diff --git a/scripts/server.py b/scripts/server.py
index 8228764..b079912 100644
--- a/scripts/server.py
+++ b/scripts/server.py
@@ -1,12 +1,44 @@
 import socket
 import json
 import logging 
+import sys
+import os
 
-from jsonrpc.exceptions import JSONRPCParseError
+from jsonrpc.exceptions import *
+
+from signer import ReferenceSigner
+from keystore import ReferenceDatabase
 
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
 logg = logging.getLogger()
 
+db = None
+signer = None
+
+
+def personal_new_account(p):
+    if p.__class__.__name__ != 'list':
+        e = JSONRPCInvalidParams()
+        e.data = 'parameter must be list containing one string'
+        raise ValueError(e )
+    if len(p) != 1:
+        e = JSONRPCInvalidParams()
+        e.data = 'parameter must be list containing one string'
+        raise ValueError(e)
+    if p[0].__class__.__name__ != 'str':
+        e = JSONRPCInvalidParams()
+        e.data = 'parameter must be list containing one string'
+        raise ValueError(e)
+
+    r = db.new(p[0])
+             
+    return [r]
+
+
+methods = {
+        'personal_newAccount': personal_new_account,
+    }
+
 
 def jsonrpc_error(id, err):
     return {
@@ -22,23 +54,61 @@ def jsonrpc_ok(rpc_id, response):
     return {
             'json-rpc': '2.0',
             'id': rpc_id,
-            'response': response,
+            'result': response,
             }
 
 
-s = socket.socket(family = socket.AF_UNIX, type = socket.SOCK_STREAM)
-s.bind('/tmp/foo.ipc')
-s.listen(10)
-while True:
-    (csock, caddr) = s.accept()
-    d = csock.recv(4096)
-    try:
-        logg.debug('{}'.format(d.decode('utf-8')))
-        json.loads(d)
-        csock.send(json.dumps(jsonrpc_ok(0, [])).encode('utf-8'))
-    except:
-        csock.send(json.dumps(jsonrpc_error(None, JSONRPCParseError)).encode('utf-8'))
-    csock.close()
-s.close()
+def process_input(j):
 
-os.unlink('/tmp/foo.ipc')
+    rpc_id = j['id']
+
+    m = j['method']
+    p = j['params']
+    return (rpc_id, methods[m](p))
+
+
+def start_server():
+    os.unlink('/tmp/foo.ipc')
+    s = socket.socket(family = socket.AF_UNIX, type = socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+    s.bind('/tmp/foo.ipc')
+    s.listen(10)
+    while True:
+        (csock, caddr) = s.accept()
+        d = csock.recv(4096)
+        try:
+            j = json.loads(b)
+            process_input(j)
+            logg.debug('{}'.format(d.decode('utf-8')))
+            csock.send(json.dumps(jsonrpc_ok(0, [])).encode('utf-8'))
+        except:
+            csock.send(json.dumps(jsonrpc_error(None, JSONRPCParseError)).encode('utf-8'))
+        csock.close()
+    s.close()
+
+    os.unlink('/tmp/foo.ipc')
+
+
+def init():
+    global db, signer
+    secret_hex = os.environ.get('SIGNER_SECRET')
+    secret = bytes.fromhex(secret_hex)
+    kw = {
+            'symmetric_key': secret,
+            }
+    db = ReferenceDatabase('cic_signer', **kw)
+    signer = ReferenceSigner(db.get)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    init()
+    arg = None
+    try:
+        arg = json.loads(sys.argv[1])
+    except:
+        logg.info('no json rpc command detected, starting socket server')
+        start_server()
+        sys.exit(0)
+   
+    (rpc_id, response) = process_input(arg)
+    r = jsonrpc_ok(rpc_id, response)
+    sys.stdout.write(json.dumps(r))
diff --git a/src/keystore/postgres.py b/src/keystore/postgres.py
index 013964c..5518665 100644
--- a/src/keystore/postgres.py
+++ b/src/keystore/postgres.py
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ from eth_keys import KeyAPI
 from eth_keys.backends import NativeECCBackend
 import sha3
 
+from common import strip_hex_prefix
+
 keyapi = KeyAPI(NativeECCBackend)
 
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
@@ -24,7 +26,7 @@ class ReferenceDatabase:
 
 
         def __init__(self, dbname, **kwargs):
-            self.conn = psycopg2.connect('dbname='+dbname)
+            self.conn = psycopg2.connect('dbname=' + dbname)
             self.cur = self.conn.cursor()
             self.symmetric_key = kwargs.get('symmetric_key')
 
@@ -36,12 +38,20 @@ class ReferenceDatabase:
             return self._decrypt(k, password)
 
 
-        def new(self, address, password=None):
+        def new(self, password=None):
             b = os.urandom(32)
             pk = keyapi.PrivateKey(b)
+
+            pubk = keyapi.private_key_to_public_key(pk)
+            address_hex = pubk.to_checksum_address()
+            address_hex_clean = strip_hex_prefix(address_hex)
+
+            logg.debug('address {}'.format(address_hex_clean))
             c = self._encrypt(pk.to_bytes(), password)
             s = sql.SQL('INSERT INTO ethereum (wallet_address_hex, key_ciphertext) VALUES (%s, %s)')
-            self.cur.execute(s, [ address, c.decode('utf-8') ])
+            self.cur.execute(s, [ address_hex_clean, c.decode('utf-8') ])
+            self.conn.commit()
+            return address_hex
 
 
         def _encrypt(self, private_key, password):
@@ -64,7 +74,8 @@ class ReferenceDatabase:
             return f.decrypt(c.encode('utf-8'))
              
 
-        def __exit__(self):
-            self.conn
+        def __del__(self):
+            logg.debug('closing database')
+            self.conn.commit()
             self.cur.close()
             self.conn.close()
diff --git a/src/signer/defaultsigner.py b/src/signer/defaultsigner.py
index e4e886a..1039cf8 100644
--- a/src/signer/defaultsigner.py
+++ b/src/signer/defaultsigner.py
@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@ class ReferenceSigner(Signer):
         super(ReferenceSigner, self).__init__(keyGetter)
 
 
-    def signTransaction(self, tx):
+    def signTransaction(self, tx, password=None):
         s = tx.serialize()
         h = sha3.keccak_256()
         h.update(s)
         g = h.digest()
-        k = keys.PrivateKey(self.keyGetter(tx.sender))
+        k = keys.PrivateKey(self.keyGetter(tx.sender, password))
         z = keys.ecdsa_sign(message_hash=g, private_key=k)
         tx.v = (tx.v * 2) + 35 + z[64]
         tx.r = z[:32]