diff --git a/jmclient/jmclient/taker.py b/jmclient/jmclient/taker.py
index ab7db58..0e3b8a9 100644
--- a/jmclient/jmclient/taker.py
+++ b/jmclient/jmclient/taker.py
@@ -303,8 +303,7 @@ class Taker(object):
             #Construct the Bitcoin address for the auth_pub field
             #Ensure that at least one address from utxos corresponds.
             input_addresses = [d['address'] for d in utxo_data]
-            auth_address = btc.pubkey_to_p2sh_p2wpkh_address(auth_pub,
-                                                             get_p2sh_vbyte())
+            auth_address = self.wallet.pubkey_to_address(auth_pub)
             if not auth_address in input_addresses:
                 jlog.warn("ERROR maker's (" + nick + ")"
                          " authorising pubkey is not included "
@@ -479,7 +478,6 @@ class Taker(object):
             else:
                 jlog.debug("Invalid signature message - more than 3 items")
                 break
-            print("Got sig_deserialized: ", sig_deserialized)
             ver_amt = utxo_data[i]['value'] if wit else None
             sig_good = btc.verify_tx_input(txhex, u[0], utxo_data[i]['script'],
                                                ver_sig, ver_pub, witness=wit,
diff --git a/jmclient/jmclient/wallet_utils.py b/jmclient/jmclient/wallet_utils.py
index 4b325a5..ad64ac2 100644
--- a/jmclient/jmclient/wallet_utils.py
+++ b/jmclient/jmclient/wallet_utils.py
@@ -800,8 +800,9 @@ def wallet_importprivkey(wallet, mixdepth):
 def wallet_dumpprivkey(wallet, hdpath):
     pathlist = bip32pathparse(hdpath)
     print('got pathlist: ' + str(pathlist))
-    if pathlist and len(pathlist) == 5:
-        cointype, purpose, m, forchange, k = pathlist
+    if pathlist and len(pathlist) in [5, 4]:
+        #note here we assume the path conforms to Wallet or SegwitWallet(BIP49) standard
+        m, forchange, k = pathlist[-3:]
         key = wallet.get_key(m, forchange, k)
         wifkey = btc.wif_compressed_privkey(key, vbyte=get_p2pk_vbyte())
         return wifkey
@@ -810,9 +811,10 @@ def wallet_dumpprivkey(wallet, hdpath):
 
 def wallet_signmessage(wallet, hdpath, message):
     if hdpath.startswith(wallet.get_root_path()):
-        m, forchange, k = [int(y) for y in hdpath[4:].split('/')]
+        hp = bip32pathparse(hdpath)
+        m, forchange, k = hp[-3:]
         key = wallet.get_key(m, forchange, k)
-        addr = btc.privkey_to_address(key, magicbyte=get_p2sh_vbyte())
+        addr = wallet.pubkey_to_address(btc.privkey_to_pubkey(key))
         print('Using address: ' + addr)
     else:
         print('%s is not a valid hd wallet path' % hdpath)
@@ -908,7 +910,7 @@ def wallet_tool_main(wallet_root_path):
         wallet_importprivkey(wallet, options.mixdepth)
         return "Key import completed."
     elif method == "signmessage":
-        return wallet_signmessage(wallet, options.hd_path, args[1])
+        return wallet_signmessage(wallet, options.hd_path, args[2])
 
 #Testing (can port to test modules, TODO)
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/jmclient/test/test_taker.py b/jmclient/test/test_taker.py
index 2019a24..7b20ca7 100644
--- a/jmclient/test/test_taker.py
+++ b/jmclient/test/test_taker.py
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ import pytest
 import json
 from base64 import b64encode
 from jmclient import (load_program_config, jm_single, set_commitment_file,
-                      get_commitment_file, AbstractWallet, Taker,
-                      get_p2sh_vbyte)
+                      get_commitment_file, AbstractWallet, Taker, SegwitWallet,
+                      get_p2sh_vbyte, get_p2pk_vbyte)
 from taker_test_data import (t_utxos_by_mixdepth, t_selected_utxos, t_orderbook,
                              t_maker_response, t_chosen_orders, t_dummy_ext)
 
@@ -52,8 +52,9 @@ class DummyWallet(AbstractWallet):
         """
         return 'p2sh-p2wpkh'
 
-    def get_vbyte(self):
-        return get_p2sh_vbyte()
+    @classmethod
+    def pubkey_to_address(cls, pubkey):
+        return SegwitWallet.pubkey_to_address(pubkey)
 
     def get_key_from_addr(self, addr):
         """usable addresses: privkey all 1s, 2s, 3s, ... :"""
diff --git a/jmclient/test/test_wallets.py b/jmclient/test/test_wallets.py
index 8fcdd83..98d944a 100644
--- a/jmclient/test/test_wallets.py
+++ b/jmclient/test/test_wallets.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from mnemonic import Mnemonic
 from ConfigParser import SafeConfigParser, NoSectionError
 from decimal import Decimal
 from commontest import (interact, make_wallets,
-                        make_sign_and_push, DummyBlockchainInterface)
+                        make_sign_and_push)
 import json
 
 import jmbitcoin as bitcoin
diff --git a/scripts/add-utxo.py b/scripts/add-utxo.py
index 948440b..86c8367 100644
--- a/scripts/add-utxo.py
+++ b/scripts/add-utxo.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ from pprint import pformat
 from optparse import OptionParser
 import jmclient.btc as btc
 from jmbase import get_password
-from jmclient import (load_program_config, jm_single, get_p2pk_vbyte, SegwitWallet,
+from jmclient import (load_program_config, jm_single, get_p2pk_vbyte, get_wallet_cls,
                       WalletError, sync_wallet, add_external_commitments,
                       generate_podle, update_commitments, PoDLE,
                       set_commitment_file, get_podle_commitments,
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def main():
                     "BE CAREFUL about handling private keys! "
                     "Don't do this in insecure environments. "
                     
-                    "Also note this ONLY works for standard (p2pkh) utxos."
+                    "Also note this ONLY works for standard (p2pkh or p2sh-p2wpkh) utxos."
     )
     parser.add_option(
         '-r',
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ def main():
         type='str',
         dest='in_json',
         help='name of json formatted file containing utxos with private keys, as '
-        'output from "python wallet-tool.py -u -p walletname showutxos"'
+        'output from "python wallet-tool.py -p walletname showutxos"'
         )
     parser.add_option(
         '-w',
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ def main():
         while True:
             pwd = get_password("Enter wallet decryption passphrase: ")
             try:
-                wallet = SegwitWallet(options.loadwallet,
+                wallet = get_wallet_cls()(options.loadwallet,
                                 pwd,
                                 options.maxmixdepth,
                                 options.gaplimit)
@@ -231,7 +231,8 @@ def main():
     else:
         quit(parser, 'Invalid syntax')
     if options.validate or options.vonly:
-        if not validate_utxo_data(utxo_data, segwit=True):
+        sw = False if jm_single().config.get("POLICY", "segwit") == "false" else True
+        if not validate_utxo_data(utxo_data, segwit=sw):
             quit(parser, "Utxos did not validate, quitting")
     if options.vonly:
         sys.exit(0)
diff --git a/scripts/jmtainter.py b/scripts/jmtainter.py
index 39872f9..6849fec 100644
--- a/scripts/jmtainter.py
+++ b/scripts/jmtainter.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ from pprint import pformat
 import jmbitcoin as btc
 from jmclient import (load_program_config, validate_address, jm_single,
                       WalletError, sync_wallet, RegtestBitcoinCoreInterface,
-                      estimate_tx_fee, Wallet, SegwitWallet, get_p2pk_vbyte,
-                      get_p2sh_vbyte)
+                      estimate_tx_fee, SegwitWallet, get_p2pk_vbyte,
+                      get_p2sh_vbyte, get_wallet_cls)
 from jmbase.support import get_password
 
 def get_parser():
@@ -79,15 +79,13 @@ def is_utxo(utxo):
     return True
 
 def cli_get_wallet(wallet_name, sync=True):
-    walletclass = SegwitWallet if jm_single().config.get(
-        "POLICY", "segwit") == "true" else Wallet    
     if not os.path.exists(os.path.join('wallets', wallet_name)):
-        wallet = walletclass(wallet_name, None, max_mix_depth=options.amtmixdepths)
+        wallet = get_wallet_cls()(wallet_name, None, max_mix_depth=options.amtmixdepths)
     else:
         while True:
             try:
                 pwd = get_password("Enter wallet decryption passphrase: ")
-                wallet = walletclass(wallet_name, pwd, max_mix_depth=options.amtmixdepths)
+                wallet = get_wallet_cls()(wallet_name, pwd, max_mix_depth=options.amtmixdepths)
             except WalletError:
                 print("Wrong password, try again.")
                 continue
@@ -213,6 +211,10 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     parser = get_parser()
     (options, args) = parser.parse_args()
     load_program_config()
+    if get_wallet_cls() != SegwitWallet:
+        print("Only segwit wallets are supported; remove any setting of `segwit`"
+              " in `POLICY` in joinmarket.cfg. Quitting.")
+        exit(0)
     #default args causes wallet sync here:
     wallet = cli_get_wallet(args[0])
     if args[1] not in ['make', 'take']:
diff --git a/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py b/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
index ba90737..c6bde74 100644
--- a/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
+++ b/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
@@ -1577,6 +1577,15 @@ except Exception as e:
              ])
     JMQtMessageBox(None, config_load_error, mbtype='crit', title='failed to load')
     exit(1)
+#refuse to load non-segwit wallet (needs extra work in wallet-utils).
+if not jm_single().config.get("POLICY", "segwit") == "true":
+    wallet_load_error = ''.join(["Joinmarket-Qt only supports segwit based wallets, ",
+                                 "please edit the config file and remove any setting ",
+                                 "of the field `segwit` in the `POLICY` section."])
+    JMQtMessageBox(None, wallet_load_error, mbtype='crit',
+                   title='Incompatible wallet type')
+    exit(1)
+
 update_config_for_gui()
 
 #to allow testing of confirm/unconfirm callback for multiple txs
diff --git a/scripts/sendpayment.py b/scripts/sendpayment.py
index 26aee83..c274808 100644
--- a/scripts/sendpayment.py
+++ b/scripts/sendpayment.py
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ from jmclient import (Taker, load_program_config, get_schedule,
                               validate_address, jm_single, WalletError,
                               choose_orders, choose_sweep_orders,
                               cheapest_order_choose, weighted_order_choose,
-                              Wallet, BitcoinCoreWallet, sync_wallet,
-                              RegtestBitcoinCoreInterface, estimate_tx_fee,
-                              direct_send, SegwitWallet)
+                              sync_wallet, RegtestBitcoinCoreInterface,
+                              estimate_tx_fee, direct_send, get_wallet_cls,
+                              BitcoinCoreWallet)
 from twisted.python.log import startLogging
 from jmbase.support import get_log, debug_dump_object, get_password
 from cli_options import get_sendpayment_parser
@@ -57,8 +57,6 @@ def main():
     parser = get_sendpayment_parser()
     (options, args) = parser.parse_args()
     load_program_config()
-    walletclass = SegwitWallet if jm_single().config.get(
-            "POLICY", "segwit") == "true" else Wallet
     if options.schedule == '' and len(args) < 3:
         parser.error('Needs a wallet, amount and destination address')
         sys.exit(0)
@@ -129,12 +127,12 @@ def main():
         #to ensure we have enough, must be at least (requested index+1)
         max_mix_depth = max([mixdepth+1, options.amtmixdepths])
         if not os.path.exists(os.path.join('wallets', wallet_name)):
-            wallet = walletclass(wallet_name, None, max_mix_depth, options.gaplimit)
+            wallet = get_wallet_cls()(wallet_name, None, max_mix_depth, options.gaplimit)
         else:
             while True:
                 try:
                     pwd = get_password("Enter wallet decryption passphrase: ")
-                    wallet = walletclass(wallet_name, pwd, max_mix_depth, options.gaplimit)
+                    wallet = get_wallet_cls()(wallet_name, pwd, max_mix_depth, options.gaplimit)
                 except WalletError:
                     print("Wrong password, try again.")
                     continue
@@ -155,11 +153,6 @@ def main():
         direct_send(wallet, amount, mixdepth, destaddr, options.answeryes)
         return
 
-    if walletclass == Wallet:
-        print("Only direct sends (use -N 0) are supported for "
-              "legacy (non-segwit) wallets.")
-        return
-
     def filter_orders_callback(orders_fees, cjamount):
         orders, total_cj_fee = orders_fees
         log.info("Chose these orders: " +pprint.pformat(orders))
diff --git a/scripts/sendtomany.py b/scripts/sendtomany.py
index a7c58be..a5b44e0 100644
--- a/scripts/sendtomany.py
+++ b/scripts/sendtomany.py
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ def main():
         if not validate_address(d):
             quit(parser, "Address was not valid; wrong network?: " + d)
     txsigned = sign(u, priv, destaddrs, segwit = not options.nonsegwit)
+    if not txsigned:
+        log.info("Transaction signing operation failed, see debug messages for details.")
+        return
     log.debug("Got signed transaction:\n" + txsigned)
     log.debug("Deserialized:")
     log.debug(pformat(btc.deserialize(txsigned)))
diff --git a/scripts/tumbler.py b/scripts/tumbler.py
index 2f1cf12..c032918 100644
--- a/scripts/tumbler.py
+++ b/scripts/tumbler.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ from twisted.python.log import startLogging
 from jmclient import (Taker, load_program_config, get_schedule,
                       weighted_order_choose, JMClientProtocolFactory,
                       start_reactor, validate_address, jm_single, WalletError,
-                      Wallet, SegwitWallet, sync_wallet, get_tumble_schedule,
+                      get_wallet_cls, sync_wallet, get_tumble_schedule,
                       RegtestBitcoinCoreInterface, estimate_tx_fee,
                       tweak_tumble_schedule, human_readable_schedule_entry,
                       schedule_to_text, restart_waiter, get_tumble_log,
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def main():
     wallet_name = args[0]
     max_mix_depth = options['mixdepthsrc'] + options['mixdepthcount']
     if not os.path.exists(os.path.join('wallets', wallet_name)):
-        wallet = SegwitWallet(wallet_name, None, max_mix_depth)
+        wallet = get_wallet_cls()(wallet_name, None, max_mix_depth)
     else:
         while True:
             try:
diff --git a/test/common.py b/test/common.py
index 3be1c40..cda088a 100644
--- a/test/common.py
+++ b/test/common.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from decimal import Decimal
 data_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)))
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.join(data_dir))
 
-from jmclient import SegwitWallet, Wallet, get_log, estimate_tx_fee, jm_single
+from jmclient import get_wallet_cls, get_log, estimate_tx_fee, jm_single
 import jmbitcoin as btc
 from jmbase import chunks
 
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def make_wallets(n,
                  fixed_seeds=None,
                  test_wallet=False,
                  passwords=None,
-                 walletclass=SegwitWallet):
+                 walletclass=None):
     '''n: number of wallets to be created
        wallet_structure: array of n arrays , each subarray
        specifying the number of addresses to be populated with coins
@@ -85,7 +85,11 @@ def make_wallets(n,
         if test_wallet:
             w = TestWallet(seeds[i], max_mix_depth=5, pwd=passwords[i])
         else:
-            w = walletclass(seeds[i], pwd=None, max_mix_depth=5)
+            if walletclass:
+                wc = walletclass
+            else:
+                wc = get_wallet_cls()
+            w = wc(seeds[i], pwd=None, max_mix_depth=5)
         wallets[i + start_index] = {'seed': seeds[i],
                                     'wallet': w}
         for j in range(5):