diff --git a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/commerce/wallet/Wallet.qml b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/commerce/wallet/Wallet.qml
index 5695d47a68..4fcfc0c93b 100644
--- a/interface/resources/qml/hifi/commerce/wallet/Wallet.qml
+++ b/interface/resources/qml/hifi/commerce/wallet/Wallet.qml
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ Rectangle {
         }
 
         onWalletAuthenticatedStatusResult: {
-            if (!isAuthenticated && !passphraseModal.visible) {
+            if (!isAuthenticated && passphraseModal && !passphraseModal.visible) {
                 passphraseModal.visible = true;
             } else if (isAuthenticated) {
                 root.activeView = "walletHome";
diff --git a/interface/src/commerce/Wallet.cpp b/interface/src/commerce/Wallet.cpp
index 1f56ae32c4..69327b09a6 100644
--- a/interface/src/commerce/Wallet.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/commerce/Wallet.cpp
@@ -272,6 +272,10 @@ void Wallet::setPassphrase(const QString& passphrase) {
         delete _passphrase;
     }
     _passphrase = new QString(passphrase);
+
+    // no matter what, we now need to clear the keys as they
+    // need to be read using this passphrase
+    _publicKeys.clear();
 }
 
 // encrypt some stuff
@@ -383,11 +387,25 @@ bool Wallet::walletIsAuthenticatedWithPassphrase() {
     // FIXME: initialize OpenSSL elsewhere soon
     initialize();
 
+    // this should always be false if we don't have a passphrase
+    // cached yet
+    if (!_passphrase || _passphrase->isEmpty()) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (_publicKeys.count() > 0) {
+        // we _must_ be authenticated if the publicKeys are there
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    // otherwise, we have a passphrase but no keys, so we have to check
     auto publicKey = readPublicKey(keyFilePath().toStdString().c_str());
 
     if (publicKey.size() > 0) {
         if (auto key = readPrivateKey(keyFilePath().toStdString().c_str())) {
             RSA_free(key);
+
+            // be sure to add the public key so we don't do this over and over
+            _publicKeys.push_back(publicKey.toBase64());
             return true;
         }
     }