diff --git a/client/cmd.go b/client/cmd.go
index 84ca3926d7..78c5af7f32 100644
--- a/client/cmd.go
+++ b/client/cmd.go
@@ -63,6 +63,11 @@ func ValidateCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 // flags that do not necessarily change with context. These must be checked if
 // the caller explicitly changed the values.
 func ReadPersistentCommandFlags(clientCtx Context, flagSet *pflag.FlagSet) (Context, error) {
+	if flagSet.Changed(flags.FlagHome) {
+		homeDir, _ := flagSet.GetString(flags.FlagHome)
+		clientCtx = clientCtx.WithHomeDir(homeDir)
+	}
+
 	if flagSet.Changed(flags.FlagChainID) {
 		chainID, _ := flagSet.GetString(flags.FlagChainID)
 		clientCtx = clientCtx.WithChainID(chainID)
diff --git a/client/config.go b/client/config.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 68ff9c6534..0000000000
--- a/client/config.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,191 +0,0 @@
-package client
-
-import (
-	"bytes"
-	"fmt"
-	"io"
-	"io/ioutil"
-	"os"
-	"path"
-	"strconv"
-	"text/template"
-
-	toml "github.com/pelletier/go-toml"
-	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
-
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/flags"
-)
-
-const (
-	flagGet = "get"
-)
-
-var configDefaults = map[string]string{
-	"chain-id":        "",
-	"keyring-backend": "os",
-	"output":          "text",
-	"node":            "tcp://localhost:26657",
-	"broadcast-mode":  "sync",
-}
-
-var configBoolDefaults = map[string]bool{
-	"trace":      false,
-	"trust-node": false,
-	"indent":     false,
-	"offline":    false,
-}
-
-// ConfigCmd returns a CLI command to interactively create an application CLI
-// config file.
-func ConfigCmd(defaultCLIHome string) *cobra.Command {
-	cmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:   "config <key> [value]",
-		Short: "Get and set client options",
-		Long:  configCommandLongDescription(),
-		RunE:  runConfigCmd,
-		Args:  cobra.RangeArgs(0, 2),
-	}
-
-	cmd.Flags().String(flags.FlagHome, defaultCLIHome,
-		"set client's home directory for configuration")
-	cmd.Flags().Bool(flagGet, false,
-		"print configuration value or its default if unset")
-	return cmd
-}
-
-func runConfigCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-	cfgFile, err := ensureConfFile(viper.GetString(flags.FlagHome))
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	getAction := viper.GetBool(flagGet)
-	if getAction && len(args) != 1 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("wrong number of arguments")
-	}
-
-	// load configuration
-	tree, err := loadConfigFile(cmd, cfgFile)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// print the config and exit
-	if len(args) == 0 {
-		s, err := tree.ToTomlString()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		cmd.Print(s)
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	key := args[0]
-
-	// get config value for a given key
-	if getAction {
-		if defaultValue, ok := configBoolDefaults[key]; ok {
-			cmd.Println(tree.GetDefault(key, defaultValue).(bool))
-			return nil
-		}
-
-		if defaultValue, ok := configDefaults[key]; ok {
-			cmd.Println(tree.GetDefault(key, defaultValue).(string))
-			return nil
-		}
-
-		return errUnknownConfigKey(key)
-	}
-
-	if len(args) != 2 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("wrong number of arguments")
-	}
-
-	value := args[1]
-
-	// set config value for a given key
-	if _, ok := configBoolDefaults[key]; ok {
-		boolVal, err := strconv.ParseBool(value)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		tree.Set(key, boolVal)
-	} else if _, ok := configDefaults[key]; ok {
-		tree.Set(key, value)
-	} else {
-		return errUnknownConfigKey(key)
-	}
-
-	// save configuration to disk
-	if err := saveConfigFile(cfgFile, tree); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	cmd.PrintErrf("configuration saved to %s\n", cfgFile)
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-func ensureConfFile(rootDir string) (string, error) {
-	cfgPath := path.Join(rootDir, "config")
-	if err := os.MkdirAll(cfgPath, os.ModePerm); err != nil {
-		return "", err
-	}
-
-	return path.Join(cfgPath, "config.toml"), nil
-}
-
-func loadConfigFile(cmd *cobra.Command, cfgFile string) (*toml.Tree, error) {
-	if _, err := os.Stat(cfgFile); os.IsNotExist(err) {
-		cmd.PrintErrf("%s does not exist\n", cfgFile)
-		return toml.Load(``)
-	}
-
-	bz, err := ioutil.ReadFile(cfgFile)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	tree, err := toml.LoadBytes(bz)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	return tree, nil
-}
-
-func saveConfigFile(cfgFile string, tree io.WriterTo) error {
-	fp, err := os.OpenFile(cfgFile, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_TRUNC|os.O_CREATE, 0644)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	defer fp.Close()
-
-	_, err = tree.WriteTo(fp)
-	return err
-}
-
-func errUnknownConfigKey(key string) error {
-	return fmt.Errorf("unknown configuration key: %q", key)
-}
-
-func configCommandLongDescription() string {
-	longDescTemplate := template.Must(template.New("configCommandLongDescription").
-		Parse(`{{ range $key, $value := . }}  {{ $key }} = {{ $value }}
-{{ end }}`))
-	defaultsTextBuffer := bytes.NewBufferString("")
-	must(longDescTemplate.Execute(defaultsTextBuffer, configDefaults))
-	must(longDescTemplate.Execute(defaultsTextBuffer, configBoolDefaults))
-	return fmt.Sprintf(`Display or change client application configuration values.
-
-Defaults:
-%s`, defaultsTextBuffer)
-}
-
-func must(err error) {
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
-}
diff --git a/client/config_test.go b/client/config_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 5a114a3e68..0000000000
--- a/client/config_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,71 +0,0 @@
-package client
-
-import (
-	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
-	"testing"
-
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
-
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/flags"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/tests"
-)
-
-// For https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/issues/3899
-func Test_runConfigCmdTwiceWithShorterNodeValue(t *testing.T) {
-	// Prepare environment
-	configHome, cleanup := tests.NewTestCaseDir(t)
-	t.Cleanup(cleanup)
-
-	_ = os.RemoveAll(filepath.Join(configHome, "config"))
-	viper.Set(flags.FlagHome, configHome)
-
-	// Init command config
-	cmd := ConfigCmd(configHome)
-	require.NotNil(t, cmd)
-	require.NoError(t, cmd.RunE(cmd, []string{"node", "tcp://localhost:26657"}))
-	require.NoError(t, cmd.RunE(cmd, []string{"node", "--get"}))
-	require.NoError(t, cmd.RunE(cmd, []string{"node", "tcp://local:26657"}))
-	require.NoError(t, cmd.RunE(cmd, []string{"node", "--get"}))
-}
-
-func TestConfigCmd_UnknownOption(t *testing.T) {
-	// Prepare environment
-	configHome, cleanup := tests.NewTestCaseDir(t)
-	t.Cleanup(cleanup)
-
-	_ = os.RemoveAll(filepath.Join(configHome, "config"))
-	viper.Set(flags.FlagHome, configHome)
-
-	// Init command config
-	cmd := ConfigCmd(configHome)
-	require.NotNil(t, cmd)
-	require.Error(t, cmd.RunE(cmd, []string{"invalid", "true"}), "unknown configuration key: \"invalid\"")
-}
-
-func TestConfigCmd_OfflineFlag(t *testing.T) {
-	// Prepare environment
-	configHome, cleanup := tests.NewTestCaseDir(t)
-	t.Cleanup(cleanup)
-
-	_ = os.RemoveAll(filepath.Join(configHome, "config"))
-	viper.Set(flags.FlagHome, configHome)
-
-	// Init command config
-	cmd := ConfigCmd(configHome)
-	_, out, _ := tests.ApplyMockIO(cmd)
-	require.NotNil(t, cmd)
-
-	viper.Set(flagGet, true)
-	require.NoError(t, cmd.RunE(cmd, []string{"offline"}))
-	require.Contains(t, out.String(), "false")
-	out.Reset()
-
-	viper.Set(flagGet, false)
-	require.NoError(t, cmd.RunE(cmd, []string{"offline", "true"}))
-
-	viper.Set(flagGet, true)
-	require.NoError(t, cmd.RunE(cmd, []string{"offline"}))
-	require.Contains(t, out.String(), "true")
-}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 11e264f4eb..d0cb370c36 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/hashicorp/golang-lru v0.5.4
 	github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.12
 	github.com/otiai10/copy v1.2.0
-	github.com/pelletier/go-toml v1.8.0
+	github.com/pelletier/go-toml v1.8.0 // indirect
 	github.com/pkg/errors v0.9.1
 	github.com/prometheus/client_golang v1.7.1
 	github.com/prometheus/common v0.10.0
diff --git a/simapp/cmd/simcli/main.go b/simapp/cmd/simcli/main.go
index cfcdbbc1c6..cef161ab42 100644
--- a/simapp/cmd/simcli/main.go
+++ b/simapp/cmd/simcli/main.go
@@ -3,12 +3,8 @@ package main
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
-	"path"
-
-	simappparams "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/simapp/params"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/cli"
 
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client"
@@ -25,6 +21,12 @@ import (
 
 var (
 	encodingConfig = simapp.MakeEncodingConfig()
+	initClientCtx  = client.Context{}.
+			WithJSONMarshaler(encodingConfig.Marshaler).
+			WithTxGenerator(encodingConfig.TxGenerator).
+			WithCodec(encodingConfig.Amino).
+			WithInput(os.Stdin).
+			WithAccountRetriever(types.NewAccountRetriever(encodingConfig.Marshaler))
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -48,21 +50,17 @@ func main() {
 
 	rootCmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "simcli",
-		Short: "Command line interface for interacting with simd",
+		Short: "Command line interface for interacting with simapp",
 	}
 
 	// Add --chain-id to persistent flags and mark it required
-	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().String(flags.FlagChainID, "", "Chain ID of tendermint node")
-	rootCmd.PersistentPreRunE = func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
-		return initConfig(rootCmd)
-	}
+	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().String(flags.FlagChainID, "", "network chain ID")
 
 	// Construct Root Command
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(
 		rpc.StatusCommand(),
-		client.ConfigCmd(simapp.DefaultCLIHome),
-		queryCmd(encodingConfig),
-		txCmd(encodingConfig),
+		queryCmd(),
+		txCmd(),
 		flags.LineBreak,
 		flags.LineBreak,
 		keys.Commands(),
@@ -80,7 +78,7 @@ func main() {
 	}
 }
 
-func queryCmd(config simappparams.EncodingConfig) *cobra.Command {
+func queryCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	queryCmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:                        "query",
 		Aliases:                    []string{"q"},
@@ -90,30 +88,22 @@ func queryCmd(config simappparams.EncodingConfig) *cobra.Command {
 		RunE:                       client.ValidateCmd,
 	}
 
-	cdc := config.Amino
-
 	queryCmd.AddCommand(
-		authcmd.GetAccountCmd(cdc),
+		authcmd.GetAccountCmd(encodingConfig.Amino),
 		flags.LineBreak,
-		rpc.ValidatorCommand(cdc),
+		rpc.ValidatorCommand(encodingConfig.Amino),
 		rpc.BlockCommand(),
-		authcmd.QueryTxsByEventsCmd(cdc),
-		authcmd.QueryTxCmd(cdc),
+		authcmd.QueryTxsByEventsCmd(encodingConfig.Amino),
+		authcmd.QueryTxCmd(encodingConfig.Amino),
 		flags.LineBreak,
 	)
 
-	// add modules' query commands
-	clientCtx := client.Context{}
-	clientCtx = clientCtx.
-		WithJSONMarshaler(config.Marshaler).
-		WithCodec(cdc)
-
-	simapp.ModuleBasics.AddQueryCommands(queryCmd, clientCtx)
+	simapp.ModuleBasics.AddQueryCommands(queryCmd, initClientCtx)
 
 	return queryCmd
 }
 
-func txCmd(config simappparams.EncodingConfig) *cobra.Command {
+func txCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	txCmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:                        "tx",
 		Short:                      "Transactions subcommands",
@@ -122,53 +112,21 @@ func txCmd(config simappparams.EncodingConfig) *cobra.Command {
 		RunE:                       client.ValidateCmd,
 	}
 
-	cdc := config.Amino
-	clientCtx := client.Context{}
-	clientCtx = clientCtx.
-		WithJSONMarshaler(config.Marshaler).
-		WithTxGenerator(config.TxGenerator).
-		WithAccountRetriever(types.NewAccountRetriever(config.Marshaler)).
-		WithCodec(cdc)
-
 	txCmd.AddCommand(
-		bankcmd.NewSendTxCmd(clientCtx),
+		bankcmd.NewSendTxCmd(initClientCtx),
 		flags.LineBreak,
-		authcmd.GetSignCommand(clientCtx),
-		authcmd.GetSignBatchCommand(cdc),
-		authcmd.GetMultiSignCommand(clientCtx),
-		authcmd.GetValidateSignaturesCommand(clientCtx),
+		authcmd.GetSignCommand(initClientCtx),
+		authcmd.GetSignBatchCommand(encodingConfig.Amino),
+		authcmd.GetMultiSignCommand(initClientCtx),
+		authcmd.GetValidateSignaturesCommand(initClientCtx),
 		flags.LineBreak,
-		authcmd.GetBroadcastCommand(clientCtx),
-		authcmd.GetEncodeCommand(clientCtx),
-		authcmd.GetDecodeCommand(clientCtx),
+		authcmd.GetBroadcastCommand(initClientCtx),
+		authcmd.GetEncodeCommand(initClientCtx),
+		authcmd.GetDecodeCommand(initClientCtx),
 		flags.LineBreak,
 	)
 
-	// add modules' tx commands
-	simapp.ModuleBasics.AddTxCommands(txCmd, clientCtx)
+	simapp.ModuleBasics.AddTxCommands(txCmd, initClientCtx)
 
 	return txCmd
 }
-
-func initConfig(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
-	home, err := cmd.PersistentFlags().GetString(cli.HomeFlag)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	cfgFile := path.Join(home, "config", "config.toml")
-	if _, err := os.Stat(cfgFile); err == nil {
-		viper.SetConfigFile(cfgFile)
-
-		if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	}
-	if err := viper.BindPFlag(flags.FlagChainID, cmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup(flags.FlagChainID)); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if err := viper.BindPFlag(cli.EncodingFlag, cmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup(cli.EncodingFlag)); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	return viper.BindPFlag(cli.OutputFlag, cmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup(cli.OutputFlag))
-}
diff --git a/tests/cli/helpers.go b/tests/cli/helpers.go
index 72e665b0b8..1abade3bae 100644
--- a/tests/cli/helpers.go
+++ b/tests/cli/helpers.go
@@ -141,8 +141,7 @@ func (f *Fixtures) KeysAddRecoverHDPath(name, mnemonic string, account uint32, i
 
 // KeysShow is simcli keys show
 func (f *Fixtures) KeysShow(name string, flags ...string) keyring.KeyOutput {
-	cmd := fmt.Sprintf("%s keys show --keyring-backend=test --home=%s %s", f.SimcliBinary,
-		f.SimcliHome, name)
+	cmd := fmt.Sprintf("%s keys show --keyring-backend=test --home=%s %s --output=json", f.SimcliBinary, f.SimcliHome, name)
 	out, _ := tests.ExecuteT(f.T, AddFlags(cmd, flags), "")
 	var ko keyring.KeyOutput
 	err := clientkeys.UnmarshalJSON([]byte(out), &ko)
@@ -173,15 +172,6 @@ func (f *Fixtures) QueryTxs(page, limit int, events ...string) *sdk.SearchTxsRes
 	return &result
 }
 
-//___________________________________________________________________________________
-// simcli config
-
-// CLIConfig is simcli config
-func (f *Fixtures) CLIConfig(key, value string, flags ...string) {
-	cmd := fmt.Sprintf("%s config --home=%s %s %s", f.SimcliBinary, f.SimcliHome, key, value)
-	ExecuteWriteCheckErr(f.T, AddFlags(cmd, flags))
-}
-
 //utils
 
 func AddFlags(cmd string, flags []string) string {
diff --git a/tests/cli/init.go b/tests/cli/init.go
index 3a6efa98cc..418122975c 100644
--- a/tests/cli/init.go
+++ b/tests/cli/init.go
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ func InitFixtures(t *testing.T) (f *Fixtures) {
 	// reset test state
 	f.UnsafeResetAll()
 
-	f.CLIConfig("keyring-backend", "test")
-
 	// ensure keystore has foo and bar keys
 	f.KeysDelete(KeyFoo)
 	f.KeysDelete(KeyBar)
@@ -28,19 +26,11 @@ func InitFixtures(t *testing.T) (f *Fixtures) {
 	f.KeysAdd(KeyBar)
 	f.KeysAdd(KeyBaz)
 	f.KeysAdd(KeyVesting)
-	f.KeysAdd(KeyFooBarBaz, "--multisig-threshold=2", fmt.Sprintf(
-		"--multisig=%s,%s,%s", KeyFoo, KeyBar, KeyBaz))
-
-	// ensure that CLI output is in JSON format
-	f.CLIConfig("output", "json")
+	f.KeysAdd(KeyFooBarBaz, "--multisig-threshold=2", fmt.Sprintf("--multisig=%s,%s,%s", KeyFoo, KeyBar, KeyBaz))
 
 	// NOTE: SDInit sets the ChainID
 	f.SDInit(KeyFoo)
 
-	f.CLIConfig("chain-id", f.ChainID)
-	f.CLIConfig("broadcast-mode", "block")
-	f.CLIConfig("trust-node", "true")
-
 	// start an account with tokens
 	f.AddGenesisAccount(f.KeyAddress(KeyFoo), StartCoins)
 	f.AddGenesisAccount(
@@ -66,5 +56,5 @@ func (f *Fixtures) Cleanup(dirs ...string) {
 
 // Flags returns the flags necessary for making most CLI calls
 func (f *Fixtures) Flags() string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("--home=%s --node=%s", f.SimcliHome, f.RPCAddr)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("--home=%s --node=%s --chain-id=%s --output=json", f.SimcliHome, f.RPCAddr, f.ChainID)
 }
diff --git a/tests/cli/simd_test.go b/tests/cli/simd_test.go
index 329127925b..391139e54c 100644
--- a/tests/cli/simd_test.go
+++ b/tests/cli/simd_test.go
@@ -33,9 +33,6 @@ func TestCLISimdCollectGentxs(t *testing.T) {
 	// Initialize keys
 	f.KeysAdd(cli.KeyFoo)
 
-	// Configure json output
-	f.CLIConfig("output", "json")
-
 	// Run init
 	f.SDInit(cli.KeyFoo)
 
@@ -80,9 +77,6 @@ func TestCLISimdAddGenesisAccount(t *testing.T) {
 	f.KeysAdd(cli.KeyBar)
 	f.KeysAdd(cli.KeyBaz)
 
-	// Configure json output
-	f.CLIConfig("output", "json")
-
 	// Run init
 	f.SDInit(cli.KeyFoo)
 
diff --git a/x/distribution/client/cli/cli_test.go b/x/distribution/client/cli/cli_test.go
index af760148c5..524829739b 100644
--- a/x/distribution/client/cli/cli_test.go
+++ b/x/distribution/client/cli/cli_test.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func TestCLIWithdrawRewards(t *testing.T) {
 
 	rewards = testutil.QueryRewards(f, fooAddr)
 	require.Len(t, rewards.Rewards, 1)
-	require.Nil(t, rewards.Total)
+	require.Len(t, rewards.Total, 1)
 
 	// Setting up a new withdraw address
 	success, stdout, stderr := testutil.TxSetWithdrawAddress(f, fooAddr.String(), barAddr.String(), "--generate-only")
diff --git a/x/staking/client/cli/cli_test.go b/x/staking/client/cli/cli_test.go
index 0032f49837..4a1c455cd6 100644
--- a/x/staking/client/cli/cli_test.go
+++ b/x/staking/client/cli/cli_test.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func TestCLICreateValidator(t *testing.T) {
 	bankclienttestutil.TxSend(f, cli.KeyFoo, barAddr, sdk.NewCoin(cli.Denom, sendTokens), "-y")
 	tests.WaitForNextNBlocksTM(1, f.Port)
 
-	require.Equal(t, sendTokens, bankclienttestutil.QueryBalances(f, barAddr).AmountOf(cli.Denom))
+	require.Equal(t, sendTokens.String(), bankclienttestutil.QueryBalances(f, barAddr).AmountOf(cli.Denom).String())
 
 	// Generate a create validator transaction and ensure correctness
 	success, stdout, stderr := testutil.TxStakingCreateValidator(f, barAddr.String(), consPubKey, sdk.NewInt64Coin(cli.Denom, 2), "--generate-only")