diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a35f2a8d34..b090b6d4ca 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ BUG FIXES
 * [x/stake] fix revoke bytes ordering (was putting revoked candidates at the top of the list)
 * [x/stake] bond count was counting revoked validators as bonded, fixed
 * \#1565 - fix cliff validator persisting when validator set shrinks from max
+* \#1010 - two validators can't bond with the same pubkey anymore
 
 ## 0.19.0
 
diff --git a/x/stake/handler.go b/x/stake/handler.go
index 15d52ea9c9..265bb4e913 100644
--- a/x/stake/handler.go
+++ b/x/stake/handler.go
@@ -65,7 +65,11 @@ func handleMsgCreateValidator(ctx sdk.Context, msg types.MsgCreateValidator, k k
 	// check to see if the pubkey or sender has been registered before
 	_, found := k.GetValidator(ctx, msg.ValidatorAddr)
 	if found {
-		return ErrValidatorAlreadyExists(k.Codespace()).Result()
+		return ErrValidatorOwnerExists(k.Codespace()).Result()
+	}
+	_, found = k.GetValidatorByPubKey(ctx, msg.PubKey)
+	if found {
+		return ErrValidatorPubKeyExists(k.Codespace()).Result()
 	}
 	if msg.SelfDelegation.Denom != k.GetParams(ctx).BondDenom {
 		return ErrBadDenom(k.Codespace()).Result()
diff --git a/x/stake/handler_test.go b/x/stake/handler_test.go
index fffd248b3b..ec0ef35f55 100644
--- a/x/stake/handler_test.go
+++ b/x/stake/handler_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package stake
 import (
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/crypto"
@@ -118,25 +119,45 @@ func TestValidatorByPowerIndex(t *testing.T) {
 func TestDuplicatesMsgCreateValidator(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx, _, keeper := keep.CreateTestInput(t, false, 1000)
 
-	validatorAddr := keep.Addrs[0]
-	pk := keep.PKs[0]
-	msgCreateValidator := newTestMsgCreateValidator(validatorAddr, pk, 10)
-	got := handleMsgCreateValidator(ctx, msgCreateValidator, keeper)
+	addr1, addr2 := keep.Addrs[0], keep.Addrs[1]
+	pk1, pk2 := keep.PKs[0], keep.PKs[1]
+
+	msgCreateValidator1 := newTestMsgCreateValidator(addr1, pk1, 10)
+	got := handleMsgCreateValidator(ctx, msgCreateValidator1, keeper)
 	require.True(t, got.IsOK(), "%v", got)
-	validator, found := keeper.GetValidator(ctx, validatorAddr)
+	validator, found := keeper.GetValidator(ctx, addr1)
 
 	require.True(t, found)
-	require.Equal(t, sdk.Bonded, validator.Status())
-	require.Equal(t, validatorAddr, validator.Owner)
-	require.Equal(t, pk, validator.PubKey)
-	require.Equal(t, sdk.NewRat(10), validator.PoolShares.Bonded())
-	require.Equal(t, sdk.NewRat(10), validator.DelegatorShares)
-	require.Equal(t, Description{}, validator.Description)
+	assert.Equal(t, sdk.Bonded, validator.Status())
+	assert.Equal(t, addr1, validator.Owner)
+	assert.Equal(t, pk1, validator.PubKey)
+	assert.Equal(t, sdk.NewRat(10), validator.PoolShares.Bonded())
+	assert.Equal(t, sdk.NewRat(10), validator.DelegatorShares)
+	assert.Equal(t, Description{}, validator.Description)
 
-	// one validator cannot bond twice
-	msgCreateValidator.PubKey = keep.PKs[1]
-	got = handleMsgCreateValidator(ctx, msgCreateValidator, keeper)
+	// two validators can't have the same owner address
+	msgCreateValidator2 := newTestMsgCreateValidator(addr1, pk2, 10)
+	got = handleMsgCreateValidator(ctx, msgCreateValidator2, keeper)
 	require.False(t, got.IsOK(), "%v", got)
+
+	// two validators can't have the same pubkey
+	msgCreateValidator3 := newTestMsgCreateValidator(addr2, pk1, 10)
+	got = handleMsgCreateValidator(ctx, msgCreateValidator3, keeper)
+	require.False(t, got.IsOK(), "%v", got)
+
+	// must have different pubkey and owner
+	msgCreateValidator4 := newTestMsgCreateValidator(addr2, pk2, 10)
+	got = handleMsgCreateValidator(ctx, msgCreateValidator4, keeper)
+	require.True(t, got.IsOK(), "%v", got)
+	validator, found = keeper.GetValidator(ctx, addr2)
+
+	require.True(t, found)
+	assert.Equal(t, sdk.Bonded, validator.Status())
+	assert.Equal(t, addr2, validator.Owner)
+	assert.Equal(t, pk2, validator.PubKey)
+	assert.Equal(t, sdk.NewRat(10), validator.PoolShares.Bonded())
+	assert.Equal(t, sdk.NewRat(10), validator.DelegatorShares)
+	assert.Equal(t, Description{}, validator.Description)
 }
 
 func TestIncrementsMsgDelegate(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/x/stake/stake.go b/x/stake/stake.go
index 869b838ffa..c582fb6357 100644
--- a/x/stake/stake.go
+++ b/x/stake/stake.go
@@ -92,14 +92,15 @@ const (
 )
 
 var (
-	ErrNilValidatorAddr       = types.ErrNilValidatorAddr
-	ErrNoValidatorFound       = types.ErrNoValidatorFound
-	ErrValidatorAlreadyExists = types.ErrValidatorAlreadyExists
-	ErrValidatorRevoked       = types.ErrValidatorRevoked
-	ErrBadRemoveValidator     = types.ErrBadRemoveValidator
-	ErrDescriptionLength      = types.ErrDescriptionLength
-	ErrCommissionNegative     = types.ErrCommissionNegative
-	ErrCommissionHuge         = types.ErrCommissionHuge
+	ErrNilValidatorAddr      = types.ErrNilValidatorAddr
+	ErrNoValidatorFound      = types.ErrNoValidatorFound
+	ErrValidatorOwnerExists  = types.ErrValidatorOwnerExists
+	ErrValidatorPubKeyExists = types.ErrValidatorPubKeyExists
+	ErrValidatorRevoked      = types.ErrValidatorRevoked
+	ErrBadRemoveValidator    = types.ErrBadRemoveValidator
+	ErrDescriptionLength     = types.ErrDescriptionLength
+	ErrCommissionNegative    = types.ErrCommissionNegative
+	ErrCommissionHuge        = types.ErrCommissionHuge
 
 	ErrNilDelegatorAddr          = types.ErrNilDelegatorAddr
 	ErrBadDenom                  = types.ErrBadDenom
diff --git a/x/stake/types/errors.go b/x/stake/types/errors.go
index 09ed2d3696..237340b89d 100644
--- a/x/stake/types/errors.go
+++ b/x/stake/types/errors.go
@@ -30,8 +30,12 @@ func ErrNoValidatorFound(codespace sdk.CodespaceType) sdk.Error {
 	return sdk.NewError(codespace, CodeInvalidValidator, "validator does not exist for that address")
 }
 
-func ErrValidatorAlreadyExists(codespace sdk.CodespaceType) sdk.Error {
-	return sdk.NewError(codespace, CodeInvalidValidator, "validator already exist, cannot re-create validator")
+func ErrValidatorOwnerExists(codespace sdk.CodespaceType) sdk.Error {
+	return sdk.NewError(codespace, CodeInvalidValidator, "validator already exist for this owner-address, must use new validator-owner address")
+}
+
+func ErrValidatorPubKeyExists(codespace sdk.CodespaceType) sdk.Error {
+	return sdk.NewError(codespace, CodeInvalidValidator, "validator already exist for this pubkey, must use new validator pubkey")
 }
 
 func ErrValidatorRevoked(codespace sdk.CodespaceType) sdk.Error {