diff --git a/tezt/lib_tezos/client.ml b/tezt/lib_tezos/client.ml
index 41f478970cccd304fff1c63b4d134e932b6f24a9..0260f594ab2228adc46c05e80bcf86f5d5b8643f 100644
--- a/tezt/lib_tezos/client.ml
+++ b/tezt/lib_tezos/client.ml
@@ -599,11 +599,9 @@ let import_encrypted_secret_key ?hooks ?force ?endpoint client
   let* () = Lwt_io.close output_channel in
   Process.check process
 
-let spawn_import_public_key ?(force = false) ?endpoint client
-    (public_key : Account.secret_key) ~alias =
-  let pk_uri =
-    "unencrypted:" ^ Account.require_unencrypted_secret_key ~__LOC__ public_key
-  in
+let spawn_import_public_key ?(force = false) ?endpoint client public_key ~alias
+    =
+  let pk_uri = "unencrypted:" ^ public_key in
   let force = if force then ["--force"] else [] in
   spawn_command
     ?endpoint
@@ -644,7 +642,7 @@ let import_signer_key ?endpoint ?force ?signer ~public_key_hash ~alias client =
     client
   |> Process.check
 
-let import_public_key ?force ?endpoint client public_key ~alias =
+let import_public_key ?force ?endpoint client ~public_key ~alias =
   spawn_import_public_key ?force ?endpoint client public_key ~alias
   |> Process.check
 
diff --git a/tezt/lib_tezos/client.mli b/tezt/lib_tezos/client.mli
index de8a984147d2f296170b862d4c82d5a6e34b49f4..2f23c53201acf504c44f1b99fafc4c2b3a231845 100644
--- a/tezt/lib_tezos/client.mli
+++ b/tezt/lib_tezos/client.mli
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ val import_public_key :
   ?force:bool ->
   ?endpoint:endpoint ->
   t ->
-  Account.secret_key ->
+  public_key:string ->
   alias:string ->
   unit Lwt.t
 
diff --git a/tezt/tests/cloud/layer1.ml b/tezt/tests/cloud/layer1.ml
index b99a3e7e39e8217590a854cf849887940ba8c076..df94149a790aef24295c7043fdb8972619607f92 100644
--- a/tezt/tests/cloud/layer1.ml
+++ b/tezt/tests/cloud/layer1.ml
@@ -268,9 +268,8 @@ module Node = struct
     let* yes_wallet = yes_wallet agent in
     let* () =
       Lwt_list.iter_s
-        (fun {pkh; pk} ->
-          let alias = pkh in
-          Client.import_public_key ~alias client @@ Unencrypted pk)
+        (fun {pkh = alias; pk = public_key} ->
+          Client.import_public_key ~alias ~public_key client)
         accounts
     in
     let* () = Yes_wallet.convert_wallet_inplace ~client yes_wallet in
@@ -291,7 +290,7 @@ module Node = struct
     let* client = client ~node agent in
     let* yes_wallet = yes_wallet agent in
     let* () = Client.forget_all_keys client in
-    let* () = Client.import_public_key ~alias:pkh client @@ Unencrypted pk in
+    let* () = Client.import_public_key ~alias:pkh ~public_key:pk client in
     let* () = Yes_wallet.convert_wallet_inplace ~client yes_wallet in
     let* accounts =
       Client.stresstest_gen_keys
diff --git a/tezt/tests/companion_key.ml b/tezt/tests/companion_key.ml
index 8e492327e842ed21e2925572f9d1eb68ab206415..1da0ca8523a97bb18ecd5c0c5bb2b51c9e14d086 100644
--- a/tezt/tests/companion_key.ml
+++ b/tezt/tests/companion_key.ml
@@ -342,8 +342,10 @@ let test_update_companion_key_with_external_pop =
 
   Log.info "Import the key on the first client" ;
   let* () =
-    Client.import_public_key ~alias:"companion_key" client
-    @@ Unencrypted companion_key_bls.public_key
+    Client.import_public_key
+      ~alias:"companion_key"
+      ~public_key:companion_key_bls.public_key
+      client
   in
   Log.info "Updating companion key without secret key nor proof possession" ;
   let* () =
diff --git a/tezt/tests/consensus_key.ml b/tezt/tests/consensus_key.ml
index cc43338da66a635e4813e08ec28a2afa09f8bd1e..1d8d9877697f93df5697bbc4ccd55d142f5e132c 100644
--- a/tezt/tests/consensus_key.ml
+++ b/tezt/tests/consensus_key.ml
@@ -903,8 +903,10 @@ let test_update_consensus_key_with_external_pop =
 
   Log.info "Import the key on the first client" ;
   let* () =
-    Client.import_public_key ~alias:"consensus_key" client
-    @@ Unencrypted consensus_key_bls.public_key
+    Client.import_public_key
+      ~alias:"consensus_key"
+      ~public_key:consensus_key_bls.public_key
+      client
   in
   Log.info "Updating consensus key without secret key nor proof of possession" ;
   let* () =