diff --git a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Address.hs b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Address.hs
index 63c70f1801..d3ba338a5f 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Address.hs
+++ b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Address.hs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import           Cardano.Api.Shelley
 
 import           Cardano.CLI.EraBased.Commands.Address
 import           Cardano.CLI.EraBased.Run.Address.Info
+import qualified Cardano.CLI.EraBased.Run.Key as Key
 import           Cardano.CLI.Read
 import           Cardano.CLI.Types.Common
 import           Cardano.CLI.Types.Errors.AddressCmdError
@@ -105,16 +106,15 @@ writePaymentKeyFiles fmt vkeyPath skeyPath vkey skey = do
       KeyOutputFormatTextEnvelope ->
         newExceptT
           $ writeLazyByteStringFile vkeyPath
-          $ textEnvelopeToJSON (Just vkeyDesc) vkey
+          $ textEnvelopeToJSON (Just Key.paymentVkeyDesc) vkey
       KeyOutputFormatBech32 ->
         newExceptT
           $ writeTextFile vkeyPath
           $ serialiseToBech32 vkey
 
   where
-    skeyDesc, vkeyDesc :: TextEnvelopeDescr
+    skeyDesc :: TextEnvelopeDescr
     skeyDesc = "Payment Signing Key"
-    vkeyDesc = "Payment Verification Key"
 
 writeByronPaymentKeyFiles
    :: Key keyrole
@@ -127,11 +127,10 @@ writeByronPaymentKeyFiles vkeyPath skeyPath vkey skey = do
   firstExceptT AddressCmdWriteFileError $ do
     -- No bech32 encoding for Byron keys
     newExceptT $ writeLazyByteStringFile skeyPath $ textEnvelopeToJSON (Just skeyDesc) skey
-    newExceptT $ writeLazyByteStringFile vkeyPath $ textEnvelopeToJSON (Just vkeyDesc) vkey
+    newExceptT $ writeLazyByteStringFile vkeyPath $ textEnvelopeToJSON (Just Key.paymentVkeyDesc) vkey
   where
-    skeyDesc, vkeyDesc :: TextEnvelopeDescr
+    skeyDesc :: TextEnvelopeDescr
     skeyDesc = "Payment Signing Key"
-    vkeyDesc = "Payment Verification Key"
 
 runAddressKeyHashCmd :: VerificationKeyTextOrFile
                   -> Maybe (File () Out)
diff --git a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Genesis.hs b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Genesis.hs
index 4e31a50cf9..a1d586a9ad 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Genesis.hs
+++ b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Genesis.hs
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ import           Cardano.CLI.Byron.Delegation
 import           Cardano.CLI.Byron.Genesis as Byron
 import qualified Cardano.CLI.Byron.Key as Byron
 import           Cardano.CLI.EraBased.Commands.Genesis as Cmd
+import qualified Cardano.CLI.EraBased.Run.Key as Key
 import           Cardano.CLI.EraBased.Run.Node (runNodeIssueOpCertCmd, runNodeKeyGenColdCmd,
                    runNodeKeyGenKesCmd, runNodeKeyGenVrfCmd)
 import           Cardano.CLI.EraBased.Run.StakeAddress (runStakeAddressKeyGenCmd)
@@ -172,11 +173,10 @@ runGenesisKeyGenGenesisCmd
     firstExceptT GenesisCmdGenesisFileError
       . newExceptT
       $ writeLazyByteStringFile verificationKeyPath
-      $ textEnvelopeToJSON (Just vkeyDesc) vkey
+      $ textEnvelopeToJSON (Just Key.genesisVkeyDesc) vkey
   where
-    skeyDesc, vkeyDesc :: TextEnvelopeDescr
+    skeyDesc :: TextEnvelopeDescr
     skeyDesc = "Genesis Signing Key"
-    vkeyDesc = "Genesis Verification Key"
 
 
 runGenesisKeyGenDelegateCmd
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ runGenesisKeyGenDelegateCmd
     firstExceptT GenesisCmdGenesisFileError
       . newExceptT
       $ writeLazyByteStringFile verificationKeyPath
-      $ textEnvelopeToJSON (Just vkeyDesc) vkey
+      $ textEnvelopeToJSON (Just Key.genesisVkeyDelegateDesc) vkey
     firstExceptT GenesisCmdGenesisFileError
       . newExceptT
       $ writeLazyByteStringFile opCertCounterPath
@@ -206,9 +206,8 @@ runGenesisKeyGenDelegateCmd
           initialCounter
           (castVerificationKey vkey)  -- Cast to a 'StakePoolKey'
   where
-    skeyDesc, vkeyDesc, certCtrDesc :: TextEnvelopeDescr
+    skeyDesc, certCtrDesc :: TextEnvelopeDescr
     skeyDesc = "Genesis delegate operator key"
-    vkeyDesc = "Genesis delegate operator key"
     certCtrDesc = "Next certificate issue number: "
                <> fromString (show initialCounter)
 
diff --git a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Governance/DRep.hs b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Governance/DRep.hs
index 0e9f4d21b4..1db8c9dee8 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Governance/DRep.hs
+++ b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Governance/DRep.hs
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ runGovernanceDRepKeyGenCmd
   skey <- liftIO $ generateSigningKey AsDRepKey
   let vkey = getVerificationKey skey
   newExceptT $ writeLazyByteStringFile skeyFile (textEnvelopeToJSON (Just skeyDesc) skey)
-  newExceptT $ writeLazyByteStringFile vkeyFile (textEnvelopeToJSON (Just Key.drepKeyEnvelopeDescr) vkey)
+  newExceptT $ writeLazyByteStringFile vkeyFile (textEnvelopeToJSON (Just Key.drepVkeyDesc) vkey)
   where
     skeyDesc :: TextEnvelopeDescr
     skeyDesc = "Delegate Representative Signing Key"
diff --git a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Key.hs b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Key.hs
index f9c77ae11b..c8128e071a 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Key.hs
+++ b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/Key.hs
@@ -18,7 +18,11 @@ module Cardano.CLI.EraBased.Run.Key
   , runNonExtendedKeyCmd
   , runVerificationKeyCmd
 
-  , drepKeyEnvelopeDescr
+  , drepVkeyDesc
+  , genesisVkeyDesc
+  , genesisVkeyDelegateDesc
+  , stakeVkeyDesc
+  , paymentVkeyDesc
 
     -- * Exports for testing
   , decodeBech32
@@ -56,8 +60,23 @@ import qualified Data.Text as Text
 import qualified Data.Text.Encoding as Text
 import           System.Exit (exitFailure)
 
-drepKeyEnvelopeDescr :: TextEnvelopeDescr
-drepKeyEnvelopeDescr = "Delegate Representative Verification Key"
+-- Note on these constants:
+-- https://github.com/input-output-hk/cardano-cli/pull/416#discussion_r1378789737
+
+drepVkeyDesc :: TextEnvelopeDescr
+drepVkeyDesc = "Delegate Representative Verification Key"
+
+genesisVkeyDesc :: TextEnvelopeDescr
+genesisVkeyDesc = "Genesis Verification Key"
+
+genesisVkeyDelegateDesc :: TextEnvelopeDescr
+genesisVkeyDelegateDesc = "Genesis delegate operator key"
+
+paymentVkeyDesc :: TextEnvelopeDescr
+paymentVkeyDesc = "Payment Verification Key"
+
+stakeVkeyDesc :: TextEnvelopeDescr
+stakeVkeyDesc = "Stake Verification Key"
 
 runKeyCmds :: ()
   => Cmd.KeyCmds era
@@ -115,15 +134,15 @@ runNonExtendedKeyCmd
   writeVerificationKey ssk =
     case ssk of
       APaymentExtendedVerificationKey vk ->
-        writeToDisk vkf Nothing (castVerificationKey vk :: VerificationKey PaymentKey)
+        writeToDisk vkf (Just paymentVkeyDesc) (castVerificationKey vk :: VerificationKey PaymentKey)
       ADRepExtendedVerificationKey vk ->
-        writeToDisk vkf (Just drepKeyEnvelopeDescr) (castVerificationKey vk :: VerificationKey DRepKey)
+        writeToDisk vkf (Just drepVkeyDesc) (castVerificationKey vk :: VerificationKey DRepKey)
       AStakeExtendedVerificationKey vk ->
-        writeToDisk vkf Nothing (castVerificationKey vk :: VerificationKey StakeKey)
+        writeToDisk vkf (Just stakeVkeyDesc) (castVerificationKey vk :: VerificationKey StakeKey)
       AGenesisExtendedVerificationKey vk ->
-        writeToDisk vkf Nothing (castVerificationKey vk :: VerificationKey GenesisKey)
+        writeToDisk vkf (Just genesisVkeyDesc) (castVerificationKey vk :: VerificationKey GenesisKey)
       AGenesisDelegateExtendedVerificationKey vk ->
-        writeToDisk vkf Nothing (castVerificationKey vk :: VerificationKey GenesisDelegateKey)
+        writeToDisk vkf (Just genesisVkeyDelegateDesc) (castVerificationKey vk :: VerificationKey GenesisDelegateKey)
       nonExtendedKey -> left $ KeyCmdExpectedExtendedVerificationKey nonExtendedKey
 
 
diff --git a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/StakeAddress.hs b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/StakeAddress.hs
index 01a7360fbc..740d4fd66e 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/StakeAddress.hs
+++ b/cardano-cli/src/Cardano/CLI/EraBased/Run/StakeAddress.hs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import qualified Cardano.Api.Ledger as Ledger
 import           Cardano.Api.Shelley
 
 import           Cardano.CLI.EraBased.Commands.StakeAddress
+import qualified Cardano.CLI.EraBased.Run.Key as Key
 import           Cardano.CLI.Read
 import           Cardano.CLI.Types.Common
 import           Cardano.CLI.Types.Errors.StakeAddressCmdError
@@ -67,7 +68,6 @@ runStakeAddressKeyGenCmd :: ()
   -> ExceptT StakeAddressCmdError IO ()
 runStakeAddressKeyGenCmd fmt vkFp skFp = do
   let skeyDesc = "Stake Signing Key"
-  let vkeyDesc = "Stake Verification Key"
 
   skey <- liftIO $ generateSigningKey AsStakeKey
 
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ runStakeAddressKeyGenCmd fmt vkFp skFp = do
 
     case fmt of
       KeyOutputFormatTextEnvelope ->
-        newExceptT $ writeLazyByteStringFile vkFp $ textEnvelopeToJSON (Just vkeyDesc) vkey
+        newExceptT $ writeLazyByteStringFile vkFp $ textEnvelopeToJSON (Just Key.stakeVkeyDesc) vkey
       KeyOutputFormatBech32 ->
         newExceptT $ writeTextFile vkFp $ serialiseToBech32 vkey
 
diff --git a/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/key/non-extended-keys/non-extended-shelley.000.vkey b/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/key/non-extended-keys/non-extended-shelley.000.vkey
index 8620a4295e..71416e4b51 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/key/non-extended-keys/non-extended-shelley.000.vkey
+++ b/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/key/non-extended-keys/non-extended-shelley.000.vkey
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
     "type": "GenesisVerificationKey_ed25519",
-    "description": "",
+    "description": "Genesis Verification Key",
     "cborHex": "58200834b58f4bdda9522bb202af1f546db4cbbd94b068ae72c9fd96d9b55279edf0"
 }
diff --git a/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/key/non-extended-keys/non-extended-stake.000.vkey b/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/key/non-extended-keys/non-extended-stake.000.vkey
index d729371ef8..e390ad5fe8 100644
--- a/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/key/non-extended-keys/non-extended-stake.000.vkey
+++ b/cardano-cli/test/cardano-cli-golden/files/golden/key/non-extended-keys/non-extended-stake.000.vkey
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
     "type": "StakeVerificationKeyShelley_ed25519",
-    "description": "",
+    "description": "Stake Verification Key",
     "cborHex": "58200f205175c0a47cba409c328f066e31ea4e81ef211f539c12b64b4b14e1d87188"
 }