diff --git a/lib/client/api.js b/lib/client/api.js
index 33346c3..452c9a1 100644
--- a/lib/client/api.js
+++ b/lib/client/api.js
@@ -350,8 +350,7 @@ API.prototype.export = function() {
 
 
 API.prototype.import = function(str) {
-  this.credentials = new Credentials();
-  this.credentials.importCompressed(str);
+  this.credentials = Credentials.importCompressed(str);
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/client/credentials.js b/lib/client/credentials.js
index 2798b8b..e16d9fe 100644
--- a/lib/client/credentials.js
+++ b/lib/client/credentials.js
@@ -129,27 +129,28 @@ Credentials.prototype.exportCompressed = function() {
   return JSON.stringify(values);
 };
 
-Credentials.prototype.importCompressed = function(compressed) {
-  var self = this;
-
+Credentials.importCompressed = function(compressed) {
   var list;
   try {
     list = JSON.parse(compressed);
   } catch (ex) {
-    throw new Error('Invalid string');
+    throw new Error('Invalid compressed format');
   }
 
+  var x = new Credentials();
+
   // Remove version
   var version = list[0];
   list = _.rest(list);
 
   _.each(EXPORTABLE_FIELDS, function(field, i) {
-    self[field] = list[i];
+    x[field] = list[i];
   });
-  self._expand();
+  x._expand();
 
-  self.network = self.xPubKey.substr(0, 4) == 'tpub' ? 'testnet' : 'livenet';
-  self.publicKeyRing.push(self.xPubKey);
+  x.network = x.xPubKey.substr(0, 4) == 'tpub' ? 'testnet' : 'livenet';
+  x.publicKeyRing.push(x.xPubKey);
+  return x;
 };
 
 module.exports = Credentials;