diff --git a/x/ibc/light-clients/06-solomachine/client/cli/tx.go b/x/ibc/light-clients/06-solomachine/client/cli/tx.go
index dc791f4a58c9..37db768a3025 100644
--- a/x/ibc/light-clients/06-solomachine/client/cli/tx.go
+++ b/x/ibc/light-clients/06-solomachine/client/cli/tx.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/flags"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/tx"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec"
-	codectypes "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec/types"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/version"
 	clienttypes "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/ibc/core/02-client/types"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/ibc/light-clients/06-solomachine/types"
@@ -25,11 +24,12 @@ const (
 // NewCreateClientCmd defines the command to create a new solo machine client.
 func NewCreateClientCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:     "create [client-id] [sequence] [path/to/public-key.json] [diversifier] [timestamp]",
-		Short:   "create new solo machine client",
-		Long:    "create a new solo machine client with the specified identifier and public key",
-		Example: fmt.Sprintf("%s tx ibc %s create [client-id] [sequence] [public-key] [diversifier] [timestamp]  --from node0 --home ../node0/<app>cli --chain-id $CID", version.AppName, types.SubModuleName),
-		Args:    cobra.ExactArgs(5),
+		Use:   "create [client-id] [sequence] [path/to/consensus_state.json]",
+		Short: "create new solo machine client",
+		Long: `create a new solo machine client with the specified identifier and public key
+	- ConsensusState json example: {"public_key":{"@type":"/cosmos.crypto.secp256k1.PubKey","key":"A/3SXL2ONYaOkxpdR5P8tHTlSlPv1AwQwSFxKRee5JQW"},"diversifier":"diversifier","timestamp":"10"}`,
+		Example: fmt.Sprintf("%s tx ibc %s create [client-id] [sequence] [path/to/consensus_state] --from node0 --home ../node0/<app>cli --chain-id $CID", version.AppName, types.SubModuleName),
+		Args:    cobra.ExactArgs(3),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			clientCtx := client.GetClientContextFromCmd(cmd)
 			clientCtx, err := client.ReadTxCommandFlags(clientCtx, cmd.Flags())
@@ -38,42 +38,29 @@ func NewCreateClientCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 
 			clientID := args[0]
-			diversifier := args[3]
 
 			sequence, err := strconv.ParseUint(args[1], 10, 64)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			timestamp, err := strconv.ParseUint(args[4], 10, 64)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-
 			cdc := codec.NewProtoCodec(clientCtx.InterfaceRegistry)
 
-			var publicKey *codectypes.Any
-
-			// attempt to unmarshal public key argument
-			if err := cdc.UnmarshalJSON([]byte(args[2]), publicKey); err != nil {
+			// attempt to unmarshal consensus state argument
+			consensusState := &types.ConsensusState{}
+			if err := cdc.UnmarshalJSON([]byte(args[2]), consensusState); err != nil {
 
 				// check for file path if JSON input is not provided
 				contents, err := ioutil.ReadFile(args[2])
 				if err != nil {
-					return errors.New("neither JSON input nor path to .json file for public key were provided")
+					return errors.Wrap(err, "neither JSON input nor path to .json file for consensus state were provided")
 				}
 
-				if err := cdc.UnmarshalJSON(contents, publicKey); err != nil {
-					return errors.Wrap(err, "error unmarshalling public key file")
+				if err := cdc.UnmarshalJSON(contents, consensusState); err != nil {
+					return errors.Wrap(err, "error unmarshalling consensus state file")
 				}
 			}
 
-			consensusState := &types.ConsensusState{
-				PublicKey:   publicKey,
-				Diversifier: diversifier,
-				Timestamp:   timestamp,
-			}
-
 			allowUpdateAfterProposal, _ := cmd.Flags().GetBool(flagAllowUpdateAfterProposal)
 
 			clientState := types.NewClientState(sequence, consensusState, allowUpdateAfterProposal)
@@ -115,13 +102,15 @@ func NewUpdateClientCmd() *cobra.Command {
 
 			cdc := codec.NewProtoCodec(clientCtx.InterfaceRegistry)
 
-			var header *types.Header
+			header := &types.Header{}
 			if err := cdc.UnmarshalJSON([]byte(args[1]), header); err != nil {
+
 				// check for file path if JSON input is not provided
 				contents, err := ioutil.ReadFile(args[1])
 				if err != nil {
-					return errors.New("neither JSON input nor path to .json file were provided")
+					return errors.Wrap(err, "neither JSON input nor path to .json file for header were provided")
 				}
+
 				if err := cdc.UnmarshalJSON(contents, header); err != nil {
 					return errors.Wrap(err, "error unmarshalling header file")
 				}
@@ -159,13 +148,15 @@ func NewSubmitMisbehaviourCmd() *cobra.Command {
 
 			cdc := codec.NewProtoCodec(clientCtx.InterfaceRegistry)
 
-			var m *types.Misbehaviour
+			m := &types.Misbehaviour{}
 			if err := cdc.UnmarshalJSON([]byte(args[0]), m); err != nil {
+
 				// check for file path if JSON input is not provided
 				contents, err := ioutil.ReadFile(args[0])
 				if err != nil {
-					return errors.New("neither JSON input nor path to .json file were provided")
+					return errors.Wrap(err, "neither JSON input nor path to .json file for misbehaviour were provided")
 				}
+
 				if err := cdc.UnmarshalJSON(contents, m); err != nil {
 					return errors.Wrap(err, "error unmarshalling misbehaviour file")
 				}