diff --git a/config/identity.go b/config/identity.go
index fe88a34b0..d997bc2b6 100644
--- a/config/identity.go
+++ b/config/identity.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 // Identity tracks the configuration of the local node's identity.
 type Identity struct {
 	PeerID  string
-	PrivKey string
+	PrivKey string `json:",omitempty"`
 }
 
 // DecodePrivateKey is a helper to decode the users PrivateKey