diff --git a/console/console.go b/console/console.go
index 176db1f96..1dcad3065 100644
--- a/console/console.go
+++ b/console/console.go
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	passwordRegexp = regexp.MustCompile(`personal.[nus]`)
+	// u: unlock, s: signXX, sendXX, n: newAccount, i: importXX
+	passwordRegexp = regexp.MustCompile(`personal.[nusi]`)
 	onlyWhitespace = regexp.MustCompile(`^\s*$`)
 	exit           = regexp.MustCompile(`^\s*exit\s*;*\s*$`)
 )
diff --git a/internal/ethapi/api.go b/internal/ethapi/api.go
index 162b38fbe..99b94bd5c 100644
--- a/internal/ethapi/api.go
+++ b/internal/ethapi/api.go
@@ -277,7 +277,11 @@ func (s *PrivateAccountAPI) DeriveAccount(url string, path string, pin *bool) (a
 
 // NewAccount will create a new account and returns the address for the new account.
 func (s *PrivateAccountAPI) NewAccount(password string) (common.Address, error) {
-	acc, err := fetchKeystore(s.am).NewAccount(password)
+	ks, err := fetchKeystore(s.am)
+	if err != nil {
+		return common.Address{}, err
+	}
+	acc, err := ks.NewAccount(password)
 	if err == nil {
 		log.Info("Your new key was generated", "address", acc.Address)
 		log.Warn("Please backup your key file!", "path", acc.URL.Path)
@@ -288,8 +292,11 @@ func (s *PrivateAccountAPI) NewAccount(password string) (common.Address, error)
 }
 
 // fetchKeystore retrieves the encrypted keystore from the account manager.
-func fetchKeystore(am *accounts.Manager) *keystore.KeyStore {
-	return am.Backends(keystore.KeyStoreType)[0].(*keystore.KeyStore)
+func fetchKeystore(am *accounts.Manager) (*keystore.KeyStore, error) {
+	if ks := am.Backends(keystore.KeyStoreType); len(ks) > 0 {
+		return ks[0].(*keystore.KeyStore), nil
+	}
+	return nil, errors.New("local keystore not used")
 }
 
 // ImportRawKey stores the given hex encoded ECDSA key into the key directory,
@@ -299,7 +306,11 @@ func (s *PrivateAccountAPI) ImportRawKey(privkey string, password string) (commo
 	if err != nil {
 		return common.Address{}, err
 	}
-	acc, err := fetchKeystore(s.am).ImportECDSA(key, password)
+	ks, err := fetchKeystore(s.am)
+	if err != nil {
+		return common.Address{}, err
+	}
+	acc, err := ks.ImportECDSA(key, password)
 	return acc.Address, err
 }
 
@@ -323,7 +334,11 @@ func (s *PrivateAccountAPI) UnlockAccount(ctx context.Context, addr common.Addre
 	} else {
 		d = time.Duration(*duration) * time.Second
 	}
-	err := fetchKeystore(s.am).TimedUnlock(accounts.Account{Address: addr}, password, d)
+	ks, err := fetchKeystore(s.am)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	err = ks.TimedUnlock(accounts.Account{Address: addr}, password, d)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Warn("Failed account unlock attempt", "address", addr, "err", err)
 	}
@@ -332,7 +347,10 @@ func (s *PrivateAccountAPI) UnlockAccount(ctx context.Context, addr common.Addre
 
 // LockAccount will lock the account associated with the given address when it's unlocked.
 func (s *PrivateAccountAPI) LockAccount(addr common.Address) bool {
-	return fetchKeystore(s.am).Lock(addr) == nil
+	if ks, err := fetchKeystore(s.am); err == nil {
+		return ks.Lock(addr) == nil
+	}
+	return false
 }
 
 // signTransaction sets defaults and signs the given transaction