diff --git a/src/bin_signer/main_signer.ml b/src/bin_signer/main_signer.ml
index 1cd28c4a0..d2140f6ef 100644
--- a/src/bin_signer/main_signer.ml
+++ b/src/bin_signer/main_signer.ml
@@ -259,10 +259,19 @@ let require_auth_arg () =
     ~doc:"Require a signature from the caller to sign."
     ()
 
+let password_filename_arg () =
+  arg
+    ~long:"password-file"
+    ~short:'f'
+    ~placeholder:"filename"
+    ~doc:"Absolute path of the password file"
+    (string_parameter ())
+
 let global_options () =
-  args2
+  args3
     (base_dir_arg ())
     (require_auth_arg ())
+    (password_filename_arg ())
 
 (* Main (lwt) entry *)
 let main () =
@@ -286,12 +295,13 @@ let main () =
   begin
     begin
       parse_global_options
-        (global_options ()) () original_args >>=? fun ((base_dir, require_auth), remaining) ->
+        (global_options ()) () original_args >>=?
+      fun ((base_dir, require_auth, password_filename), remaining) ->
       let base_dir = Option.unopt ~default:default_base_dir base_dir in
       let cctxt = object
         inherit Client_context_unix.unix_logger ~base_dir
         inherit Client_context_unix.unix_prompter
-        inherit Client_context_unix.unix_wallet ~base_dir
+        inherit Client_context_unix.unix_wallet ~base_dir ~password_filename
       end in
       Client_keys.register_signer
         (module Tezos_signer_backends.Encrypted.Make(struct
diff --git a/src/lib_client_base/client_context.ml b/src/lib_client_base/client_context.ml
index b2dcc9866..7cfb3245a 100644
--- a/src/lib_client_base/client_context.ml
+++ b/src/lib_client_base/client_context.ml
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ class simple_printer log =
   end
 
 class type wallet = object
+  method password_filename : string option
   method with_lock : (unit -> 'a Lwt.t) -> 'a Lwt.t
   method load : string -> default:'a -> 'a Data_encoding.encoding -> 'a tzresult Lwt.t
   method write : string -> 'a -> 'a Data_encoding.encoding -> unit tzresult Lwt.t
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ class type full = object
 end
 
 class proxy_context (obj : full) = object
+  method password_filename = obj#password_filename
   method base = obj#base
   method block = obj#block
   method confirmations = obj#confirmations
diff --git a/src/lib_client_base/client_context.mli b/src/lib_client_base/client_context.mli
index 317631206..6036c77ba 100644
--- a/src/lib_client_base/client_context.mli
+++ b/src/lib_client_base/client_context.mli
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ class type io = object
 end
 
 class type wallet = object
+  method password_filename : string option
   method with_lock : (unit -> 'a Lwt.t) -> 'a  Lwt.t
   method load : string -> default:'a -> 'a Data_encoding.encoding -> 'a tzresult Lwt.t
   method write : string -> 'a -> 'a Data_encoding.encoding -> unit tzresult Lwt.t
diff --git a/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_config.ml b/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_config.ml
index 92255619a..434b2f8af 100644
--- a/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_config.ml
+++ b/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_config.ml
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ module Cfg_file = struct
     web_port: int ;
     remote_signer: Uri.t option ;
     confirmations: int option ;
+    password_filename: string option ;
   }
 
   let default = {
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ module Cfg_file = struct
     web_port = 8080 ;
     remote_signer = None ;
     confirmations = Some 0 ;
+    password_filename = None ;
   }
 
   open Data_encoding
@@ -123,25 +125,27 @@ module Cfg_file = struct
   let encoding =
     conv
       (fun { base_dir ; node_addr ; node_port ; tls ; web_port ;
-             remote_signer ; confirmations } ->
+             remote_signer ; confirmations ; password_filename } ->
         (base_dir, Some node_addr, Some node_port,
-         Some tls, Some web_port, remote_signer, confirmations))
+         Some tls, Some web_port, remote_signer, confirmations, password_filename ))
       (fun (base_dir, node_addr, node_port, tls, web_port,
-            remote_signer, confirmations) ->
+            remote_signer, confirmations, password_filename) ->
         let node_addr = Option.unopt ~default:default.node_addr node_addr in
         let node_port = Option.unopt ~default:default.node_port node_port in
         let tls = Option.unopt ~default:default.tls tls in
         let web_port = Option.unopt ~default:default.web_port web_port in
         { base_dir ; node_addr ; node_port ; tls ; web_port ;
-          remote_signer ; confirmations })
-      (obj7
+          remote_signer ; confirmations ; password_filename })
+      (obj8
          (req "base_dir" string)
          (opt "node_addr" string)
          (opt "node_port" int16)
          (opt "tls" bool)
          (opt "web_port" int16)
          (opt "remote_signer" RPC_client.uri_encoding)
-         (opt "confirmations" int8))
+         (opt "confirmations" int8)
+         (opt "password_filename" string)
+      )
 
   let from_json json =
     Data_encoding.Json.destruct encoding json
@@ -159,6 +163,7 @@ end
 type cli_args = {
   block: Shell_services.block ;
   confirmations: int option ;
+  password_filename: string option ;
   protocol: Protocol_hash.t option ;
   print_timings: bool ;
   log_requests: bool ;
@@ -167,6 +172,7 @@ type cli_args = {
 let default_cli_args = {
   block = default_block ;
   confirmations = Some 0 ;
+  password_filename = None ;
   protocol = None ;
   print_timings = false ;
   log_requests = false ;
@@ -298,6 +304,13 @@ let remote_signer_arg () =
     ~doc:"URI of the remote signer"
     (parameter
        (fun _ x -> Tezos_signer_backends.Remote.parse_base_uri x))
+let password_filename_arg () =
+  arg
+    ~long:"password-filename"
+    ~short:'f'
+    ~placeholder:"filename"
+    ~doc:"path to the passowrd filename"
+    (string_parameter ())
 
 let read_config_file config_file =
   Lwt_utils_unix.Json.read_file config_file >>=? fun cfg_json ->
@@ -372,7 +385,7 @@ let commands config_file cfg =
   ]
 
 let global_options () =
-  args11
+  args12
     (base_dir_arg ())
     (config_file_arg ())
     (timings_switch ())
@@ -384,6 +397,7 @@ let global_options () =
     (port_arg ())
     (tls_switch ())
     (remote_signer_arg ())
+    (password_filename_arg ())
 
 let parse_config_args (ctx : #Client_context.full) argv =
   parse_global_options
@@ -400,7 +414,8 @@ let parse_config_args (ctx : #Client_context.full) argv =
         node_addr,
         node_port,
         tls,
-        remote_signer), remaining) ->
+        remote_signer,
+        password_filename), remaining) ->
   begin match base_dir with
     | None ->
         let base_dir = default_base_dir in
@@ -443,7 +458,7 @@ let parse_config_args (ctx : #Client_context.full) argv =
       (Option.first_some remote_signer_env cfg.remote_signer) in
   let confirmations = Option.unopt ~default:cfg.confirmations confirmations in
   let cfg = { cfg with tls ; node_port ; node_addr ;
-                       remote_signer ; confirmations } in
+                       remote_signer ; confirmations ; password_filename } in
   if Sys.file_exists base_dir && not (Sys.is_directory base_dir) then begin
     Format.eprintf "%s is not a directory.@." base_dir ;
     exit 1 ;
@@ -455,6 +470,6 @@ let parse_config_args (ctx : #Client_context.full) argv =
   Lwt_utils_unix.create_dir config_dir >>= fun () ->
   return
     (cfg,
-     { block ; confirmations ;
+     { block ; confirmations ; password_filename ;
        print_timings = timings ; log_requests ; protocol },
      commands config_file cfg, remaining)
diff --git a/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_context_unix.ml b/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_context_unix.ml
index b92e81b2f..dc8311438 100644
--- a/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_context_unix.ml
+++ b/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_context_unix.ml
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ include Tezos_stdlib.Logging.Make_semantic(struct let name = "client.context.uni
 
 let filename_tag = Tag.def ~doc:"Filename" "filename"  Format.pp_print_string
 
-class unix_wallet ~base_dir : wallet = object (self)
+class unix_wallet ~base_dir ~password_filename : wallet = object (self)
+
+  method password_filename = password_filename
 
   method private filename alias_name =
     Filename.concat
@@ -130,11 +132,11 @@ class unix_logger ~base_dir =
     inherit Client_context.simple_printer log
   end
 
-class unix_full ~base_dir ~block ~confirmations ~rpc_config : Client_context.full =
+class unix_full ~base_dir ~block ~confirmations ~password_filename ~rpc_config : Client_context.full =
   object
     inherit unix_logger ~base_dir
     inherit unix_prompter
-    inherit unix_wallet ~base_dir
+    inherit unix_wallet ~base_dir ~password_filename
     inherit RPC_client.http_ctxt rpc_config Media_type.all_media_types
     method block = block
     method confirmations = confirmations
diff --git a/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_context_unix.mli b/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_context_unix.mli
index 5e5d71a41..7c86c5621 100644
--- a/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_context_unix.mli
+++ b/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_context_unix.mli
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 class unix_wallet :
   base_dir:string ->
+  password_filename: string option ->
   Client_context.wallet
 class unix_prompter :
   Client_context.prompter
@@ -35,5 +36,6 @@ class unix_full :
   base_dir:string ->
   block:Shell_services.block ->
   confirmations:int option ->
+  password_filename: string option ->
   rpc_config:RPC_client.config ->
   Client_context.full
diff --git a/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_main_run.ml b/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_main_run.ml
index 149d6759e..891d99059 100644
--- a/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_main_run.ml
+++ b/src/lib_client_base_unix/client_main_run.ml
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ let main select_commands =
         (new unix_full
           ~block:Client_config.default_block
           ~confirmations:None
+          ~password_filename:None
           ~base_dir:Client_config.default_base_dir
           ~rpc_config:RPC_client.default_config)
         original_args
@@ -90,6 +91,7 @@ let main select_commands =
         new unix_full
           ~block:parsed_args.block
           ~confirmations:parsed_args.confirmations
+          ~password_filename: parsed_args.password_filename
           ~base_dir:parsed_config_file.base_dir
           ~rpc_config:rpc_config in
       Client_keys.register_signer
diff --git a/src/lib_signer_backends/encrypted.ml b/src/lib_signer_backends/encrypted.ml
index da127093f..599cf49ea 100644
--- a/src/lib_signer_backends/encrypted.ml
+++ b/src/lib_signer_backends/encrypted.ml
@@ -132,6 +132,9 @@ module Encodings = struct
 end
 
 let decrypted = Hashtbl.create 13
+
+(* we cache the password in this list to avoid
+   asking the user all the time *)
 let passwords = ref []
 
 let rec interactive_decrypt_loop
@@ -152,6 +155,31 @@ let rec interactive_decrypt_loop
   | None ->
       interactive_decrypt_loop cctxt ?name ~encrypted_sk algo
 
+(* FixMe : this could be done more elegantly *)
+let read_all_lines filename =
+  let lines = ref [] in
+  let chan = open_in filename in
+  try
+    while true; do
+      lines := input_line chan :: !lines
+    done; !lines
+  with End_of_file ->
+    close_in chan;
+    List.rev !lines
+
+(* add all passwords in [filename] to the list of known passwords *)
+let password_file_load = function
+  |Some filename ->
+      if Sys.file_exists filename then begin
+        let l = read_all_lines filename in
+        let l = List.map MBytes.of_string l in
+        passwords := !passwords @ l ;
+        return_unit
+      end
+      else
+        return_unit
+  | None -> return_unit
+
 let rec noninteractive_decrypt_loop algo ~encrypted_sk = function
   | [] -> return_none
   | password :: passwords ->
@@ -181,6 +209,7 @@ let decrypt (cctxt : #Client_context.prompter) ?name sk_uri =
 
 let decrypt_all (cctxt : #Client_context.io_wallet) =
   Secret_key.load cctxt >>=? fun sks ->
+  password_file_load cctxt#password_filename >>=? fun () ->
   iter_s begin fun (name, sk_uri) ->
     if Uri.scheme (sk_uri : sk_uri :> Uri.t) <> Some scheme then
       return_unit
@@ -191,6 +220,7 @@ let decrypt_all (cctxt : #Client_context.io_wallet) =
 
 let decrypt_list (cctxt : #Client_context.io_wallet) keys =
   Secret_key.load cctxt >>=? fun sks ->
+  password_file_load cctxt#password_filename >>=? fun () ->
   iter_s begin fun (name, sk_uri) ->
     if Uri.scheme (sk_uri : sk_uri :> Uri.t) = Some scheme &&
        (keys = [] || List.mem name keys) then
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/test/proto_alpha_helpers.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/test/proto_alpha_helpers.ml
index 00fdd6b6f..70fbfc79b 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/test/proto_alpha_helpers.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/test/proto_alpha_helpers.ml
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ let no_write_context ?(block = `Head 0) config : #Client_context.full = object
   method with_lock : type a. (unit -> a Lwt.t) -> a Lwt.t = fun f -> f ()
   method block = block
   method confirmations = None
+  method password_filename = None
   method prompt : type a. (a, string tzresult) Client_context.lwt_format -> a =
     Format.kasprintf (fun _ -> return "")
   method prompt_password : type a. (a, MBytes.t tzresult) Client_context.lwt_format -> a =