diff --git a/pkg/walletmanager/filesystem.go b/pkg/walletmanager/filesystem.go
index f497c99f7..eedc8b290 100644
--- a/pkg/walletmanager/filesystem.go
+++ b/pkg/walletmanager/filesystem.go
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func (w *Wallet) Load(filePath string) (*account.Account, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("reading wallet from '%s': %w", filePath, err)
 	}
 
-	acc := account.NewEmpty()
+	acc := account.Account{}
 	err = acc.Unmarshal(data)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: %w", ErrUnmarshalAccount, err)
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@ func (w *Wallet) Load(filePath string) (*account.Account, error) {
 	}
 
 	// Address in the file is optional, if it's not set, we use the public key
-	if acc.Address.Object.Data == nil {
-		acc.Address = *types.NewAddressFromPublicKey(&acc.PublicKey)
+	if acc.Address == nil || acc.Address.Object == nil || acc.Address.Object.Data == nil {
+		acc.Address = types.NewAddressFromPublicKey(acc.PublicKey)
 	}
 
 	return &acc, nil
diff --git a/pkg/walletmanager/validation.go b/pkg/walletmanager/validation.go
index 75ef47323..8cac289ea 100644
--- a/pkg/walletmanager/validation.go
+++ b/pkg/walletmanager/validation.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ func (w *Wallet) NicknameIsUnique(nickname string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (w *Wallet) AddressIsUnique(address types.Address) error {
+func (w *Wallet) AddressIsUnique(address *types.Address) error {
 	for _, account := range w.accounts {
 		if bytes.Equal(account.Address.Data, address.Data) {
 			return ErrAddressNotUnique
diff --git a/pkg/walletmanager/wallet_test.go b/pkg/walletmanager/wallet_test.go
index dd6b1a7c2..00ed2d8f4 100644
--- a/pkg/walletmanager/wallet_test.go
+++ b/pkg/walletmanager/wallet_test.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func TestWallet(t *testing.T) {
 	sampleNonce := [12]byte{113, 122, 168, 123, 48, 187, 178, 12, 209, 91, 243, 63}
 	sampleNickname := "bonjour2"
 	sampleAccount, err := account.New(
-		&[]uint8{account.AccountLastVersion}[0],
+		uint8(account.AccountLastVersion),
 		sampleNickname,
 		&types.Address{
 			Object: &object.Object{
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func TestWallet(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("Add Account: address not unique", func(t *testing.T) {
 		sampleAccount, err := account.New(
-			&[]uint8{account.AccountLastVersion}[0],
+			uint8(account.AccountLastVersion),
 			"bonjour3",
 			&types.Address{
 				Object: &object.Object{
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func TestWallet(t *testing.T) {
 		acc, err := w.GetAccount(sampleNickname)
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.NotNil(t, acc)
-		assert.Equal(t, uint8(1), *acc.Version)
+		assert.Equal(t, uint8(1), acc.Version)
 		assert.Equal(t, sampleNickname, acc.Nickname)
 		assert.Equal(t, sampleSalt, acc.Salt)
 		assert.Equal(t, sampleNonce, acc.Nonce)
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ func TestWallet(t *testing.T) {
 		copy(t, "../../tests/wallet_unit-test.yaml", accountPath)
 
 		acc := assertAccountIsPresent(t, w, nickname)
-		assert.Equal(t, uint8(1), *acc.Version)
+		assert.Equal(t, uint8(1), acc.Version)
 		assert.Equal(t, 2, w.GetAccountCount())
 	})