diff --git a/CmdLine/GitAnnex/Options.hs b/CmdLine/GitAnnex/Options.hs
index 3c90513d8b..be7a3c292f 100644
--- a/CmdLine/GitAnnex/Options.hs
+++ b/CmdLine/GitAnnex/Options.hs
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ parseAllOption = flag' WantAllKeys
 	)
 
 parseKey :: Monad m => String -> m Key
-parseKey = maybe (fail "invalid key") return . file2key
+parseKey = maybe (fail "invalid key") return . deserializeKey
 
 -- Options to match properties of annexed files.
 annexedMatchingOptions :: [GlobalOption]
diff --git a/CmdLine/Seek.hs b/CmdLine/Seek.hs
index efb373fb40..dbbde5b968 100644
--- a/CmdLine/Seek.hs
+++ b/CmdLine/Seek.hs
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ withFilesMaybeModified a params = seekActions $
 withKeys :: (Key -> CommandSeek) -> CmdParams -> CommandSeek
 withKeys a l = seekActions $ return $ map (a . parse) l
   where
-	parse p = fromMaybe (giveup "bad key") $ file2key p
+	parse p = fromMaybe (giveup "bad key") $ deserializeKey p
 
 withNothing :: CommandSeek -> CmdParams -> CommandSeek
 withNothing a [] = a
diff --git a/Command/CheckPresentKey.hs b/Command/CheckPresentKey.hs
index fb8f9e53e2..fa7b3a1830 100644
--- a/Command/CheckPresentKey.hs
+++ b/Command/CheckPresentKey.hs
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ batchResult Present = liftIO $ putStrLn "1"
 batchResult _ = liftIO $ putStrLn "0"
 
 toKey :: String -> Key
-toKey = fromMaybe (giveup "Bad key") . file2key
+toKey = fromMaybe (giveup "Bad key") . deserializeKey
 
 toRemote :: String -> Annex Remote
 toRemote rn = maybe (giveup "Unknown remote") return
diff --git a/Command/ContentLocation.hs b/Command/ContentLocation.hs
index 202d76a21d..57350917ba 100644
--- a/Command/ContentLocation.hs
+++ b/Command/ContentLocation.hs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ cmd = noCommit $ noMessages $
 
 run :: () -> String -> Annex Bool
 run _ p = do
-	let k = fromMaybe (giveup "bad key") $ file2key p
+	let k = fromMaybe (giveup "bad key") $ deserializeKey p
 	maybe (return False) (\f -> liftIO (putStrLn f) >> return True)
 		=<< inAnnex' (pure True) Nothing check k
   where
diff --git a/Command/DropKey.hs b/Command/DropKey.hs
index df85803062..546c9795e1 100644
--- a/Command/DropKey.hs
+++ b/Command/DropKey.hs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ seek o = do
 		Batch fmt -> batchInput fmt parsekey $ batchCommandAction . start
 		NoBatch -> noop
   where
-	parsekey = maybe (Left "bad key") Right . file2key
+	parsekey = maybe (Left "bad key") Right . deserializeKey
 
 start :: Key -> CommandStart
 start key = do
diff --git a/Command/FromKey.hs b/Command/FromKey.hs
index 4b48f4e5c2..4e1bc4fcae 100644
--- a/Command/FromKey.hs
+++ b/Command/FromKey.hs
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ mkKey :: String -> Key
 mkKey s = case parseURI s of
 	Just u | not (isKeyPrefix (uriScheme u)) ->
 		Backend.URL.fromUrl s Nothing
-	_ -> case file2key s of
+	_ -> case deserializeKey s of
 		Just k -> k
 		Nothing -> giveup $ "bad key/url " ++ s
 
diff --git a/Command/LockContent.hs b/Command/LockContent.hs
index b5902ed282..dfa867aa80 100644
--- a/Command/LockContent.hs
+++ b/Command/LockContent.hs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ start [ks] = do
 		then exitSuccess
 		else exitFailure
   where
-	k = fromMaybe (giveup "bad key") (file2key ks)
+	k = fromMaybe (giveup "bad key") (deserializeKey ks)
 	locksuccess = liftIO $ do
 		putStrLn contentLockedMarker
 		hFlush stdout
diff --git a/Command/Multicast.hs b/Command/Multicast.hs
index ce34481683..6bdd085091 100644
--- a/Command/Multicast.hs
+++ b/Command/Multicast.hs
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ receive ups = do
 
 storeReceived :: FilePath -> Annex ()
 storeReceived f = do
-	case file2key (takeFileName f) of
+	case deserializeKey (takeFileName f) of
 		Nothing -> do
 			warning $ "Received a file " ++ f ++ " that is not a git-annex key. Deleting this file."
 			liftIO $ nukeFile f
diff --git a/Command/ReKey.hs b/Command/ReKey.hs
index ef97d2459e..ed8210ee5a 100644
--- a/Command/ReKey.hs
+++ b/Command/ReKey.hs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ batchParser :: String -> Either String (FilePath, Key)
 batchParser s = case separate (== ' ') (reverse s) of
 	(rk, rf)
 		| null rk || null rf -> Left "Expected: \"file key\""
-		| otherwise -> case file2key (reverse rk) of
+		| otherwise -> case deserializeKey (reverse rk) of
 			Nothing -> Left "bad key"
 			Just k -> Right (reverse rf, k)
 
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ seek o = case batchOption o of
 	NoBatch -> withPairs (commandAction . start . parsekey) (reKeyThese o)
   where
 	parsekey (file, skey) =
-		(file, fromMaybe (giveup "bad key") (file2key skey))
+		(file, fromMaybe (giveup "bad key") (deserializeKey skey))
 
 start :: (FilePath, Key) -> CommandStart
 start (file, newkey) = ifAnnexed file go stop
diff --git a/Command/ReadPresentKey.hs b/Command/ReadPresentKey.hs
index d1e298196b..a5fc0eeecd 100644
--- a/Command/ReadPresentKey.hs
+++ b/Command/ReadPresentKey.hs
@@ -27,5 +27,5 @@ start (ks:us:[]) = do
 		then liftIO exitSuccess
 		else liftIO exitFailure
   where
-	k = fromMaybe (giveup "bad key") (file2key ks)
+	k = fromMaybe (giveup "bad key") (deserializeKey ks)
 start _ = giveup "Wrong number of parameters"
diff --git a/Command/SetKey.hs b/Command/SetKey.hs
index 32be029b24..3681fb7bc4 100644
--- a/Command/SetKey.hs
+++ b/Command/SetKey.hs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ start (keyname:file:[]) = do
 start _ = giveup "specify a key and a content file"
 
 mkKey :: String -> Key
-mkKey = fromMaybe (giveup "bad key") . file2key
+mkKey = fromMaybe (giveup "bad key") . deserializeKey
 
 perform :: FilePath -> Key -> CommandPerform
 perform file key = do
diff --git a/Command/SetPresentKey.hs b/Command/SetPresentKey.hs
index a9dbe54522..bb03ef1bbf 100644
--- a/Command/SetPresentKey.hs
+++ b/Command/SetPresentKey.hs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ data KeyStatus = KeyStatus Key UUID LogStatus
 
 parseKeyStatus :: [String] -> Either String KeyStatus
 parseKeyStatus (ks:us:vs:[]) = do
-	k <- maybe (Left "bad key") Right (file2key ks)
+	k <- maybe (Left "bad key") Right (deserializeKey ks)
 	let u = toUUID us
 	s <- maybe (Left "bad value") Right (parseStatus vs)
 	return $ KeyStatus k u s
diff --git a/Command/TransferInfo.hs b/Command/TransferInfo.hs
index 2278121424..81389c3ab5 100644
--- a/Command/TransferInfo.hs
+++ b/Command/TransferInfo.hs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ seek = withWords (commandAction . start)
  -}
 start :: [String] -> CommandStart
 start (k:[]) = do
-	case file2key k of
+	case deserializeKey k of
 		Nothing -> error "bad key"
 		(Just key) -> whenM (inAnnex key) $ do
 			afile <- AssociatedFile <$> Fields.getField Fields.associatedFile
diff --git a/Key.hs b/Key.hs
index 93aed8ecac..16956ee5ea 100644
--- a/Key.hs
+++ b/Key.hs
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ module Key (
 	buildKey,
 	keyParser,
 	serializeKey,
-	serializeKey,
-	deserializeKey',
+	serializeKey',
+	deserializeKey,
 	deserializeKey',
 	nonChunkKey,
 	chunkKeyOffset,
@@ -179,8 +179,8 @@ instance Arbitrary Key where
 		<*> ((succ . abs <$>) <$> arbitrary) -- chunknum cannot be 0 or negative
 
 instance Hashable Key where
-	hashIO32 = hashIO32 . deserializeKey'
-	hashIO64 = hashIO64 . deserializeKey'
+	hashIO32 = hashIO32 . serializeKey'
+	hashIO64 = hashIO64 . serializeKey'
 
 instance ToJSON' Key where
 	toJSON' = toJSON' . serializeKey
diff --git a/Upgrade/V1.hs b/Upgrade/V1.hs
index 99be467567..a1fb076cbd 100644
--- a/Upgrade/V1.hs
+++ b/Upgrade/V1.hs
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ oldlog2key l
 -- as the v2 key that it is.
 readKey1 :: String -> Key
 readKey1 v
-	| mixup = fromJust $ file2key $ intercalate ":" $ Prelude.tail bits
+	| mixup = fromJust $ deserializeKey $ intercalate ":" $ Prelude.tail bits
 	| otherwise = stubKey
 		{ keyName = encodeBS n
 		, keyVariety = parseKeyVariety (encodeBS b)