diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 408e4c44e..6fcde205f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ TOOLS := \
 	nbench_spec_scenarios \
 	ncli \
 	ncli_db \
+	ncli_slashing \
 	process_dashboard \
 	stack_sizes \
 	nimbus_validator_client \
diff --git a/beacon_chain/validators/slashing_protection.nim b/beacon_chain/validators/slashing_protection.nim
index 9b6b9ad88..208f126c6 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/validators/slashing_protection.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/validators/slashing_protection.nim
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ proc init*(
     fatal "The slashing database refers to another chain/mainnet/testnet",
       path = basePath/dbname,
       genesis_validators_root = genesis_validators_root
+    quit 1
   db_v1.fromRawDB(rawdb)
 
   if requiresMigration:
@@ -153,15 +154,25 @@ proc loadUnchecked*(
   ##       this doesn't check the genesis validator root
   ##
   ## Does not handle migration
+  new result
 
-  result.modes = {kCompleteArchiveV1, kCompleteArchiveV2}
+  result.modes = {}
   result.disagreementBehavior = kCrash
 
-  result.db_v2 = SlashingProtectionDB_v2.loadUnchecked(
-    basePath, dbname, readOnly
-  )
+  try:
+    result.db_v2 = SlashingProtectionDB_v2.loadUnchecked(
+      basePath, dbname, readOnly
+    )
+    result.modes.incl(kCompleteArchiveV2)
+  except:
+    result.disagreementBehavior = kChooseV1
 
-  result.db_v1.fromRawDB(kvstore result.db_v2.getRawDBHandle())
+  try:
+    result.db_v1.fromRawDB(kvstore result.db_v2.getRawDBHandle())
+    result.modes.incl(kCompleteArchiveV1)
+  except:
+    doAssert result.modes.card > 0, "Couldn't open the DB."
+    result.disagreementBehavior = kChooseV2
 
 proc close*(db: SlashingProtectionDB) =
   ## Close a slashing protection database
diff --git a/beacon_chain/validators/slashing_protection_common.nim b/beacon_chain/validators/slashing_protection_common.nim
index 3fdab4d07..dda1391df 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/validators/slashing_protection_common.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/validators/slashing_protection_common.nim
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ proc writeValue*(writer: var JsonWriter, value: PubKey0x)
 proc readValue*(reader: var JsonReader, value: var PubKey0x)
                {.raises: [SerializationError, IOError, Defect].} =
   try:
-    value = PubKey0x reader.readValue(string).hexToByteArray(RawPubKeySize)
+    value = PubKey0x hexToByteArray(reader.readValue(string), RawPubKeySize)
   except ValueError:
     raiseUnexpectedValue(reader, "Hex string expected")
 
diff --git a/ncli/ncli_slashing.nim b/ncli/ncli_slashing.nim
index 8bf02b7cc..e824cce73 100644
--- a/ncli/ncli_slashing.nim
+++ b/ncli/ncli_slashing.nim
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 import
   std/[os, strutils],
   confutils,
+  serialization, json_serialization,
   eth/db/[kvstore, kvstore_sqlite3],
   ../beacon_chain/validators/slashing_protection,
   ../beacon_chain/spec/digest
@@ -21,24 +22,63 @@ type
 
   SlashProtConf = object
 
+    db{.desc: "The path to the database .sqlite3 file" .}: string
+
     case cmd {.
       command,
-      desc: "Dump database or restore" .}: SlashProtCmd
-    of dump, restore:
-      infile {.argument.}: string
+      desc: "Dump database to or restore from a slashing interchange file" .}: SlashProtCmd
+    of dump:
       outfile {.argument.}: string
+    of restore:
+      infile {.argument.}: string
 
 proc doDump(conf: SlashProtConf) =
-  let (dir, file) = splitPath(conf.infile)
+  let (dir, file) = splitPath(conf.db)
   # TODO: Make it read-only https://github.com/status-im/nim-eth/issues/312
   # TODO: why is sqlite3 always appending .sqlite3 ?
   let filetrunc = file.changeFileExt("")
   let db = SlashingProtectionDB.loadUnchecked(dir, filetrunc, readOnly = false)
   db.exportSlashingInterchange(conf.outfile)
+  echo "Export finished: '", conf.db, "' into '", conf.outfile, "'"
+
+proc doRestore(conf: SlashProtConf) =
+  let (dir, file) = splitPath(conf.db)
+  # TODO: Make it read-only https://github.com/status-im/nim-eth/issues/312
+  # TODO: why is sqlite3 always appending .sqlite3 ?
+  let filetrunc = file.changeFileExt("")
+
+  var spdir: SPDIR
+  try:
+    spdir = JSON.loadFile(conf.infile, SPDIR)
+  except SerializationError as err:
+    writeStackTrace()
+    stderr.write $JSON & " load issue for file \"", conf.infile, "\"\n"
+    stderr.write err.formatMsg(conf.infile), "\n"
+    quit 1
+
+  # Open DB and handle migration from v1 to v2 if needed
+  let db = SlashingProtectionDB.init(
+    genesis_validators_root = Eth2Digest spdir.metadata.genesis_validators_root,
+    basePath = dir,
+    dbname = filetrunc,
+    modes = {kCompleteArchiveV2},
+    disagreementBehavior = kChooseV2
+  )
+
+  # Now import the slashing interchange file
+  # Failures mode:
+  # - siError can only happen with invalid genesis_validators_root which would be caught above
+  # - siPartial can happen for invalid public keys, slashable blocks, slashable votes
+  let status = db.inclSPDIR(spdir)
+  doAssert status in {siSuccess, siPartial}
+
+  echo "Import finished: '", conf.infile, "' into '", conf.db, "'"
+  # TODO: do we mention that v2 MUST be used?
+  #       normally this has always been a hidden option.
 
 when isMainModule:
   let conf = SlashProtConf.load()
 
   case conf.cmd:
   of dump: conf.doDump()
-  of restore: doAssert false, "unimplemented"
+  of restore: conf.doRestore()