diff --git a/core/commands/keyencode/keyencode.go b/core/commands/keyencode/keyencode.go
index 015a6844eff..1db095d6d83 100644
--- a/core/commands/keyencode/keyencode.go
+++ b/core/commands/keyencode/keyencode.go
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 package keyencode
 
 import (
+	cmds "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-cmds"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	mbase "github.com/multiformats/go-multibase"
 )
 
-const IPNSKeyFormatOptionName = "ipns-base"
+const ipnsKeyFormatOptionName = "ipns-base"
+
+var OptionIPNSBase = cmds.StringOption(ipnsKeyFormatOptionName, "Encoding used for keys: Can either be a multibase encoded CID or a base58btc encoded multihash. Takes {b58mh|base36|k|base32|b...}.").WithDefault("base36")
 
 type KeyEncoder struct {
 	baseEnc *mbase.Encoder
diff --git a/core/commands/keystore.go b/core/commands/keystore.go
index 844d7709635..0e242ee96a4 100644
--- a/core/commands/keystore.go
+++ b/core/commands/keystore.go
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ var keyGenCmd = &cmds.Command{
 	Options: []cmds.Option{
 		cmds.StringOption(keyStoreTypeOptionName, "t", "type of the key to create: rsa, ed25519").WithDefault(keyStoreAlgorithmDefault),
 		cmds.IntOption(keyStoreSizeOptionName, "s", "size of the key to generate"),
-		cmds.StringOption(ke.IPNSKeyFormatOptionName, "", "Encoding used for keys: Can either be a multibase encoded CID or a base58btc encoded multihash. Takes {b58mh|base36|k|base32|b...}.").WithDefault("base36"),
+		ke.OptionIPNSBase,
 	},
 	Arguments: []cmds.Argument{
 		cmds.StringArg("name", true, false, "name of key to create"),
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ var keyGenCmd = &cmds.Command{
 		if sizefound {
 			opts = append(opts, options.Key.Size(size))
 		}
-		keyEnc, err := ke.KeyEncoderFromString(req.Options[ke.IPNSKeyFormatOptionName].(string))
+		keyEnc, err := ke.KeyEncoderFromString(req.Options[ke.OptionIPNSBase.Name()].(string))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ var keyImportCmd = &cmds.Command{
 		Tagline: "Import a key and prints imported key id",
 	},
 	Options: []cmds.Option{
-		cmds.StringOption(ke.IPNSKeyFormatOptionName, "", "Encoding used for keys: Can either be a multibase encoded CID or a base58btc encoded multihash. Takes {b58mh|base36|k|base32|b...}.").WithDefault("base36"),
+		ke.OptionIPNSBase,
 	},
 	Arguments: []cmds.Argument{
 		cmds.StringArg("name", true, false, "name to associate with key in keychain"),
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ var keyImportCmd = &cmds.Command{
 			return fmt.Errorf("cannot import key with name 'self'")
 		}
 
-		keyEnc, err := ke.KeyEncoderFromString(req.Options[ke.IPNSKeyFormatOptionName].(string))
+		keyEnc, err := ke.KeyEncoderFromString(req.Options[ke.OptionIPNSBase.Name()].(string))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -303,10 +303,10 @@ var keyListCmd = &cmds.Command{
 	},
 	Options: []cmds.Option{
 		cmds.BoolOption("l", "Show extra information about keys."),
-		cmds.StringOption(ke.IPNSKeyFormatOptionName, "", "Encoding used for keys: Can either be a multibase encoded CID or a base58btc encoded multihash. Takes {b58mh|base36|k|base32|b...}.").WithDefault("base36"),
+		ke.OptionIPNSBase,
 	},
 	Run: func(req *cmds.Request, res cmds.ResponseEmitter, env cmds.Environment) error {
-		keyEnc, err := ke.KeyEncoderFromString(req.Options[ke.IPNSKeyFormatOptionName].(string))
+		keyEnc, err := ke.KeyEncoderFromString(req.Options[ke.OptionIPNSBase.Name()].(string))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -352,14 +352,14 @@ var keyRenameCmd = &cmds.Command{
 	},
 	Options: []cmds.Option{
 		cmds.BoolOption(keyStoreForceOptionName, "f", "Allow to overwrite an existing key."),
-		cmds.StringOption(ke.IPNSKeyFormatOptionName, "", "Encoding used for keys: Can either be a multibase encoded CID or a base58btc encoded multihash. Takes {b58mh|base36|k|base32|b...}.").WithDefault("base36"),
+		ke.OptionIPNSBase,
 	},
 	Run: func(req *cmds.Request, res cmds.ResponseEmitter, env cmds.Environment) error {
 		api, err := cmdenv.GetApi(env, req)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		keyEnc, err := ke.KeyEncoderFromString(req.Options[ke.IPNSKeyFormatOptionName].(string))
+		keyEnc, err := ke.KeyEncoderFromString(req.Options[ke.OptionIPNSBase.Name()].(string))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -402,14 +402,14 @@ var keyRmCmd = &cmds.Command{
 	},
 	Options: []cmds.Option{
 		cmds.BoolOption("l", "Show extra information about keys."),
-		cmds.StringOption(ke.IPNSKeyFormatOptionName, "", "Encoding used for keys: Can either be a multibase encoded CID or a base58btc encoded multihash. Takes {b58mh|base36|k|base32|b...}.").WithDefault("base36"),
+		ke.OptionIPNSBase,
 	},
 	Run: func(req *cmds.Request, res cmds.ResponseEmitter, env cmds.Environment) error {
 		api, err := cmdenv.GetApi(env, req)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		keyEnc, err := ke.KeyEncoderFromString(req.Options[ke.IPNSKeyFormatOptionName].(string))
+		keyEnc, err := ke.KeyEncoderFromString(req.Options[ke.OptionIPNSBase.Name()].(string))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/core/commands/name/ipnsps.go b/core/commands/name/ipnsps.go
index 07e050bf65d..0aa7c459a4e 100644
--- a/core/commands/name/ipnsps.go
+++ b/core/commands/name/ipnsps.go
@@ -74,10 +74,10 @@ var ipnspsSubsCmd = &cmds.Command{
 		Tagline: "Show current name subscriptions",
 	},
 	Options: []cmds.Option{
-		cmds.StringOption(ke.IPNSKeyFormatOptionName, "", "Encoding used for keys: Can either be a multibase encoded CID or a base58btc encoded multihash. Takes {b58mh|base36|k|base32|b...}.").WithDefault("base36"),
+		ke.OptionIPNSBase,
 	},
 	Run: func(req *cmds.Request, res cmds.ResponseEmitter, env cmds.Environment) error {
-		keyEnc, err := ke.KeyEncoderFromString(req.Options[ke.IPNSKeyFormatOptionName].(string))
+		keyEnc, err := ke.KeyEncoderFromString(req.Options[ke.OptionIPNSBase.Name()].(string))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/core/commands/name/publish.go b/core/commands/name/publish.go
index 3e1edf82c30..99f0ab3cd2b 100644
--- a/core/commands/name/publish.go
+++ b/core/commands/name/publish.go
@@ -83,14 +83,14 @@ Alternatively, publish an <ipfs-path> using a valid PeerID (as listed by
 		cmds.StringOption(ttlOptionName, "Time duration this record should be cached for. Uses the same syntax as the lifetime option. (caution: experimental)"),
 		cmds.StringOption(keyOptionName, "k", "Name of the key to be used or a valid PeerID, as listed by 'ipfs key list -l'.").WithDefault("self"),
 		cmds.BoolOption(quieterOptionName, "Q", "Write only final hash."),
-		cmds.StringOption(ke.IPNSKeyFormatOptionName, "", "Encoding used for keys: Can either be a multibase encoded CID or a base58btc encoded multihash. Takes {b58mh|base36|k|base32|b...}.").WithDefault("base36"),
+		ke.OptionIPNSBase,
 	},
 	Run: func(req *cmds.Request, res cmds.ResponseEmitter, env cmds.Environment) error {
 		api, err := cmdenv.GetApi(env, req)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		keyEnc, err := ke.KeyEncoderFromString(req.Options[ke.IPNSKeyFormatOptionName].(string))
+		keyEnc, err := ke.KeyEncoderFromString(req.Options[ke.OptionIPNSBase.Name()].(string))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}