diff --git a/core/commands/dht.go b/core/commands/dht.go
index aeaa7712b..07136a723 100644
--- a/core/commands/dht.go
+++ b/core/commands/dht.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import (
 	path "github.com/ipfs/go-path"
 	peer "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/peer"
 	routing "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/routing"
-	b58 "github.com/mr-tron/base58/base58"
 )
 
 var ErrNotDHT = errors.New("routing service is not a DHT")
@@ -676,20 +675,15 @@ func printEvent(obj *routing.QueryEvent, out io.Writer, verbose bool, override p
 
 func escapeDhtKey(s string) (string, error) {
 	parts := path.SplitList(s)
-	switch len(parts) {
-	case 1:
-		k, err := b58.Decode(s)
-		if err != nil {
-			return "", err
-		}
-		return string(k), nil
-	case 3:
-		k, err := b58.Decode(parts[2])
-		if err != nil {
-			return "", err
-		}
-		return path.Join(append(parts[:2], string(k))), nil
-	default:
+	if len(parts) != 3 ||
+		parts[0] != "" ||
+		!(parts[1] == "ipns" || parts[1] == "pk") {
 		return "", errors.New("invalid key")
 	}
+
+	k, err := peer.Decode(parts[2])
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	return path.Join(append(parts[:2], string(k))), nil
 }
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 3b754d5e9..964da0bae 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ require (
 	github.com/lucas-clemente/quic-go v0.18.0
 	github.com/mattn/go-runewidth v0.0.9 // indirect
 	github.com/mitchellh/go-homedir v1.1.0
-	github.com/mr-tron/base58 v1.2.0
 	github.com/multiformats/go-multiaddr v0.3.1
 	github.com/multiformats/go-multiaddr-dns v0.2.0
 	github.com/multiformats/go-multibase v0.0.3