diff --git a/modules/nonce/commands/query.go b/modules/nonce/commands/query.go
index 233de59e21..4c4b6cff55 100644
--- a/modules/nonce/commands/query.go
+++ b/modules/nonce/commands/query.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package commands
 
 import (
+	"strings"
+
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
@@ -8,8 +10,6 @@ import (
 	lcmd "github.com/tendermint/light-client/commands"
 	proofcmd "github.com/tendermint/light-client/commands/proofs"
 
-	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin"
-	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/modules/auth"
 	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/modules/nonce"
 	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/stack"
 )
@@ -22,22 +22,21 @@ var NonceQueryCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 func doNonceQuery(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-	addr, err := proofcmd.ParseHexKey(args, "address")
+	if len(args) == 0 {
+		return errors.New("Missing required argument [address]")
+	}
+	addr := strings.Join(args, ",")
+	act, err := parseActors(addr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	act := []basecoin.Actor{basecoin.NewActor(
-		auth.NameSigs,
-		addr,
-	)}
-
 	key := stack.PrefixedKey(nonce.NameNonce, nonce.GetSeqKey(act))
 
 	var seq uint32
 	proof, err := proofcmd.GetAndParseAppProof(key, &seq)
 	if lc.IsNoDataErr(err) {
-		return errors.Errorf("Sequence is empty for address %X ", addr)
+		return errors.Errorf("Sequence is empty for address %s ", addr)
 	} else if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/modules/nonce/commands/wrap.go b/modules/nonce/commands/wrap.go
index b63f0e273d..7e29e8312a 100644
--- a/modules/nonce/commands/wrap.go
+++ b/modules/nonce/commands/wrap.go
@@ -27,16 +27,16 @@ var _ bcmd.Wrapper = NonceWrapper{}
 // the tx with this nonce.  Grabs the permission from the signer,
 // as we still only support single sig on the cli
 func (NonceWrapper) Wrap(tx basecoin.Tx) (res basecoin.Tx, err error) {
-	//add the nonce tx layer to the tx
-	seq := viper.GetInt(FlagSequence)
-	if seq < 0 {
-		return res, fmt.Errorf("sequence must be greater than 0")
+	seq, err := readSequence()
+	if err != nil {
+		return res, err
 	}
+
 	signers, err := readNonceKey()
 	if err != nil {
 		return res, err
 	}
-	res = nonce.NewTx(uint32(seq), signers, tx)
+	res = nonce.NewTx(seq, signers, tx)
 	return
 }
 
@@ -46,14 +46,17 @@ func (NonceWrapper) Register(fs *pflag.FlagSet) {
 	fs.String(FlagNonceKey, "", "Set of comma-separated addresses for the nonce (for multisig)")
 }
 
-func readNonceKey() (signers []basecoin.Actor, err error) {
+func readNonceKey() ([]basecoin.Actor, error) {
 	nonce := viper.GetString(FlagNonceKey)
 	if nonce == "" {
 		return []basecoin.Actor{bcmd.GetSignerAct()}, nil
 	}
+	return parseActors(nonce)
+}
 
+func parseActors(key string) (signers []basecoin.Actor, err error) {
 	var act basecoin.Actor
-	for _, k := range strings.Split(nonce, ",") {
+	for _, k := range strings.Split(key, ",") {
 		act, err = bcmd.ParseAddress(k)
 		if err != nil {
 			return
@@ -62,3 +65,14 @@ func readNonceKey() (signers []basecoin.Actor, err error) {
 	}
 	return
 }
+
+func readSequence() (uint32, error) {
+	//add the nonce tx layer to the tx
+	seq := viper.GetInt(FlagSequence)
+	if seq > 0 {
+		return uint32(seq), nil
+	}
+
+	// TODO: try to download from query..
+	return 0, fmt.Errorf("sequence must be greater than 0")
+}