diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 2e467d9ecd..68644a507e 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -3792,6 +3792,7 @@ version = "1.4.18"
 dependencies = [
  "cargo_metadata",
  "clap",
+ "solana-sdk",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
diff --git a/sdk/cargo-build-bpf/Cargo.toml b/sdk/cargo-build-bpf/Cargo.toml
index 4808746a98..e3d78efce6 100644
--- a/sdk/cargo-build-bpf/Cargo.toml
+++ b/sdk/cargo-build-bpf/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ publish = false
 [dependencies]
 clap = "2.33.3"
 cargo_metadata = "0.12.0"
+solana-sdk = { path = "..", version = "1.4.18" }
 
 [features]
 program = []
diff --git a/sdk/cargo-build-bpf/src/main.rs b/sdk/cargo-build-bpf/src/main.rs
index 297112cf5d..f148401773 100644
--- a/sdk/cargo-build-bpf/src/main.rs
+++ b/sdk/cargo-build-bpf/src/main.rs
@@ -1,13 +1,16 @@
-use clap::{
-    crate_description, crate_name, crate_version, value_t, value_t_or_exit, values_t, App, Arg,
-};
-use std::{
-    env,
-    ffi::OsStr,
-    fs,
-    path::{Path, PathBuf},
-    process::exit,
-    process::Command,
+use {
+    clap::{
+        crate_description, crate_name, crate_version, value_t, value_t_or_exit, values_t, App, Arg,
+    },
+    solana_sdk::signature::{write_keypair_file, Keypair},
+    std::{
+        env,
+        ffi::OsStr,
+        fs,
+        path::{Path, PathBuf},
+        process::exit,
+        process::Command,
+    },
 };
 
 struct Config {
@@ -166,6 +169,7 @@ fn build_bpf_package(
         let program_unstripped_so = target_build_directory.join(&format!("{}.so", program_name));
         let program_dump = bpf_out_dir.join(&format!("{}-dump.txt", program_name));
         let program_so = bpf_out_dir.join(&format!("{}.so", program_name));
+        let program_keypair = bpf_out_dir.join(&format!("{}-keypair.json", program_name));
 
         fn file_older_or_missing(prerequisite_file: &Path, target_file: &Path) -> bool {
             let prerequisite_metadata = fs::metadata(prerequisite_file).unwrap_or_else(|err| {
@@ -186,6 +190,17 @@ fn build_bpf_package(
             }
         }
 
+        if !program_keypair.exists() {
+            write_keypair_file(&Keypair::new(), &program_keypair).unwrap_or_else(|err| {
+                eprintln!(
+                    "Unable to get create {}: {}",
+                    program_keypair.display(),
+                    err
+                );
+                exit(1);
+            });
+        }
+
         if file_older_or_missing(&program_unstripped_so, &program_so) {
             spawn(
                 &config.bpf_sdk.join("scripts/strip.sh"),
diff --git a/sdk/src/signature.rs b/sdk/src/signature.rs
index 08b8ad3ca1..278e2ca65d 100644
--- a/sdk/src/signature.rs
+++ b/sdk/src/signature.rs
@@ -333,9 +333,8 @@ pub fn read_keypair<R: Read>(reader: &mut R) -> Result<Keypair, Box<dyn error::E
     Ok(Keypair(dalek_keypair))
 }
 
-pub fn read_keypair_file(path: &str) -> Result<Keypair, Box<dyn error::Error>> {
-    assert!(path != "-");
-    let mut file = File::open(path.to_string())?;
+pub fn read_keypair_file<F: AsRef<Path>>(path: F) -> Result<Keypair, Box<dyn error::Error>> {
+    let mut file = File::open(path.as_ref())?;
     read_keypair(&mut file)
 }
 
@@ -349,12 +348,13 @@ pub fn write_keypair<W: Write>(
     Ok(serialized)
 }
 
-pub fn write_keypair_file(
+pub fn write_keypair_file<F: AsRef<Path>>(
     keypair: &Keypair,
-    outfile: &str,
+    outfile: F,
 ) -> Result<String, Box<dyn error::Error>> {
-    assert!(outfile != "-");
-    if let Some(outdir) = Path::new(outfile).parent() {
+    let outfile = outfile.as_ref();
+
+    if let Some(outdir) = outfile.parent() {
         fs::create_dir_all(outdir)?;
     }