diff --git a/client/cmd.go b/client/cmd.go
index 72cb424c34..e6aa30c079 100644
--- a/client/cmd.go
+++ b/client/cmd.go
@@ -100,20 +100,24 @@ func ReadPersistentCommandFlags(clientCtx Context, flagSet *pflag.FlagSet) (Cont
 		clientCtx = clientCtx.WithTrustNode(trustNode)
 	}
 
-	if flagSet.Changed(flags.FlagKeyringBackend) {
+	if clientCtx.Keyring == nil || flagSet.Changed(flags.FlagKeyringBackend) {
 		keyringBackend, _ := flagSet.GetString(flags.FlagKeyringBackend)
 
-		kr, err := newKeyringFromFlags(clientCtx, keyringBackend)
-		if err != nil {
-			return clientCtx, err
-		}
+		if keyringBackend != "" {
+			kr, err := newKeyringFromFlags(clientCtx, keyringBackend)
+			if err != nil {
+				return clientCtx, err
+			}
 
-		clientCtx = clientCtx.WithKeyring(kr)
+			clientCtx = clientCtx.WithKeyring(kr)
+		}
 	}
 
-	if flagSet.Changed(flags.FlagNode) {
+	if clientCtx.Client == nil || flagSet.Changed(flags.FlagNode) {
 		rpcURI, _ := flagSet.GetString(flags.FlagNode)
-		clientCtx = clientCtx.WithNodeURI(rpcURI)
+		if rpcURI != "" {
+			clientCtx = clientCtx.WithNodeURI(rpcURI)
+		}
 	}
 
 	return clientCtx, nil
diff --git a/client/rpc/validators.go b/client/rpc/validators.go
index 77bc4dafdc..99508abe3c 100644
--- a/client/rpc/validators.go
+++ b/client/rpc/validators.go
@@ -9,13 +9,11 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/mux"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 
 	tmtypes "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
 
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/flags"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec"
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types/rest"
 )
@@ -23,12 +21,14 @@ import (
 // TODO these next two functions feel kinda hacky based on their placement
 
 //ValidatorCommand returns the validator set for a given height
-func ValidatorCommand(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
+func ValidatorCommand() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "tendermint-validator-set [height]",
 		Short: "Get the full tendermint validator set at given height",
 		Args:  cobra.MaximumNArgs(1),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			clientCtx := client.GetClientContextFromCmd(cmd)
+
 			var height *int64
 
 			// optional height
@@ -43,9 +43,10 @@ func ValidatorCommand(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 				}
 			}
 
-			clientCtx := client.NewContext().WithCodec(cdc)
+			page, _ := cmd.Flags().GetInt(flags.FlagPage)
+			limit, _ := cmd.Flags().GetInt(flags.FlagLimit)
 
-			result, err := GetValidators(clientCtx, height, viper.GetInt(flags.FlagPage), viper.GetInt(flags.FlagLimit))
+			result, err := GetValidators(clientCtx, height, page, limit)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -55,19 +56,10 @@ func ValidatorCommand(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 	}
 
 	cmd.Flags().StringP(flags.FlagNode, "n", "tcp://localhost:26657", "Node to connect to")
-	viper.BindPFlag(flags.FlagNode, cmd.Flags().Lookup(flags.FlagNode))
-
 	cmd.Flags().Bool(flags.FlagTrustNode, false, "Trust connected full node (don't verify proofs for responses)")
-	viper.BindPFlag(flags.FlagTrustNode, cmd.Flags().Lookup(flags.FlagTrustNode))
-
 	cmd.Flags().String(flags.FlagKeyringBackend, flags.DefaultKeyringBackend, "Select keyring's backend (os|file|kwallet|pass|test)")
-	viper.BindPFlag(flags.FlagKeyringBackend, cmd.Flags().Lookup(flags.FlagKeyringBackend))
-
 	cmd.Flags().Int(flags.FlagPage, 0, "Query a specific page of paginated results")
-	viper.BindPFlag(flags.FlagPage, cmd.Flags().Lookup(flags.FlagPage))
-
 	cmd.Flags().Int(flags.FlagLimit, 100, "Query number of results returned per page")
-	viper.BindPFlag(flags.FlagLimit, cmd.Flags().Lookup(flags.FlagLimit))
 
 	return cmd
 }
diff --git a/simapp/simd/cmd/root.go b/simapp/simd/cmd/root.go
index eb56c02510..fdec53aa1b 100644
--- a/simapp/simd/cmd/root.go
+++ b/simapp/simd/cmd/root.go
@@ -107,11 +107,11 @@ func queryCommand() *cobra.Command {
 	}
 
 	cmd.AddCommand(
-		authcmd.GetAccountCmd(encodingConfig.Amino),
-		rpc.ValidatorCommand(encodingConfig.Amino),
+		authcmd.GetAccountCmd(),
+		rpc.ValidatorCommand(),
 		rpc.BlockCommand(),
-		authcmd.QueryTxsByEventsCmd(encodingConfig.Amino),
-		authcmd.QueryTxCmd(encodingConfig.Amino),
+		authcmd.QueryTxsByEventsCmd(),
+		authcmd.QueryTxCmd(),
 	)
 
 	simapp.ModuleBasics.AddQueryCommands(cmd, initClientCtx)
diff --git a/simapp/simd/cmd/testnet.go b/simapp/simd/cmd/testnet.go
index 7c74df825d..f7b8cf4ef9 100644
--- a/simapp/simd/cmd/testnet.go
+++ b/simapp/simd/cmd/testnet.go
@@ -211,7 +211,8 @@ func InitTestnet(
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error creating tx: %w", err)
 		}
-		txBldr.WithChainID(chainID).WithMemo(memo).WithKeybase(kb)
+
+		txBldr = txBldr.WithChainID(chainID).WithMemo(memo).WithKeybase(kb)
 
 		signedTx, err := txBldr.SignStdTx(nodeDirName, tx, false)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/x/auth/client/cli/query.go b/x/auth/client/cli/query.go
index 939f2aed10..6801c96a55 100644
--- a/x/auth/client/cli/query.go
+++ b/x/auth/client/cli/query.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/flags"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec"
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types/rest"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/version"
@@ -24,7 +23,7 @@ const (
 )
 
 // GetQueryCmd returns the transaction commands for this module
-func GetQueryCmd(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
+func GetQueryCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:                        types.ModuleName,
 		Short:                      "Querying commands for the auth module",
@@ -34,15 +33,15 @@ func GetQueryCmd(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 	}
 
 	cmd.AddCommand(
-		GetAccountCmd(cdc),
-		QueryParamsCmd(cdc),
+		GetAccountCmd(),
+		QueryParamsCmd(),
 	)
 
 	return cmd
 }
 
 // QueryParamsCmd returns the command handler for evidence parameter querying.
-func QueryParamsCmd(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
+func QueryParamsCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "params",
 		Short: "Query the current auth parameters",
@@ -52,7 +51,11 @@ func QueryParamsCmd(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 $ <appcli> query auth params
 `),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			clientCtx := client.NewContext().WithCodec(cdc)
+			clientCtx := client.GetClientContextFromCmd(cmd)
+			clientCtx, err := client.ReadQueryCommandFlags(clientCtx, cmd.Flags())
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 
 			route := fmt.Sprintf("custom/%s/%s", types.QuerierRoute, types.QueryParams)
 			res, _, err := clientCtx.QueryWithData(route, nil)
@@ -61,7 +64,7 @@ $ <appcli> query auth params
 			}
 
 			var params types.Params
-			if err := cdc.UnmarshalJSON(res, &params); err != nil {
+			if err := clientCtx.JSONMarshaler.UnmarshalJSON(res, &params); err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal params: %w", err)
 			}
 
@@ -76,21 +79,26 @@ $ <appcli> query auth params
 
 // GetAccountCmd returns a query account that will display the state of the
 // account at a given address.
-func GetAccountCmd(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
+func GetAccountCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "account [address]",
 		Short: "Query for account by address",
 		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			clientCtx := client.NewContext().WithCodec(cdc)
-			accGetter := types.NewAccountRetriever(authclient.Codec)
+			clientCtx := client.GetClientContextFromCmd(cmd)
+			clientCtx, err := client.ReadQueryCommandFlags(clientCtx, cmd.Flags())
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			accRetriever := types.NewAccountRetriever(clientCtx.JSONMarshaler)
 
 			key, err := sdk.AccAddressFromBech32(args[0])
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			acc, err := accGetter.GetAccount(clientCtx, key)
+			acc, err := accRetriever.GetAccount(clientCtx, key)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -105,7 +113,7 @@ func GetAccountCmd(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 }
 
 // QueryTxsByEventsCmd returns a command to search through transactions by events.
-func QueryTxsByEventsCmd(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
+func QueryTxsByEventsCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "txs",
 		Short: "Query for paginated transactions that match a set of events",
@@ -121,6 +129,8 @@ $ %s query txs --%s 'message.sender=cosmos1...&message.action=withdraw_delegator
 `, eventFormat, version.AppName, flagEvents),
 		),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			clientCtx := client.GetClientContextFromCmd(cmd)
+
 			eventsRaw, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString(flagEvents)
 			eventsStr := strings.Trim(eventsRaw, "'")
 
@@ -153,13 +163,12 @@ $ %s query txs --%s 'message.sender=cosmos1...&message.action=withdraw_delegator
 			page, _ := cmd.Flags().GetInt(flags.FlagPage)
 			limit, _ := cmd.Flags().GetInt(flags.FlagLimit)
 
-			clientCtx := client.NewContext().WithCodec(cdc)
 			txs, err := authclient.QueryTxsByEvents(clientCtx, tmEvents, page, limit, "")
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			output, err := cdc.MarshalJSON(txs)
+			output, err := clientCtx.JSONMarshaler.MarshalJSON(txs)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -181,13 +190,13 @@ $ %s query txs --%s 'message.sender=cosmos1...&message.action=withdraw_delegator
 }
 
 // QueryTxCmd implements the default command for a tx query.
-func QueryTxCmd(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
+func QueryTxCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "tx [hash]",
 		Short: "Query for a transaction by hash in a committed block",
 		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			clientCtx := client.NewContext().WithCodec(cdc)
+			clientCtx := client.GetClientContextFromCmd(cmd)
 
 			output, err := authclient.QueryTx(clientCtx, args[0])
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/x/auth/module.go b/x/auth/module.go
index 3bf8136a45..bd4ebc027a 100644
--- a/x/auth/module.go
+++ b/x/auth/module.go
@@ -66,13 +66,13 @@ func (AppModuleBasic) RegisterRESTRoutes(clientCtx client.Context, rtr *mux.Rout
 }
 
 // GetTxCmd returns the root tx command for the auth module.
-func (AppModuleBasic) GetTxCmd(clientCtx client.Context) *cobra.Command {
+func (AppModuleBasic) GetTxCmd(_ client.Context) *cobra.Command {
 	return cli.GetTxCmd()
 }
 
 // GetQueryCmd returns the root query command for the auth module.
-func (AppModuleBasic) GetQueryCmd(clientCtx client.Context) *cobra.Command {
-	return cli.GetQueryCmd(clientCtx.Codec)
+func (AppModuleBasic) GetQueryCmd(_ client.Context) *cobra.Command {
+	return cli.GetQueryCmd()
 }
 
 // RegisterInterfaceTypes registers interfaces and implementations of the auth module.