diff --git a/lib/modules/whisper/index.js b/lib/modules/whisper/index.js
index 25b6f535..a4a5f641 100644
--- a/lib/modules/whisper/index.js
+++ b/lib/modules/whisper/index.js
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class Whisper {
 
   addSetProvider() {
     let connection = this.communicationConfig.connection || {};
-    let keys = this.communicationConfig.keys || {};
+
     // todo: make the add code a function as well
     let config = JSON.stringify({
       server: canonicalHost(connection.host || defaultHost),
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class Whisper {
     if (keys.symmetricKey) {
       config.symKey = keys.symmetricKey;
     }
-    
+
     if (keys.privateKey) {
       config.privateKey = keys.privateKey;
     }
diff --git a/lib/modules/whisper/js/embarkjs.js b/lib/modules/whisper/js/embarkjs.js
index c41a32e1..18dd22a2 100644
--- a/lib/modules/whisper/js/embarkjs.js
+++ b/lib/modules/whisper/js/embarkjs.js
@@ -17,27 +17,12 @@ __embarkWhisperNewWeb3.setProvider = function (options) {
     if (err) {
       console.log("whisper not available");
     } else if (version >= 5) {
-      
-      if (options.symKey) {
-        self.web3.shh.addSymKey(options.symKey).then(id => { 
-          self.symKeyID = id;
-        });
-      } else {
-        self.web3.shh.newSymKey().then((id) => {
-          self.symKeyID = id;
-        });
-      }
-
-      if (options.privateKey) {
-        self.web3.shh.addPrivateKey(options.privateKey).then((id) => {
-          self.sig = id;
-        });
-      } else {
-        self.web3.shh.newKeyPair().then((id) => {
-          self.sig = id;
-        });
-      }
-
+      self.web3.shh.newSymKey().then((id) => {
+        self.symKeyID = id;
+      });
+      self.web3.shh.newKeyPair().then((id) => {
+        self.sig = id;
+      });
     } else {
       throw new Error("version of whisper not supported");
     }
diff --git a/templates/boilerplate/config/communication.js b/templates/boilerplate/config/communication.js
index cf68c45a..035d95de 100644
--- a/templates/boilerplate/config/communication.js
+++ b/templates/boilerplate/config/communication.js
@@ -8,13 +8,6 @@ module.exports = {
       port: 8546, // Port of the blockchain node
       type: "ws" // Type of connection (ws or rpc)
     }
-    // Use this section when you need a specific symmetric or private keys in whisper
-    /*
-    ,keys: {
-      symmetricKey: "your_symmetric_key",// Symmetric key for message decryption
-      privateKey: "your_private_key" // Private Key to be used as a signing key and for message decryption
-    }
-    */
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/templates/demo/config/communication.js b/templates/demo/config/communication.js
index 61fef697..8c4d1f91 100644
--- a/templates/demo/config/communication.js
+++ b/templates/demo/config/communication.js
@@ -8,12 +8,5 @@ module.exports = {
       port: 8546, // Port of the blockchain node
       type: "ws" // Type of connection (ws or rpc)
     }
-    // Use this section when you need a specific symmetric or private keys in whisper
-    /*
-    ,keys: {
-      symmetricKey: "your_symmetric_key",// Symmetric key for message decryption
-      privateKey: "your_private_key" // Private Key to be used as a signing key and for message decryption
-    }
-    */
   }
 };