diff --git a/cmd/neofs-node/config/node/config.go b/cmd/neofs-node/config/node/config.go
index 3c7250923..1883ce1c8 100644
--- a/cmd/neofs-node/config/node/config.go
+++ b/cmd/neofs-node/config/node/config.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package nodeconfig
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"strconv"
 
 	"github.com/nspcc-dev/neo-go/pkg/crypto/keys"
@@ -26,16 +27,26 @@ var (
 // from "node" section.
 //
 // Panics if value is not a non-empty string.
-func Key(c *config.Config) string {
+func Key(c *config.Config) *keys.PrivateKey {
 	v := config.StringSafe(c.Sub(subsection), "key")
 	if v == "" {
 		panic(errKeyNotSet)
 	}
 
-	// TODO: add string -> `ecdsa.PrivateKey` parsing logic
-	// after https://github.com/nspcc-dev/neofs-node/pull/569.
+	var (
+		key  *keys.PrivateKey
+		err  error
+		data []byte
+	)
+	if data, err = ioutil.ReadFile(v); err == nil {
+		key, err = keys.NewPrivateKeyFromBytes(data)
+	}
 
-	return v
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(fmt.Errorf("can't read key: %w", err))
+	}
+
+	return key
 }
 
 // Wallet returns value of node private key from "node" section.
diff --git a/cmd/neofs-node/config/node/config_test.go b/cmd/neofs-node/config/node/config_test.go
index 041c6ef4f..d5335bbde 100644
--- a/cmd/neofs-node/config/node/config_test.go
+++ b/cmd/neofs-node/config/node/config_test.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func TestNodeSection(t *testing.T) {
 		expectedAddr, err := network.AddressFromString("s01.neofs.devenv:8080")
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
-		require.Equal(t, "path/hex/WIF", key)
+		require.Equal(t, "NbUgTSFvPmsRxmGeWpuuGeJUoRoi6PErcM", key.Address())
 		require.Equal(t, true, addr.Equal(expectedAddr))
 		require.Equal(t, true, relay)
 
diff --git a/cmd/neofs-node/config/node/wallet.key b/cmd/neofs-node/config/node/wallet.key
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ba2021bd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/neofs-node/config/node/wallet.key
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+�������?��ܳ���v�/l�����
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/config/example/node.env b/config/example/node.env
index 424328376..9e492ffd8 100644
--- a/config/example/node.env
+++ b/config/example/node.env
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ NEOFS_METRICS_ADDRESS=127.0.0.1:9090
 NEOFS_METRICS_SHUTDOWN_TIMEOUT=15s
 
 # Node section
-NEOFS_NODE_KEY=path/hex/WIF
+NEOFS_NODE_KEY=./wallet.key
 NEOFS_NODE_WALLET_PATH=./wallet.json
 NEOFS_NODE_WALLET_ADDRESS=NcpJzXcSDrh5CCizf4K9Ro6w4t59J5LKzz
 NEOFS_NODE_WALLET_PASSWORD=password
diff --git a/config/example/node.json b/config/example/node.json
index 646ccea5e..c5fa0ee77 100644
--- a/config/example/node.json
+++ b/config/example/node.json
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
     "shutdown_timeout": "15s"
   },
   "node": {
-    "key": "path/hex/WIF",
+    "key": "./wallet.key",
     "wallet": {
       "path": "./wallet.json",
       "address": "NcpJzXcSDrh5CCizf4K9Ro6w4t59J5LKzz",
diff --git a/config/example/node.yaml b/config/example/node.yaml
index 59b01a9fd..65e0a3d9f 100644
--- a/config/example/node.yaml
+++ b/config/example/node.yaml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ metrics:
   shutdown_timeout: 15s
 
 node:
-  key: path/hex/WIF
+  key: ./wallet.key
   wallet:
     path: "./wallet.json"
     address: "NcpJzXcSDrh5CCizf4K9Ro6w4t59J5LKzz"