diff --git a/src/bin_client/test/jbuild b/src/bin_client/test/jbuild
index 591d31532..2f39f403d 100644
--- a/src/bin_client/test/jbuild
+++ b/src/bin_client/test/jbuild
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
  ((name runtest_basic.sh)
   (deps (sandbox.json
          protocol_parameters.json
+         king_commitment.json
+         queen_commitment.json
          test_lib.inc.sh
          (glob_files contracts/*)
          ))
diff --git a/src/bin_client/test/king_commitment.json b/src/bin_client/test/king_commitment.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..af963b3c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bin_client/test/king_commitment.json
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+ {
+  "mnemonic": ["envelope", "hospital", "mind", "sunset", "cancel", "muscle", "leisure", "thumb", "wine", "market", "exit", "lucky", "style", "picnic", "success"],
+  "secret": "0f39ed0b656509c2ecec4771712d9cddefe2afac",
+  "amount": "23932454669343",
+  "pkh": "tz1MawerETND6bqJqx8GV3YHUrvMBCDasRBF",
+  "password": "z0eZHQQGKt",
+  "email": "cjgfoqmk.wpxnvnup@tezos.example.org"
+}
diff --git a/src/bin_client/test/queen_commitment.json b/src/bin_client/test/queen_commitment.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0534e38cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bin_client/test/queen_commitment.json
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+ {
+  "mnemonic": ["flag", "quote", "will", "valley", "mouse", "chat", "hold", "prosper", "silk", "tent", "cruel", "cause", "demise", "bottom", "practice"],
+  "secret": "41f98b15efc63fa893d61d7d6eee4a2ce9427ac4",
+  "amount": "72954577464032",
+  "pkh": "tz1X4maqF9tC1Yn4jULjHRAyzjAtc25Z68TX",
+  "password": "MHErskWPE6",
+  "email": "oklmcktr.ztljnpzc@tezos.example.org"
+ }
diff --git a/src/bin_client/test/test_basic.sh b/src/bin_client/test/test_basic.sh
index 7eed0ece7..566606689 100755
--- a/src/bin_client/test/test_basic.sh
+++ b/src/bin_client/test/test_basic.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ sleep 1
 key1=foo
 key2=bar
 key3=boo
+key4=king
+key5=queen
 
 $client gen keys $key1
 $client gen keys $key2 --sig secp256k1
@@ -106,6 +108,20 @@ $client transfer 400,000 from bootstrap1 to bootstrap5 -fee 0
 sleep 1
 $client bake for bootstrap1 -max-priority 512
 $client get balance for bootstrap5 | assert "4,000,000 ꜩ"
+sleep 1
+
+
+$client activate account $key4 with king_commitment.json --no-confirmation
+$client activate account $key5 with queen_commitment.json --no-confirmation
+$client bake for bootstrap1 -max-priority 512
+sleep 1
+
+$client get balance for $key4 | assert "23,932,454.669,343 ꜩ"
+$client get balance for $key5 | assert "72,954,577.464,032 ꜩ"
+
+$client transfer 10 from $key4 to $key5
+
+
 
 echo
 echo End of test
diff --git a/src/lib_client_base/client_keys.ml b/src/lib_client_base/client_keys.ml
index 1b1605ce9..b96e293eb 100644
--- a/src/lib_client_base/client_keys.ml
+++ b/src/lib_client_base/client_keys.ml
@@ -159,9 +159,8 @@ let append cctxt loc buf =
   sign cctxt loc buf >>|? fun signature ->
   Signature.concat buf signature
 
-let gen_keys ?(force=false) ?algo ?seed (cctxt : #Client_context.io_wallet) name =
-  let public_key_hash, public_key, secret_key =
-    Signature.generate_key ?algo ?seed () in
+let register_key cctxt ?(force=false)
+    (public_key_hash, public_key, secret_key) name =
   Secret_key.add ~force cctxt name
     (Secret_key_locator.of_unencrypted secret_key) >>=? fun () ->
   Public_key.add ~force cctxt name
@@ -170,6 +169,9 @@ let gen_keys ?(force=false) ?algo ?seed (cctxt : #Client_context.io_wallet) name
     cctxt name public_key_hash >>=? fun () ->
   return ()
 
+let gen_keys ?(force=false) ?algo ?seed (cctxt : #Client_context.io_wallet) name =
+  let key = Signature.generate_key ?algo ?seed () in
+  register_key cctxt ~force key name
 
 let gen_keys_containing ?(prefix=false) ?(force=false) ~containing ~name (cctxt : #Client_context.full) =
   let unrepresentable =
diff --git a/src/lib_client_base/client_keys.mli b/src/lib_client_base/client_keys.mli
index a9e375dc9..54214891c 100644
--- a/src/lib_client_base/client_keys.mli
+++ b/src/lib_client_base/client_keys.mli
@@ -116,6 +116,13 @@ val gen_keys :
   ?seed:Ed25519.Seed.t ->
   #Client_context.io_wallet -> string -> unit tzresult Lwt.t
 
+val register_key :
+  #Client_context.wallet ->
+  ?force:bool ->
+  (Signature.Public_key_hash.t *
+   Signature.Public_key.t *
+   Signature.Secret_key.t) -> string -> unit tzresult Lwt.t
+
 val gen_keys_containing :
   ?prefix:bool ->
   ?force:bool ->
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_args.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_args.ml
index 29e400e37..b4caa0265 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_args.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_args.ml
@@ -180,6 +180,12 @@ let no_print_source_flag =
           This option disables this behaviour."
     ()
 
+let no_confirmation =
+  switch
+    ~long:"no-confirmation"
+    ~doc:"don't print wait for the operation to be confirmed."
+    ()
+
 module Daemon = struct
   let baking_switch =
     switch
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_args.mli b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_args.mli
index c5dd00564..26a8f9cfb 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_args.mli
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_args.mli
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ val free_baking_switch: (bool, Proto_alpha.full) Clic.arg
 val force_switch: (bool, Proto_alpha.full) Clic.arg
 val endorsement_delay_arg: (int, Proto_alpha.full) Clic.arg
 
-val no_print_source_flag : (bool, Proto_alpha.full) Clic.arg
+val no_print_source_flag: (bool, Proto_alpha.full) Clic.arg
+val no_confirmation: (bool, Proto_alpha.full) Clic.arg
 
 val tez_arg :
   default:string ->
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_context.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_context.ml
index 626701415..d4875018d 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_context.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_context.ml
@@ -285,3 +285,77 @@ let wait_for_operation_inclusion
   end stream >>= fun _ ->
   stop () ;
   return ()
+
+type activation_key =
+  { pkh : Ed25519.Public_key_hash.t ;
+    amount : Tez.t ;
+    secret : Blinded_public_key_hash.secret ;
+    mnemonic : string list ;
+    password : string ;
+    email : string ;
+  }
+
+let activation_key_encoding =
+  let open Data_encoding in
+  conv
+    (fun { pkh ; amount ; secret ; mnemonic ; password ; email } ->
+       ( pkh, amount, secret, mnemonic, password, email ))
+    (fun ( pkh, amount, secret, mnemonic, password, email ) ->
+       { pkh ; amount ; secret ; mnemonic ; password ; email })
+    (obj6
+       (req "pkh" Ed25519.Public_key_hash.encoding)
+       (req "amount" Tez.encoding)
+       (req "secret" Blinded_public_key_hash.secret_encoding)
+       (req "mnemonic" (list string))
+       (req "password" string)
+       (req "email" string))
+
+let read_key key =
+  match Bip39.of_words key.mnemonic with
+  | None ->
+      failwith ""
+  | Some t ->
+      (* TODO: unicode normalization (NFKD)... *)
+      let sk = Bip39.to_seed ~passphrase:(key.email ^ key.password) t in
+      let sk = Cstruct.(to_bigarray (sub sk 0 32)) in
+      let sk : Signature.Secret_key.t =
+        Ed25519 (Data_encoding.Binary.of_bytes_exn Ed25519.Secret_key.encoding sk) in
+      let pk = Signature.Secret_key.to_public_key sk in
+      let pkh = Signature.Public_key.hash pk in
+      return (pkh, pk, sk)
+
+let claim_commitment (cctxt : #Proto_alpha.full)
+    ?confirmations ?force block key name =
+  read_key key >>=? fun (pkh, pk, sk) ->
+  fail_unless (Signature.Public_key_hash.equal pkh (Ed25519 key.pkh))
+    (failure "@[<v 2>Inconsistent activation key:@ \
+              Computed pkh: %a@ \
+              Embedded pkh: %a @]"
+       Signature.Public_key_hash.pp pkh
+       Ed25519.Public_key_hash.pp key.pkh) >>=? fun () ->
+  let op = [ Activation { id = key.pkh ; secret = key.secret } ] in
+  Block_services.info cctxt block >>=? fun bi ->
+  Alpha_services.Forge.Anonymous.operations
+    cctxt block ~branch:bi.hash op >>=? fun bytes ->
+  Shell_services.inject_operation
+    cctxt ~chain_id:bi.chain_id bytes >>=? fun oph ->
+  operation_submitted_message cctxt oph >>=? fun () ->
+  begin
+    match confirmations with
+    | None ->
+        Client_keys.register_key cctxt ?force (pkh, pk, sk) name >>=? fun () ->
+        return ()
+    | Some confirmations ->
+        cctxt#message "Waiting for the operation to be included..." >>= fun () ->
+        wait_for_operation_inclusion ~confirmations cctxt oph >>=? fun () ->
+        Client_keys.register_key cctxt ?force (pkh, pk, sk) name >>=? fun () ->
+        Alpha_services.Contract.balance
+          cctxt (`Head 0) (Contract.implicit_contract pkh) >>=? fun balance ->
+        cctxt#message "Account %s (%a) created with %s%a."
+          name
+          Signature.Public_key_hash.pp pkh
+          Client_proto_args.tez_sym
+          Tez.pp balance >>= fun () ->
+        return ()
+  end
+
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_context.mli b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_context.mli
index d5d3d1a74..4864fcc77 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_context.mli
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/client_proto_context.mli
@@ -141,3 +141,24 @@ val wait_for_operation_inclusion:
   ?confirmations:int ->
   Operation_hash.t ->
   unit tzresult Lwt.t
+
+type activation_key =
+  { pkh : Ed25519.Public_key_hash.t ;
+    amount : Tez.t ;
+    secret : Blinded_public_key_hash.secret ;
+    mnemonic : string list ;
+    password : string ;
+    email : string ;
+  }
+
+val activation_key_encoding: activation_key Data_encoding.t
+
+val claim_commitment:
+  #Proto_alpha.full ->
+  ?confirmations:int ->
+  ?force:bool ->
+  Block_services.block ->
+  activation_key ->
+  string ->
+  unit tzresult Lwt.t
+
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/jbuild b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/jbuild
index 478071476..789463172 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/jbuild
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client/jbuild
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
               tezos-protocol-environment
               tezos-shell-services
               tezos-client-base
-              tezos-rpc))
+              tezos-rpc
+              bip39))
   (library_flags (:standard -linkall))
   (flags (:standard -w -9+27-30-32-40@8
                     -safe-string
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client_commands/client_proto_context_commands.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client_commands/client_proto_context_commands.ml
index 916f71b53..a11f621f5 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client_commands/client_proto_context_commands.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client_commands/client_proto_context_commands.ml
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@ let report_michelson_errors ?(no_print_source=false) ~msg (cctxt : #Client_conte
   | Ok data ->
       Lwt.return (Some data)
 
+let file_parameter =
+  Clic.parameter (fun _ p ->
+      if not (Sys.file_exists p) then
+        failwith "File doesn't exist: '%s'" p
+      else
+        return p)
+
 let group =
   { Clic.name = "context" ;
     title = "Block contextual commands (see option -block)" }
@@ -253,6 +260,32 @@ let commands () =
         operation_submitted_message cctxt oph
       end;
 
+    command ~group ~desc:"Register and activate a predefined account using the provided activation key."
+      (args2 (Secret_key.force_switch ()) (Client_proto_args.no_confirmation))
+      (prefixes [ "activate" ; "account" ]
+       @@ Secret_key.fresh_alias_param
+       @@ prefixes [ "with" ]
+       @@ param ~name:"activation_key"
+         ~desc:"Activation key (as JSON file) obtained from the Tezos foundation (or the Alphanet faucet)."
+         file_parameter
+       @@ stop)
+      (fun (force, no_confirmation) name activation_key_file cctxt ->
+         Secret_key.of_fresh cctxt force name >>=? fun name ->
+         Lwt_utils_unix.Json.read_file activation_key_file >>=? fun json ->
+         match Data_encoding.Json.destruct
+                 Client_proto_context.activation_key_encoding
+                 json with
+         | exception (Data_encoding.Json.Cannot_destruct _ as exn) ->
+             Format.kasprintf (fun s -> failwith "%s" s)
+               "Invalid activation file: %a %a"
+               (fun ppf -> Data_encoding.Json.print_error ppf) exn
+               Data_encoding.Json.pp json
+         | key ->
+             let confirmations =
+               if no_confirmation then None else Some 0 in
+             claim_commitment cctxt cctxt#block ?confirmations ~force key name
+      );
+
     command ~group:alphanet ~desc: "Activate a protocol (Alphanet dictator only)."
       no_options
       (prefixes [ "activate" ; "protocol" ]
@@ -306,6 +339,7 @@ let commands () =
         wait_for_operation_inclusion ctxt
           ~confirmations ~predecessors operation_hash
       end ;
+
     command ~group:alphanet ~desc: "Fork a test protocol (Alphanet dictator only)."
       no_options
       (prefixes [ "fork" ; "test" ; "protocol" ]
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client_commands/jbuild b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client_commands/jbuild
index 385e5f7ee..d5d4869c5 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_client_commands/jbuild
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_client_commands/jbuild
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
  ((name tezos_client_alpha_commands)
   (public_name tezos-client-alpha-commands)
   (libraries (tezos-base
+              tezos-stdlib-unix
               tezos-protocol-alpha
               tezos-protocol-environment
               tezos-shell-services
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@
   (flags (:standard -w -9+27-30-32-40@8
                     -safe-string
                     -open Tezos_base__TzPervasives
+                    -open Tezos_stdlib_unix
                     -open Tezos_shell_services
                     -open Tezos_client_base
                     -open Tezos_client_alpha
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/src/apply.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/src/apply.ml
index 92d892d57..56e29b173 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/src/apply.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/src/apply.ml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ type error += Too_early_double_baking_evidence
   of { level: Raw_level.t ; current: Raw_level.t } (* `Temporary *)
 type error += Outdated_double_baking_evidence
   of { level: Raw_level.t ; last: Raw_level.t } (* `Permanent *)
-type error += Invalid_activation
+type error += Invalid_activation of { pkh : Ed25519.Public_key_hash.t }
 type error += Wrong_activation_secret
 
 let () =
@@ -295,11 +295,14 @@ let () =
     ~title:"Invalid activation"
     ~description:"The given key has already been activated or the given \
                   key does not correspond to any preallocated contract"
-    ~pp:(fun ppf () ->
-        Format.fprintf ppf "Invalid activation.")
-    Data_encoding.unit
-    (function Invalid_activation -> Some () | _ -> None)
-    (fun () -> Invalid_activation) ;
+    ~pp:(fun ppf pkh ->
+        Format.fprintf ppf "Invalid activation. The public key %a does \
+                            not match any commitment."
+          Ed25519.Public_key_hash.pp pkh
+      )
+    Data_encoding.(obj1 (req "pkh" Ed25519.Public_key_hash.encoding))
+    (function Invalid_activation { pkh } -> Some pkh | _ -> None)
+    (fun pkh -> Invalid_activation { pkh } ) ;
   register_error_kind
     `Permanent
     ~id:"operation.wrong_activation_secret"
@@ -579,9 +582,9 @@ let apply_anonymous_operation ctxt _delegate origination_nonce kind =
   | Activation { id = pkh ; secret } ->
       let h_pkh = Unclaimed_public_key_hash.of_ed25519_pkh pkh in
       Commitment.get_opt ctxt h_pkh >>=? function
-      | None -> fail Invalid_activation
-      | Some { blinded_public_key_hash = submitted_bpkh ; amount } ->
-          let blinded_pkh = Blinded_public_key_hash.of_ed25519_pkh secret pkh in
+      | None -> fail (Invalid_activation { pkh })
+      | Some { blinded_public_key_hash = blinded_pkh ; amount } ->
+          let submitted_bpkh = Blinded_public_key_hash.of_ed25519_pkh secret pkh in
           fail_unless
             Blinded_public_key_hash.(blinded_pkh = submitted_bpkh)
             Wrong_activation_secret >>=? fun () ->