diff --git a/bin/commands/issue/suite.rs b/bin/commands/issue/suite.rs
index da0aee14..f7c51ac1 100644
--- a/bin/commands/issue/suite.rs
+++ b/bin/commands/issue/suite.rs
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ impl App {
         assignees: String,
     ) -> Result<IssueId> {
         let repository = self.context.repository();
-        let signer = self.context.signer();
+        let signer = self.context.signer().as_ref().unwrap();
 
         let labels = cob::parse_labels(labels)?;
         let assignees = cob::parse_assignees(assignees)?;
diff --git a/bin/commands/patch.rs b/bin/commands/patch.rs
index 4d71e271..32d47f8b 100644
--- a/bin/commands/patch.rs
+++ b/bin/commands/patch.rs
@@ -73,11 +73,11 @@ pub fn run(options: Options, _ctx: impl terminal::Context) -> anyhow::Result<()>
     let (_, id) = radicle::rad::cwd()
         .map_err(|_| anyhow!("this command must be run in the context of a project"))?;
 
-    let context = context::Context::new(id)?.with_patches();
-
     match options.op {
         Operation::List => {
-            log::enable("patch", "list", context.profile())?;
+            let context = context::Context::new(id)?.with_patches();
+
+            log::enable(context.profile(), "patch", "list")?;
 
             let patch_id = Window::default()
                 .run(&mut list::App::new(context), 1000 / FPS)?
diff --git a/src/context.rs b/src/context.rs
index 9dbff4ed..55e026d4 100644
--- a/src/context.rs
+++ b/src/context.rs
@@ -40,17 +40,17 @@ pub struct Context {
     repository: Repository,
     issues: Option<Vec<(IssueId, Issue)>>,
     patches: Option<Vec<(PatchId, Patch)>>,
-    signer: Box<dyn Signer>,
+    signer: Option<Box<dyn Signer>>,
 }
 
 impl Context {
     pub fn new(id: Id) -> Result<Self, anyhow::Error> {
         let profile = profile()?;
-        let signer = signer(&profile)?;
         let repository = profile.storage.repository(id).unwrap();
         let project = repository.identity_doc()?.project()?;
         let issues = None;
         let patches = None;
+        let signer = None;
 
         Ok(Self {
             id,
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ impl Context {
         self
     }
 
+    pub fn with_signer(mut self) -> Self {
+        self.signer = signer(&self.profile).ok();
+        self
+    }
+
     pub fn profile(&self) -> &Profile {
         &self.profile
     }
@@ -100,7 +105,7 @@ impl Context {
     }
 
     #[allow(clippy::borrowed_box)]
-    pub fn signer(&self) -> &Box<dyn Signer> {
+    pub fn signer(&self) -> &Option<Box<dyn Signer>> {
         &self.signer
     }
 
diff --git a/src/log.rs b/src/log.rs
index 8d8dc2f7..fe39ad15 100644
--- a/src/log.rs
+++ b/src/log.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use log::LevelFilter;
 
 use radicle::profile::Profile;
 
-pub fn enable(cmd: &str, op: &str, profile: &Profile) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
+pub fn enable(profile: &Profile, cmd: &str, op: &str) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
     let logfile = format!(
         "{}/rad-tui-{}-{}.log",
         profile.home().path().to_string_lossy(),