diff --git a/cmd/wnode/main.go b/cmd/wnode/main.go
index 5031a088c..31b65c1da 100644
--- a/cmd/wnode/main.go
+++ b/cmd/wnode/main.go
@@ -140,8 +140,8 @@ func processArgs() {
 	}
 
 	if *asymmetricMode && len(*argPub) > 0 {
-		pub = crypto.ToECDSAPub(common.FromHex(*argPub))
-		if !isKeyValid(pub) {
+		var err error
+		if pub, err = crypto.UnmarshalPubkey(common.FromHex(*argPub)); err != nil {
 			utils.Fatalf("invalid public key")
 		}
 	}
@@ -321,10 +321,6 @@ func startServer() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func isKeyValid(k *ecdsa.PublicKey) bool {
-	return k.X != nil && k.Y != nil
-}
-
 func configureNode() {
 	var err error
 	var p2pAccept bool
@@ -340,9 +336,8 @@ func configureNode() {
 			if b == nil {
 				utils.Fatalf("Error: can not convert hexadecimal string")
 			}
-			pub = crypto.ToECDSAPub(b)
-			if !isKeyValid(pub) {
-				utils.Fatalf("Error: invalid public key")
+			if pub, err = crypto.UnmarshalPubkey(b); err != nil {
+				utils.Fatalf("Error: invalid peer public key")
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/crypto/crypto.go b/crypto/crypto.go
index 76d1ffaf6..619440e81 100644
--- a/crypto/crypto.go
+++ b/crypto/crypto.go
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ var (
 	secp256k1halfN = new(big.Int).Div(secp256k1N, big.NewInt(2))
 )
 
+var errInvalidPubkey = errors.New("invalid secp256k1 public key")
+
 // Keccak256 calculates and returns the Keccak256 hash of the input data.
 func Keccak256(data ...[]byte) []byte {
 	d := sha3.NewKeccak256()
@@ -122,12 +124,13 @@ func FromECDSA(priv *ecdsa.PrivateKey) []byte {
 	return math.PaddedBigBytes(priv.D, priv.Params().BitSize/8)
 }
 
-func ToECDSAPub(pub []byte) *ecdsa.PublicKey {
-	if len(pub) == 0 {
-		return nil
-	}
+// UnmarshalPubkey converts bytes to a secp256k1 public key.
+func UnmarshalPubkey(pub []byte) (*ecdsa.PublicKey, error) {
 	x, y := elliptic.Unmarshal(S256(), pub)
-	return &ecdsa.PublicKey{Curve: S256(), X: x, Y: y}
+	if x == nil {
+		return nil, errInvalidPubkey
+	}
+	return &ecdsa.PublicKey{Curve: S256(), X: x, Y: y}, nil
 }
 
 func FromECDSAPub(pub *ecdsa.PublicKey) []byte {
diff --git a/crypto/crypto_test.go b/crypto/crypto_test.go
index 804de3fe2..177c19c0c 100644
--- a/crypto/crypto_test.go
+++ b/crypto/crypto_test.go
@@ -23,9 +23,11 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"math/big"
 	"os"
+	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/hexutil"
 )
 
 var testAddrHex = "970e8128ab834e8eac17ab8e3812f010678cf791"
@@ -56,6 +58,33 @@ func BenchmarkSha3(b *testing.B) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestUnmarshalPubkey(t *testing.T) {
+	key, err := UnmarshalPubkey(nil)
+	if err != errInvalidPubkey || key != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error, got %v, %v", err, key)
+	}
+	key, err = UnmarshalPubkey([]byte{1, 2, 3})
+	if err != errInvalidPubkey || key != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected error, got %v, %v", err, key)
+	}
+
+	var (
+		enc, _ = hex.DecodeString("04760c4460e5336ac9bbd87952a3c7ec4363fc0a97bd31c86430806e287b437fd1b01abc6e1db640cf3106b520344af1d58b00b57823db3e1407cbc433e1b6d04d")
+		dec    = &ecdsa.PublicKey{
+			Curve: S256(),
+			X:     hexutil.MustDecodeBig("0x760c4460e5336ac9bbd87952a3c7ec4363fc0a97bd31c86430806e287b437fd1"),
+			Y:     hexutil.MustDecodeBig("0xb01abc6e1db640cf3106b520344af1d58b00b57823db3e1407cbc433e1b6d04d"),
+		}
+	)
+	key, err = UnmarshalPubkey(enc)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no error, got %v", err)
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(key, dec) {
+		t.Fatal("wrong result")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestSign(t *testing.T) {
 	key, _ := HexToECDSA(testPrivHex)
 	addr := common.HexToAddress(testAddrHex)
@@ -69,7 +98,7 @@ func TestSign(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("ECRecover error: %s", err)
 	}
-	pubKey := ToECDSAPub(recoveredPub)
+	pubKey, _ := UnmarshalPubkey(recoveredPub)
 	recoveredAddr := PubkeyToAddress(*pubKey)
 	if addr != recoveredAddr {
 		t.Errorf("Address mismatch: want: %x have: %x", addr, recoveredAddr)
diff --git a/internal/ethapi/api.go b/internal/ethapi/api.go
index f5753da22..a465a5904 100644
--- a/internal/ethapi/api.go
+++ b/internal/ethapi/api.go
@@ -461,13 +461,11 @@ func (s *PrivateAccountAPI) EcRecover(ctx context.Context, data, sig hexutil.Byt
 	}
 	sig[64] -= 27 // Transform yellow paper V from 27/28 to 0/1
 
-	rpk, err := crypto.Ecrecover(signHash(data), sig)
+	rpk, err := crypto.SigToPub(signHash(data), sig)
 	if err != nil {
 		return common.Address{}, err
 	}
-	pubKey := crypto.ToECDSAPub(rpk)
-	recoveredAddr := crypto.PubkeyToAddress(*pubKey)
-	return recoveredAddr, nil
+	return crypto.PubkeyToAddress(*rpk), nil
 }
 
 // SignAndSendTransaction was renamed to SendTransaction. This method is deprecated
diff --git a/p2p/rlpx.go b/p2p/rlpx.go
index a320e81e7..149eda689 100644
--- a/p2p/rlpx.go
+++ b/p2p/rlpx.go
@@ -528,9 +528,9 @@ func importPublicKey(pubKey []byte) (*ecies.PublicKey, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid public key length %v (expect 64/65)", len(pubKey))
 	}
 	// TODO: fewer pointless conversions
-	pub := crypto.ToECDSAPub(pubKey65)
-	if pub.X == nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid public key")
+	pub, err := crypto.UnmarshalPubkey(pubKey65)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	return ecies.ImportECDSAPublic(pub), nil
 }
diff --git a/signer/core/api.go b/signer/core/api.go
index 45933284b..1372646de 100644
--- a/signer/core/api.go
+++ b/signer/core/api.go
@@ -432,13 +432,11 @@ func (api *SignerAPI) EcRecover(ctx context.Context, data, sig hexutil.Bytes) (c
 	}
 	sig[64] -= 27 // Transform yellow paper V from 27/28 to 0/1
 	hash, _ := SignHash(data)
-	rpk, err := crypto.Ecrecover(hash, sig)
+	rpk, err := crypto.SigToPub(hash, sig)
 	if err != nil {
 		return common.Address{}, err
 	}
-	pubKey := crypto.ToECDSAPub(rpk)
-	recoveredAddr := crypto.PubkeyToAddress(*pubKey)
-	return recoveredAddr, nil
+	return crypto.PubkeyToAddress(*rpk), nil
 }
 
 // SignHash is a helper function that calculates a hash for the given message that can be
diff --git a/swarm/services/swap/swap.go b/swarm/services/swap/swap.go
index 1f9b22b90..1eac111be 100644
--- a/swarm/services/swap/swap.go
+++ b/swarm/services/swap/swap.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package swap
 import (
 	"context"
 	"crypto/ecdsa"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"math/big"
 	"os"
@@ -134,6 +135,11 @@ func NewSwap(local *SwapParams, remote *SwapProfile, backend chequebook.Backend,
 		out *chequebook.Outbox
 	)
 
+	remotekey, err := crypto.UnmarshalPubkey(common.FromHex(remote.PublicKey))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.New("invalid remote public key")
+	}
+
 	// check if remote chequebook is valid
 	// insolvent chequebooks suicide so will signal as invalid
 	// TODO: monitoring a chequebooks events
@@ -142,7 +148,7 @@ func NewSwap(local *SwapParams, remote *SwapProfile, backend chequebook.Backend,
 		log.Info(fmt.Sprintf("invalid contract %v for peer %v: %v)", remote.Contract.Hex()[:8], proto, err))
 	} else {
 		// remote contract valid, create inbox
-		in, err = chequebook.NewInbox(local.privateKey, remote.Contract, local.Beneficiary, crypto.ToECDSAPub(common.FromHex(remote.PublicKey)), backend)
+		in, err = chequebook.NewInbox(local.privateKey, remote.Contract, local.Beneficiary, remotekey, backend)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Warn(fmt.Sprintf("unable to set up inbox for chequebook contract %v for peer %v: %v)", remote.Contract.Hex()[:8], proto, err))
 		}
diff --git a/whisper/whisperv5/api.go b/whisper/whisperv5/api.go
index c56d13949..2ce464220 100644
--- a/whisper/whisperv5/api.go
+++ b/whisper/whisperv5/api.go
@@ -252,8 +252,7 @@ func (api *PublicWhisperAPI) Post(ctx context.Context, req NewMessage) (bool, er
 
 	// Set asymmetric key that is used to encrypt the message
 	if pubKeyGiven {
-		params.Dst = crypto.ToECDSAPub(req.PublicKey)
-		if !ValidatePublicKey(params.Dst) {
+		if params.Dst, err = crypto.UnmarshalPubkey(req.PublicKey); err != nil {
 			return false, ErrInvalidPublicKey
 		}
 	}
@@ -329,8 +328,7 @@ func (api *PublicWhisperAPI) Messages(ctx context.Context, crit Criteria) (*rpc.
 	}
 
 	if len(crit.Sig) > 0 {
-		filter.Src = crypto.ToECDSAPub(crit.Sig)
-		if !ValidatePublicKey(filter.Src) {
+		if filter.Src, err = crypto.UnmarshalPubkey(crit.Sig); err != nil {
 			return nil, ErrInvalidSigningPubKey
 		}
 	}
@@ -513,8 +511,7 @@ func (api *PublicWhisperAPI) NewMessageFilter(req Criteria) (string, error) {
 	}
 
 	if len(req.Sig) > 0 {
-		src = crypto.ToECDSAPub(req.Sig)
-		if !ValidatePublicKey(src) {
+		if src, err = crypto.UnmarshalPubkey(req.Sig); err != nil {
 			return "", ErrInvalidSigningPubKey
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/whisper/whisperv6/api.go b/whisper/whisperv6/api.go
index c60bc46a1..d729e79c3 100644
--- a/whisper/whisperv6/api.go
+++ b/whisper/whisperv6/api.go
@@ -272,8 +272,7 @@ func (api *PublicWhisperAPI) Post(ctx context.Context, req NewMessage) (hexutil.
 
 	// Set asymmetric key that is used to encrypt the message
 	if pubKeyGiven {
-		params.Dst = crypto.ToECDSAPub(req.PublicKey)
-		if !ValidatePublicKey(params.Dst) {
+		if params.Dst, err = crypto.UnmarshalPubkey(req.PublicKey); err != nil {
 			return nil, ErrInvalidPublicKey
 		}
 	}
@@ -360,8 +359,7 @@ func (api *PublicWhisperAPI) Messages(ctx context.Context, crit Criteria) (*rpc.
 	}
 
 	if len(crit.Sig) > 0 {
-		filter.Src = crypto.ToECDSAPub(crit.Sig)
-		if !ValidatePublicKey(filter.Src) {
+		if filter.Src, err = crypto.UnmarshalPubkey(crit.Sig); err != nil {
 			return nil, ErrInvalidSigningPubKey
 		}
 	}
@@ -544,8 +542,7 @@ func (api *PublicWhisperAPI) NewMessageFilter(req Criteria) (string, error) {
 	}
 
 	if len(req.Sig) > 0 {
-		src = crypto.ToECDSAPub(req.Sig)
-		if !ValidatePublicKey(src) {
+		if src, err = crypto.UnmarshalPubkey(req.Sig); err != nil {
 			return "", ErrInvalidSigningPubKey
 		}
 	}