key)
+
+	// the salt for the derived key is appended to the front of  the file
 	encryptedbytes = append(cp.salt[:], encryptedbytes...)
 	err := ioutil.WriteFile(profilefile, encryptedbytes, 0600)
 	cp.profilefile = profilefile
@@ -170,18 +173,23 @@ func (cp *cwtchPeer) Save(profilefile string) error {
 func LoadCwtchPeer(profilefile string, password string) (CwtchPeerInterface, error) {
 	encryptedbytes, _ := ioutil.ReadFile(profilefile)
 
-	//get the salt
-	salt, encryptedbytes := encryptedbytes[0:128], encryptedbytes[128:]
-
-	dk := pbkdf2.Key([]byte(password), salt, 4096, 32, sha3.New512)
 	var dkr [32]byte
-	copy(dkr[:], dk)
+	var salty [128]byte
 
-	err, cp := DecryptProfile(encryptedbytes, dkr)
+	//Separate the salt from the encrypted bytes, then generate the derived key
+	salt, encryptedbytes := encryptedbytes[0:128], encryptedbytes[128:]
+	dk := pbkdf2.Key([]byte(password), salt, 4096, 32, sha3.New512)
+
+	//cast to arrays
+	copy(dkr[:], dk)
+	copy(salty[:], salt)
+
+	err, cp := decryptProfile(encryptedbytes, dkr)
 	if err == nil {
 		cp.setup()
 		cp.profilefile = profilefile
-		cp.password = dkr
+		cp.key = dkr
+		cp.salt = salty
 		return cp, nil
 	} else {
 		return nil, err