diff --git a/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/client/add.go b/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/client/add.go
index c90dfc9f803..c9eb4964eb1 100644
--- a/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/client/add.go
+++ b/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/client/add.go
@@ -156,8 +156,7 @@ func execAdd(cfg *addCfg, args []string, io *commands.IO) error {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		_, err = kb.GetByName(name)
-		if err == nil {
+		if has, err := kb.HasByName(name); err == nil && has {
 			// account exists, ask for user confirmation
 			response, err2 := io.GetConfirmation(fmt.Sprintf("Override the existing name %s", name))
 			if err2 != nil {
diff --git a/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/keybase.go b/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/keybase.go
index 16b3631d188..902b319da62 100644
--- a/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/keybase.go
+++ b/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/keybase.go
@@ -168,6 +168,30 @@ func (kb dbKeybase) List() ([]Info, error) {
 	return res, nil
 }
 
+// HasByNameOrAddress checks if a key with the name or bech32 string address is in the keybase.
+func (kb dbKeybase) HasByNameOrAddress(nameOrBech32 string) (bool, error) {
+	has, err := kb.HasByAddress(nameOrBech32)
+	if err != nil {
+		return kb.HasByName(nameOrBech32)
+	} else {
+		return has, nil
+	}
+}
+
+// HasByName checks if a key with the name is in the keybase.
+func (kb dbKeybase) HasByName(name string) (bool, error) {
+	return kb.db.Has(infoKey(name)), nil
+}
+
+// HasByAddress checks if a key with the bech32 string address is in the keybase.
+func (kb dbKeybase) HasByAddress(bech32Address string) (bool, error) {
+	addr, err := crypto.AddressFromBech32(bech32Address)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	return kb.db.Has(addrKey(addr)), nil
+}
+
 // Get returns the public information about one key.
 func (kb dbKeybase) GetByNameOrAddress(nameOrBech32 string) (Info, error) {
 	addr, err := crypto.AddressFromBech32(nameOrBech32)
diff --git a/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/lazy_keybase.go b/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/lazy_keybase.go
index f7f9e229980..3edd3381d52 100644
--- a/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/lazy_keybase.go
+++ b/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/lazy_keybase.go
@@ -37,6 +37,36 @@ func (lkb lazyKeybase) List() ([]Info, error) {
 	return NewDBKeybase(db).List()
 }
 
+func (lkb lazyKeybase) HasByNameOrAddress(nameOrBech32 string) (bool, error) {
+	db, err := db.NewDB(lkb.name, dbBackend, lkb.dir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	return NewDBKeybase(db).HasByNameOrAddress(nameOrBech32)
+}
+
+func (lkb lazyKeybase) HasByName(name string) (bool, error) {
+	db, err := db.NewDB(lkb.name, dbBackend, lkb.dir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	return NewDBKeybase(db).HasByName(name)
+}
+
+func (lkb lazyKeybase) HasByAddress(bech32Address string) (bool, error) {
+	db, err := db.NewDB(lkb.name, dbBackend, lkb.dir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	return NewDBKeybase(db).HasByAddress(bech32Address)
+}
+
 func (lkb lazyKeybase) GetByNameOrAddress(nameOrBech32 string) (Info, error) {
 	db, err := db.NewDB(lkb.name, dbBackend, lkb.dir)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/types.go b/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/types.go
index bba3a917b69..a6669af9210 100644
--- a/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/types.go
+++ b/tm2/pkg/crypto/keys/types.go
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ import (
 type Keybase interface {
 	// CRUD on the keystore
 	List() ([]Info, error)
+	HasByNameOrAddress(nameOrBech32 string) (bool, error)
+	HasByName(name string) (bool, error)
+	HasByAddress(bech32Address string) (bool, error)
 	GetByNameOrAddress(nameOrBech32 string) (Info, error)
 	GetByName(name string) (Info, error)
 	GetByAddress(address crypto.Address) (Info, error)