diff --git a/x/stake/keeper.go b/x/stake/keeper.go
index bab1328bed..21b58c1feb 100644
--- a/x/stake/keeper.go
+++ b/x/stake/keeper.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func (k Keeper) GetValidator(ctx sdk.Context, addr sdk.Address) (validator Valid
 // get a single validator by pubkey
 func (k Keeper) GetValidatorByPubKey(ctx sdk.Context, pubkey crypto.PubKey) (validator Validator, found bool) {
 	store := ctx.KVStore(k.storeKey)
-	addr := store.Get(GetValidatorByPubKeyKey(pubkey))
+	addr := store.Get(GetValidatorByPubKeyIndexKey(pubkey))
 	if addr == nil {
 		return validator, false
 	}
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func (k Keeper) setValidator(ctx sdk.Context, validator Validator) {
 	bz := k.cdc.MustMarshalBinary(validator)
 	store.Set(GetValidatorKey(validator.Owner), bz)
 	// set pointer by pubkey
-	store.Set(GetValidatorByPubKeyKey(validator.PubKey), validator.Owner)
+	store.Set(GetValidatorByPubKeyIndexKey(validator.PubKey), validator.Owner)
 }
 
 // Get the set of all validators with no limits, used during genesis dump
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ func (k Keeper) removeValidator(ctx sdk.Context, address sdk.Address) {
 	store := ctx.KVStore(k.storeKey)
 	pool := k.getPool(store)
 	store.Delete(GetValidatorKey(address))
-	store.Delete(GetValidatorByPubKeyKey(validator.PubKey))
+	store.Delete(GetValidatorByPubKeyIndexKey(validator.PubKey))
 	store.Delete(GetValidatorsByPowerKey(validator, pool))
 
 	// delete from the current and power weighted validator groups if the validator
diff --git a/x/stake/keeper_keys.go b/x/stake/keeper_keys.go
index e09a47ecab..632a86ec3c 100644
--- a/x/stake/keeper_keys.go
+++ b/x/stake/keeper_keys.go
@@ -13,17 +13,17 @@ import (
 //nolint
 var (
 	// Keys for store prefixes
-	ParamKey               = []byte{0x00} // key for parameters relating to staking
-	PoolKey                = []byte{0x01} // key for the staking pools
-	ValidatorsKey          = []byte{0x02} // prefix for each key to a validator
-	ValidatorsByPubKeyKey  = []byte{0x03} // prefix for each key to a validator by pubkey
-	ValidatorsBondedKey    = []byte{0x04} // prefix for each key to bonded/actively validating validators
-	ValidatorsByPowerKey   = []byte{0x05} // prefix for each key to a validator sorted by power
-	ValidatorCliffKey      = []byte{0x06} // key for block-local tx index
-	ValidatorPowerCliffKey = []byte{0x07} // key for block-local tx index
-	TendermintUpdatesKey   = []byte{0x08} // prefix for each key to a validator which is being updated
-	DelegationKey          = []byte{0x09} // prefix for each key to a delegator's bond
-	IntraTxCounterKey      = []byte{0x10} // key for block-local tx index
+	ParamKey                   = []byte{0x00} // key for parameters relating to staking
+	PoolKey                    = []byte{0x01} // key for the staking pools
+	ValidatorsKey              = []byte{0x02} // prefix for each key to a validator
+	ValidatorsByPubKeyIndexKey = []byte{0x03} // prefix for each key to a validator by pubkey
+	ValidatorsBondedKey        = []byte{0x04} // prefix for each key to bonded/actively validating validators
+	ValidatorsByPowerKey       = []byte{0x05} // prefix for each key to a validator sorted by power
+	ValidatorCliffKey          = []byte{0x06} // key for block-local tx index
+	ValidatorPowerCliffKey     = []byte{0x07} // key for block-local tx index
+	TendermintUpdatesKey       = []byte{0x08} // prefix for each key to a validator which is being updated
+	DelegationKey              = []byte{0x09} // prefix for each key to a delegator's bond
+	IntraTxCounterKey          = []byte{0x10} // key for block-local tx index
 )
 
 const maxDigitsForAccount = 12 // ~220,000,000 atoms created at launch
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ func GetValidatorKey(ownerAddr sdk.Address) []byte {
 }
 
 // get the key for the validator with pubkey
-func GetValidatorByPubKeyKey(pubkey crypto.PubKey) []byte {
-	return append(ValidatorsByPubKeyKey, pubkey.Bytes()...)
+func GetValidatorByPubKeyIndexKey(pubkey crypto.PubKey) []byte {
+	return append(ValidatorsByPubKeyIndexKey, pubkey.Bytes()...)
 }
 
 // get the key for the current validator group, ordered like tendermint