diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
index 60dfe7934..878222b7e 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
@@ -1580,7 +1580,13 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_continue_key_transfer(
     let ffi_context = &*context;
     ffi_context
         .with_inner(|ctx| {
-            dc_imex::dc_continue_key_transfer(ctx, msg_id, as_str(setup_code)) as libc::c_int
+            match dc_imex::dc_continue_key_transfer(ctx, msg_id, as_str(setup_code)) {
+                Ok(()) => 1,
+                Err(err) => {
+                    error!(ctx, "dc_continue_key_transfer: {}", err);
+                    0
+                }
+            }
         })
         .unwrap_or(0)
 }
diff --git a/examples/repl/cmdline.rs b/examples/repl/cmdline.rs
index 896ecc174..9826b959b 100644
--- a/examples/repl/cmdline.rs
+++ b/examples/repl/cmdline.rs
@@ -446,9 +446,7 @@ pub unsafe fn dc_cmdline(context: &Context, line: &str) -> Result<(), failure::E
                 !arg1.is_empty() && !arg2.is_empty(),
                 "Arguments <msg-id> <setup-code> expected"
             );
-            if !dc_continue_key_transfer(context, arg1.parse()?, &arg2) {
-                bail!("Continue key transfer failed");
-            }
+            dc_continue_key_transfer(context, arg1.parse()?, &arg2)?;
         }
         "has-backup" => {
             dc_imex_has_backup(context, blobdir)?;
diff --git a/python/tests/test_account.py b/python/tests/test_account.py
index d47bb074d..72404a77b 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_account.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_account.py
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         assert len(messages) == 1
         assert messages[0].text == "msg1"
 
-    def test_ac_setup_message(self, acfactory):
+    def test_ac_setup_message(self, acfactory, lp):
         # note that the receiving account needs to be configured and running
         # before ther setup message is send. DC does not read old messages
         # as of Jul2019
@@ -541,6 +541,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         ac2 = acfactory.clone_online_account(ac1)
         wait_configuration_progress(ac2, 1000)
         wait_configuration_progress(ac1, 1000)
+        lp.sec("trigger ac setup message and return setupcode")
         assert ac1.get_info()["fingerprint"] != ac2.get_info()["fingerprint"]
         setup_code = ac1.initiate_key_transfer()
         ac2._evlogger.set_timeout(30)
@@ -548,9 +549,10 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         msg = ac2.get_message_by_id(ev[2])
         assert msg.is_setup_message()
         assert msg.get_setupcodebegin() == setup_code[:2]
-        # first try a bad setup code
+        lp.sec("try a bad setup code")
         with pytest.raises(ValueError):
             msg.continue_key_transfer(str(reversed(setup_code)))
+        lp.sec("try a good setup code")
         print("*************** Incoming ASM File at: ", msg.filename)
         print("*************** Setup Code: ", setup_code)
         msg.continue_key_transfer(setup_code)
diff --git a/src/dc_imex.rs b/src/dc_imex.rs
index 97a59f48c..62b9ac57d 100644
--- a/src/dc_imex.rs
+++ b/src/dc_imex.rs
@@ -231,57 +231,39 @@ pub fn dc_create_setup_code(_context: &Context) -> String {
     ret
 }
 
-pub unsafe fn dc_continue_key_transfer(context: &Context, msg_id: u32, setup_code: &str) -> bool {
+pub fn dc_continue_key_transfer(context: &Context, msg_id: u32, setup_code: &str) -> Result<()> {
     if msg_id <= DC_MSG_ID_LAST_SPECIAL {
-        return false;
+        bail!("wrong id");
     }
 
     let msg = Message::load_from_db(context, msg_id);
     if msg.is_err() {
-        error!(context, "Message is no Autocrypt Setup Message.");
-        return false;
+        bail!("Message is no Autocrypt Setup Message.");
     }
     let msg = msg.unwrap();
     if !msg.is_setupmessage() {
-        error!(context, "Message is no Autocrypt Setup Message.");
-        return false;
+        bail!("Message is no Autocrypt Setup Message.");
     }
 
     if let Some(filename) = msg.get_file(context) {
         if let Ok(buf) = dc_read_file(context, filename) {
             let norm_sc = CString::yolo(dc_normalize_setup_code(setup_code));
-            let armored_key = dc_decrypt_setup_file(context, norm_sc.as_ptr(), buf.as_ptr().cast());
-            if armored_key.is_null() {
-                warn!(context, "Cannot decrypt Autocrypt Setup Message.",);
-                false
-            } else if set_self_key(context, armored_key, 1) {
-                /*set default*/
-                /* error already logged */
-                free(armored_key as *mut libc::c_void);
-                true
-            } else {
-                armored_key = dc_decrypt_setup_file(context, norm_sc, buf.as_ptr().cast());
-                if armored_key.is_null() {
-                    error!(context, "Cannot decrypt Autocrypt Setup Message.",);
-                } else {
-                    let armored_key_r = as_str(armored_key);
-                    match set_self_key(context, armored_key_r, true, true) {
-                        Ok(()) => {
-                            success = true;
-                        }
-                        Err(err) => {
-                            warn!(context, "set-self-key failed: {}", err);
-                        }
-                    }
+            let armored_key: &str;
+            unsafe {
+                let sc = dc_decrypt_setup_file(context, norm_sc.as_ptr(), buf.as_ptr().cast());
+                if sc.is_null() {
+                    bail!("bad setup code");
                 }
+                armored_key = as_str(sc);
+                free(sc as *mut libc::c_void);
             }
+            set_self_key(context, &armored_key, true, true)?;
+            Ok(())
         } else {
-            error!(context, "Cannot read Autocrypt Setup Message file.",);
-            false
+            bail!("Cannot read Autocrypt Setup Message file.");
         }
     } else {
-        error!(context, "Message is no Autocrypt Setup Message.");
-        false
+        bail!("Message is no Autocrypt Setup Message.");
     }
 }