diff --git a/beacon_chain/spec/crypto.nim b/beacon_chain/spec/crypto.nim
index 295d301c4..273b88772 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/spec/crypto.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/spec/crypto.nim
@@ -275,42 +275,32 @@ template hash*(x: BlsCurveType): Hash =
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 proc writeValue*(writer: var JsonWriter, value: ValidatorPubKey) {.inline.} =
-  when value is BlsValue:
-    doAssert value.kind == Real
-    writer.writeValue($value.blsValue)
-  else:
-    writer.writeValue($value)
+  doAssert value.kind == Real
+  writer.writeValue(value.blsValue.toHex())
 
 proc readValue*(reader: var JsonReader, value: var ValidatorPubKey) {.inline.} =
   value.initFromBytes(fromHex reader.readValue(string))
 
 proc writeValue*(writer: var JsonWriter, value: ValidatorSig) {.inline.} =
-  when value is BlsValue:
-    if value.kind == Real:
-      writer.writeValue($value.blsValue)
-    else:
-      # Workaround: https://github.com/status-im/nim-beacon-chain/issues/374
-      let asHex = toHex(value.blob, true)
-      # echo "[Warning] writing raw opaque signature: ", asHex
-      writer.writeValue(asHex)
+  if value.kind == Real:
+    writer.writeValue(value.blsValue.toHex())
   else:
-    writer.writeValue($value)
+    # Workaround: https://github.com/status-im/nim-beacon-chain/issues/374
+    let asHex = value.blob.toHex(lowercase = true)
+    # echo "[Warning] writing raw opaque signature: ", asHex
+    writer.writeValue(asHex)
 
 proc readValue*(reader: var JsonReader, value: var ValidatorSig) {.inline.} =
   value.initFromBytes(fromHex reader.readValue(string))
 
 proc writeValue*(writer: var JsonWriter, value: ValidatorPrivKey) {.inline.} =
-  when value is BlsValue:
-    doAssert value.kind == Real
-    writer.writeValue($value.blsValue)
-  else:
-    writer.writeValue($value)
+  writer.writeValue(value.toHex())
 
 proc readValue*(reader: var JsonReader, value: var ValidatorPrivKey) {.inline.} =
   value.initFromBytes(fromHex reader.readValue(string))
 
 proc writeValue*(writer: var JsonWriter, value: PublicKey) {.inline.} =
-  writer.writeValue($value)
+  writer.writeValue(value.toHex())
 
 proc readValue*(reader: var JsonReader, value: var PublicKey) {.inline.} =
   let hex = reader.readValue(string)
@@ -318,7 +308,7 @@ proc readValue*(reader: var JsonReader, value: var PublicKey) {.inline.} =
   doAssert ok, "Invalid public key: " & hex
 
 proc writeValue*(writer: var JsonWriter, value: Signature) {.inline.} =
-  writer.writeValue($value)
+  writer.writeValue(value.toHex())
 
 proc readValue*(reader: var JsonReader, value: var Signature) {.inline.} =
   let hex = reader.readValue(string)
diff --git a/beacon_chain/validator_keygen.nim b/beacon_chain/validator_keygen.nim
index e0be7aa26..2c6428e5d 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/validator_keygen.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/validator_keygen.nim
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ proc generateDeposits*(totalValidators: int,
 
     let dp = makeDeposit(pubKey, privKey)
 
-    writeTextFile(privKeyFn, $privKey)
+    writeTextFile(privKeyFn, privKey.toHex())
     writeFile(depositFn, dp)
 
     result.add(dp)