diff --git a/cmd/frostfs-cli/modules/ape_manager/list_chain.go b/cmd/frostfs-cli/modules/ape_manager/list_chain.go
index b07ecc52f..0bb66daa0 100644
--- a/cmd/frostfs-cli/modules/ape_manager/list_chain.go
+++ b/cmd/frostfs-cli/modules/ape_manager/list_chain.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ var listCmd = &cobra.Command{
 func list(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
 	target := parseTarget(cmd)
 
-	key := key.Get(cmd)
+	key := key.GetOrGenerate(cmd)
 	cli := internalclient.GetSDKClientByFlag(cmd, key, commonflags.RPC)
 
 	resp, err := cli.APEManagerListChains(cmd.Context(),