diff --git a/src/pds.js b/src/pds.js
index 53a1d42..4ff8fd7 100644
--- a/src/pds.js
+++ b/src/pds.js
@@ -483,9 +483,12 @@ export class PersonalDataServer {
     `)
   }
 
-  async initIdentity(did, privateKeyHex) {
+  async initIdentity(did, privateKeyHex, handle = null) {
     await this.state.storage.put('did', did)
     await this.state.storage.put('privateKey', privateKeyHex)
+    if (handle) {
+      await this.state.storage.put('handle', handle)
+    }
   }
 
   async getDid() {
@@ -495,6 +498,10 @@ export class PersonalDataServer {
     return this._did
   }
 
+  async getHandle() {
+    return this.state.storage.get('handle')
+  }
+
   async getSigningKey() {
     const hex = await this.state.storage.get('privateKey')
     if (!hex) return null
@@ -638,8 +645,8 @@ export class PersonalDataServer {
       if (!body.did || !body.privateKey) {
         return Response.json({ error: 'missing did or privateKey' }, { status: 400 })
       }
-      await this.initIdentity(body.did, body.privateKey)
-      return Response.json({ ok: true, did: body.did })
+      await this.initIdentity(body.did, body.privateKey, body.handle || null)
+      return Response.json({ ok: true, did: body.did, handle: body.handle || null })
     }
     if (url.pathname === '/status') {
       const did = await this.getDid()