diff --git a/src/cleartext.js b/src/cleartext.js
index a5a96b28..cf5885b2 100644
--- a/src/cleartext.js
+++ b/src/cleartext.js
@@ -82,22 +82,22 @@ CleartextMessage.prototype.sign = function(privateKeys) {
 
 /**
  * Verify signatures of cleartext signed message
- * @param {Array<module:key~Key>} publicKeys public keys to verify signatures
+ * @param {Array<module:key~Key>} keys array of keys to verify signatures
  * @return {Array<{keyid: module:type/keyid, valid: Boolean}>} list of signer's keyid and validity of signature
  */
-CleartextMessage.prototype.verify = function(publicKeys) {
+CleartextMessage.prototype.verify = function(keys) {
   var result = [];
   var signatureList = this.packets.filterByTag(enums.packet.signature);
   var literalDataPacket = new packet.Literal();
   // we assume that cleartext signature is generated based on UTF8 cleartext
   literalDataPacket.setText(this.text);
-  publicKeys.forEach(function(pubKey) {
+  keys.forEach(function(key) {
     for (var i = 0; i < signatureList.length; i++) {
-      var publicKeyPacket = pubKey.getPublicKeyPacket([signatureList[i].issuerKeyId]);
-      if (publicKeyPacket) {
+      var keyPacket = key.getKeyPacket([signatureList[i].issuerKeyId]);
+      if (keyPacket) {
         var verifiedSig = {};
         verifiedSig.keyid = signatureList[i].issuerKeyId;
-        verifiedSig.valid = signatureList[i].verify(publicKeyPacket, literalDataPacket);
+        verifiedSig.valid = signatureList[i].verify(keyPacket, literalDataPacket);
         result.push(verifiedSig);
         break;
       }
diff --git a/src/key.js b/src/key.js
index e8f77a43..74786e40 100644
--- a/src/key.js
+++ b/src/key.js
@@ -153,14 +153,6 @@ Key.prototype.toPacketlist = function() {
   return packetlist;
 };
 
-/** 
- * Returns the primary key packet (secret or public)
- * @returns {(module:packet/secret_key|module:packet/public_key|null)} 
- */
-Key.prototype.getKeyPacket = function() {
-  return this.primaryKey;
-};
-
 /** 
  * Returns all the private and public subkey packets
  * @returns {Array<(module:packet/public_subkey|module:packet/secret_subkey)>} 
@@ -180,7 +172,7 @@ Key.prototype.getSubkeyPackets = function() {
  * @returns {Array<(module:packet/public_subkey|module:packet/secret_subkey|module:packet/secret_key|module:packet/public_key)>} 
  */
 Key.prototype.getAllKeyPackets = function() {
-  return [this.getKeyPacket()].concat(this.getSubkeyPackets());
+  return [this.primaryKey].concat(this.getSubkeyPackets());
 };
 
 /** 
@@ -196,7 +188,14 @@ Key.prototype.getKeyIds = function() {
   return keyIds;
 };
 
-function findKey(keys, keyIds) {
+/**
+ * Returns first key packet for given array of key IDs
+ * @param  {Array<module:type/keyid>} keyIds
+ * @return {(module:packet/public_subkey|module:packet/public_key|
+ *           module:packet/secret_subkey|module:packet/secret_key|null)}
+ */
+Key.prototype.getKeyPacket = function(keyIds) {
+  var keys = this.getAllKeyPackets();
   for (var i = 0; i < keys.length; i++) {
     var keyId = keys[i].getKeyId(); 
     for (var j = 0; j < keyIds.length; j++) {
@@ -206,32 +205,6 @@ function findKey(keys, keyIds) {
     }
   }
   return null;
-}
-
-/**
- * Returns first public key packet for given array of key IDs
- * @param  {Array<module:type/keyid>} keyIds 
- * @return {(module:packet/public_subkey|module:packet/public_key|null)}
- */
-Key.prototype.getPublicKeyPacket = function(keyIds) {
-  if (this.primaryKey.tag == enums.packet.publicKey) {
-    return findKey(this.getAllKeyPackets(), keyIds);  
-  } else {
-    return null;
-  }  
-};
-
-/**
- * Returns first private key packet for given array of key IDs
- * @param  {Array<module:type/keyid>} keyIds
- * @return {(module:packet/secret_subkey|module:packet/secret_key|null)}
- */
-Key.prototype.getPrivateKeyPacket = function(keyIds) {
-  if (this.primaryKey.tag == enums.packet.secretKey) {
-    return findKey(this.getAllKeyPackets(), keyIds);  
-  } else {
-    return null;
-  }
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/message.js b/src/message.js
index f71a2250..7c4679bb 100644
--- a/src/message.js
+++ b/src/message.js
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ Message.prototype.decrypt = function(privateKey) {
     // nothing to decrypt return unmodified message
     return this;
   }
-  var privateKeyPacket = privateKey.getPrivateKeyPacket(encryptionKeyIds);
+  var privateKeyPacket = privateKey.getKeyPacket(encryptionKeyIds);
   if (!privateKeyPacket.isDecrypted) throw new Error('Private key is not decrypted.');
   var pkESKeyPacketlist = this.packets.filterByTag(enums.packet.publicKeyEncryptedSessionKey);
   var pkESKeyPacket;
@@ -222,22 +222,22 @@ Message.prototype.sign = function(privateKeys) {
 
 /**
  * Verify message signatures
- * @param {Array<module:key~Key>} publicKeys public keys to verify signatures
+ * @param {Array<module:key~Key>} keys array of keys to verify signatures
  * @return {Array<({keyid: module:type/keyid, valid: Boolean})>} list of signer's keyid and validity of signature
  */
-Message.prototype.verify = function(publicKeys) {
+Message.prototype.verify = function(keys) {
   var result = [];
   var msg = this.unwrapCompressed();
   var literalDataList = msg.packets.filterByTag(enums.packet.literal);
   if (literalDataList.length !== 1) throw new Error('Can only verify message with one literal data packet.');
   var signatureList = msg.packets.filterByTag(enums.packet.signature);
-  publicKeys.forEach(function(pubKey) {
+  keys.forEach(function(key) {
     for (var i = 0; i < signatureList.length; i++) {
-      var publicKeyPacket = pubKey.getPublicKeyPacket([signatureList[i].issuerKeyId]);
-      if (publicKeyPacket) {
+      var keyPacket = key.getKeyPacket([signatureList[i].issuerKeyId]);
+      if (keyPacket) {
         var verifiedSig = {};
         verifiedSig.keyid = signatureList[i].issuerKeyId;
-        verifiedSig.valid = signatureList[i].verify(publicKeyPacket, literalDataList[0]);
+        verifiedSig.valid = signatureList[i].verify(keyPacket, literalDataList[0]);
         result.push(verifiedSig);
         break;
       }
diff --git a/src/packet/signature.js b/src/packet/signature.js
index 19666e80..af576d8a 100644
--- a/src/packet/signature.js
+++ b/src/packet/signature.js
@@ -603,7 +603,8 @@ Signature.prototype.calculateTrailer = function () {
 /**
  * verifys the signature packet. Note: not signature types are implemented
  * @param {String|Object} data data which on the signature applies
- * @param {module:packet/public_subkey|module:packet/public_key} key the public key to verify the signature
+ * @param {module:packet/public_subkey|module:packet/public_key|
+ *         module:packet/secret_subkey|module:packet/secret_key} key the public key to verify the signature
  * @return {boolean} True if message is verified, else false.
  */
 Signature.prototype.verify = function (key, data) {
diff --git a/test/general/key.js b/test/general/key.js
index cc03348d..6221ee35 100644
--- a/test/general/key.js
+++ b/test/general/key.js
@@ -397,8 +397,8 @@ var pgp_desktop_priv =
     expect(pubKeys).to.exist;
     expect(pubKeys.err).to.not.exist;
     expect(pubKeys.keys).to.have.length(2);
-    expect(pubKeys.keys[0].getKeyPacket().getKeyId().toHex()).to.equal('4a63613a4d6e4094');
-    expect(pubKeys.keys[1].getKeyPacket().getKeyId().toHex()).to.equal('dbf223e870534df4');
+    expect(pubKeys.keys[0].primaryKey.getKeyId().toHex()).to.equal('4a63613a4d6e4094');
+    expect(pubKeys.keys[1].primaryKey.getKeyId().toHex()).to.equal('dbf223e870534df4');
     done();
   });
 
@@ -420,10 +420,10 @@ var pgp_desktop_priv =
     var pubKeyV3 = pubKeysV3.keys[0];
     expect(pubKeyV3).to.exist;
 
-    expect(pubKeyV4.getKeyPacket().getKeyId().toHex()).to.equal('4a63613a4d6e4094');
-    expect(pubKeyV4.getKeyPacket().getFingerprint()).to.equal('f470e50dcb1ad5f1e64e08644a63613a4d6e4094');
-    expect(pubKeyV3.getKeyPacket().getKeyId().toHex()).to.equal('e5b7a014a237ba9d');
-    expect(pubKeyV3.getKeyPacket().getFingerprint()).to.equal('a44fcee620436a443bc4913640ab3e49');
+    expect(pubKeyV4.primaryKey.getKeyId().toHex()).to.equal('4a63613a4d6e4094');
+    expect(pubKeyV4.primaryKey.getFingerprint()).to.equal('f470e50dcb1ad5f1e64e08644a63613a4d6e4094');
+    expect(pubKeyV3.primaryKey.getKeyId().toHex()).to.equal('e5b7a014a237ba9d');
+    expect(pubKeyV3.primaryKey.getFingerprint()).to.equal('a44fcee620436a443bc4913640ab3e49');
     done();
   });
 
diff --git a/test/general/signature.js b/test/general/signature.js
index 96cf0a45..65a2c509 100644
--- a/test/general/signature.js
+++ b/test/general/signature.js
@@ -455,8 +455,8 @@ describe("Signature", function() {
 
     var keyids = sMsg.getSigningKeyIds();
 
-    expect(pubKey2.getPublicKeyPacket(keyids)).to.exist;
-    expect(pubKey3.getPublicKeyPacket(keyids)).to.exist;
+    expect(pubKey2.getKeyPacket(keyids)).to.exist;
+    expect(pubKey3.getKeyPacket(keyids)).to.exist;
 
     expect(sMsg.getText()).to.equal(plaintext);
 
@@ -501,8 +501,8 @@ describe("Signature", function() {
 
     var keyids = csMsg.getSigningKeyIds();
 
-    expect(pubKey2.getPublicKeyPacket(keyids)).to.exist;
-    expect(pubKey3.getPublicKeyPacket(keyids)).to.exist;
+    expect(pubKey2.getKeyPacket(keyids)).to.exist;
+    expect(pubKey3.getKeyPacket(keyids)).to.exist;
 
     var cleartextSig = openpgp.verifyClearSignedMessage([pubKey2, pubKey3], csMsg);