diff --git a/src/conf-parameter.cpp b/src/conf-parameter.cpp
index e313b1f..205c67c 100644
--- a/src/conf-parameter.cpp
+++ b/src/conf-parameter.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 #include "conf-parameter.hpp"
 #include "logger.hpp"
+#include <ndn-cxx/security/signing-helpers.hpp>
 
 namespace nlsr {
 
@@ -118,69 +119,38 @@
   m_prefixUpdateValidator.loadAnchor("Authoritative-Certificate", ndn::security::Certificate(cert));
 }
 
-std::shared_ptr<ndn::security::Certificate>
+ndn::optional<ndn::security::Certificate>
 ConfParameter::initializeKey()
 {
+  using namespace ndn::security;
   NLSR_LOG_DEBUG("Initializing Key ...");
 
-  ndn::Name nlsrInstanceName(m_routerPrefix);
-  nlsrInstanceName.append("nlsr");
-
+  Identity routerIdentity;
   try {
-    m_keyChain.deleteIdentity(m_keyChain.getPib().getIdentity(nlsrInstanceName));
+    routerIdentity = m_keyChain.getPib().getIdentity(m_routerPrefix);
   }
-  catch (const std::exception& e) {
-    NLSR_LOG_WARN(e.what());
-  }
-
-  ndn::security::Identity nlsrInstanceIdentity;
-  try {
-    nlsrInstanceIdentity = m_keyChain.createIdentity(nlsrInstanceName);
-  }
-  catch (const std::exception& e) {
-    NLSR_LOG_ERROR(e.what());
-    NLSR_LOG_ERROR("Unable to create identity, NLSR will run without security!");
-    NLSR_LOG_ERROR("Can be ignored if running in non-production environments.");
-    return nullptr;
-  }
-  auto certificate = std::make_shared<ndn::security::Certificate>();
-  auto nlsrInstanceKey = nlsrInstanceIdentity.getDefaultKey();
-  ndn::Name certificateName = nlsrInstanceKey.getName();
-  certificateName.append("NA");
-  certificateName.appendVersion();
-
-  certificate->setName(certificateName);
-
-  // set metainfo
-  certificate->setContentType(ndn::tlv::ContentType_Key);
-  certificate->setFreshnessPeriod(365_days);
-
-  // set content
-  certificate->setContent(nlsrInstanceKey.getPublicKey());
-
-  // set signature-info
-  ndn::SignatureInfo signatureInfo;
-  signatureInfo.setValidityPeriod(ndn::security::ValidityPeriod(ndn::time::system_clock::TimePoint(),
-                                                                ndn::time::system_clock::now()
-                                                                + 365_days));
-
-  try {
-    m_keyChain.sign(*certificate,
-                    ndn::security::SigningInfo(m_keyChain.getPib().getIdentity(m_routerPrefix))
-                                               .setSignatureInfo(signatureInfo));
-  }
-  catch (const std::exception& e) {
-    NLSR_LOG_ERROR("Router's " << e.what() << ", NLSR is running without security. " <<
+  catch (const Pib::Error&) {
+    NLSR_LOG_ERROR("Router identity " << m_routerPrefix << " not found. "
+                   "NLSR is running without security. "
                    "If security is enabled in the configuration, NLSR will not converge.");
-
+    return ndn::nullopt;
   }
 
-  m_signingInfo = ndn::security::SigningInfo(ndn::security::SigningInfo::SIGNER_TYPE_ID,
-                                             nlsrInstanceName);
+  auto instanceName = ndn::Name(m_routerPrefix).append("nlsr");
+  try {
+    m_keyChain.deleteIdentity(m_keyChain.getPib().getIdentity(instanceName));
+  }
+  catch (const Pib::Error&) {
+    // old instance identity does not exist
+  }
 
-  loadCertToValidator(*certificate);
+  auto key = m_keyChain.createIdentity(instanceName).getDefaultKey();
+  auto cert = m_keyChain.makeCertificate(key, signingByIdentity(routerIdentity));
+  m_keyChain.setDefaultCertificate(key, cert);
 
-  return certificate;
+  m_signingInfo = signingByCertificate(cert);
+  loadCertToValidator(cert);
+  return cert;
 }
 
 } // namespace nlsr
diff --git a/src/conf-parameter.hpp b/src/conf-parameter.hpp
index 57dd2c2..9989803 100644
--- a/src/conf-parameter.hpp
+++ b/src/conf-parameter.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2014-2021,  The University of Memphis,
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2022,  The University of Memphis,
  *                           Regents of the University of California,
  *                           Arizona Board of Regents.
  *
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@
     return m_keyChain;
   }
 
-  std::shared_ptr<ndn::security::Certificate>
+  ndn::optional<ndn::security::Certificate>
   initializeKey();
 
   void
diff --git a/src/security/certificate-store.cpp b/src/security/certificate-store.cpp
index 9fcaf84..f679fb1 100644
--- a/src/security/certificate-store.cpp
+++ b/src/security/certificate-store.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2014-2021,  The University of Memphis,
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2022,  The University of Memphis,
  *                           Regents of the University of California,
  *                           Arizona Board of Regents.
  *
@@ -55,12 +55,31 @@
 }
 
 const ndn::security::Certificate*
-CertificateStore::find(const ndn::Name& keyName) const
+CertificateStore::find(const ndn::Name& name) const
+{
+  if (ndn::security::Certificate::isValidName(name)) {
+    return findByCertName(name);
+  }
+  return findByKeyName(name);
+}
+
+const ndn::security::Certificate*
+CertificateStore::findByKeyName(const ndn::Name& keyName) const
 {
   auto it = m_certificates.find(keyName);
   return it != m_certificates.end() ? &it->second : nullptr;
 }
 
+const ndn::security::Certificate*
+CertificateStore::findByCertName(const ndn::Name& certName) const
+{
+  auto found = findByKeyName(ndn::security::extractKeyNameFromCertName(certName));
+  if (found == nullptr || found->getName() != certName) {
+    return nullptr;
+  }
+  return found;
+}
+
 void
 CertificateStore::clear()
 {
@@ -113,7 +132,7 @@
 }
 
 void
-CertificateStore::onKeyInterest(const ndn::Name& name, const ndn::Interest& interest)
+CertificateStore::onKeyInterest(const ndn::Name&, const ndn::Interest& interest)
 {
   NLSR_LOG_DEBUG("Got interest for certificate. Interest: " << interest.getName());
 
diff --git a/src/security/certificate-store.hpp b/src/security/certificate-store.hpp
index 79a0cf7..2a47caa 100644
--- a/src/security/certificate-store.hpp
+++ b/src/security/certificate-store.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2014-2021,  The University of Memphis,
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2022,  The University of Memphis,
  *                           Regents of the University of California,
  *                           Arizona Board of Regents.
  *
@@ -44,23 +44,24 @@
  */
 class CertificateStore
 {
-
 public:
   CertificateStore(ndn::Face& face, ConfParameter& confParam, Lsdb& lsdb);
 
   void
   insert(const ndn::security::Certificate& certificate);
 
-  /*! \brief Find a certificate
+  /*!
+   * \brief Find a certificate
+   * \param name Either key name or certificate name.
    *
    * Find a certificate that NLSR has. First it checks against the
    * certificates this NLSR claims to be authoritative for, usually
    * something like this specific router's certificate, and then
    * checks the cache of certificates it has already fetched. If none
    * can be found, it will return an null pointer.
- */
+   */
   const ndn::security::Certificate*
-  find(const ndn::Name& keyName) const;
+  find(const ndn::Name& name) const;
 
   /*! \brief Retrieves the chain of certificates from Validator's cache and
    *   store them in Nlsr's own CertificateStore.
@@ -73,6 +74,12 @@
   afterFetcherSignalEmitted(const ndn::Data& lsaSegment);
 
 PUBLIC_WITH_TESTS_ELSE_PRIVATE:
+  const ndn::security::Certificate*
+  findByKeyName(const ndn::Name& keyName) const;
+
+  const ndn::security::Certificate*
+  findByCertName(const ndn::Name& certName) const;
+
   void
   clear();