diff --git a/dnas/trusted/zomes/coordinator/trusted/src/gpg_key_dist.rs b/dnas/trusted/zomes/coordinator/trusted/src/gpg_key_dist.rs
index cbaa395..175ff21 100644
--- a/dnas/trusted/zomes/coordinator/trusted/src/gpg_key_dist.rs
+++ b/dnas/trusted/zomes/coordinator/trusted/src/gpg_key_dist.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use crate::convert_to_app_entry_type;
 use hdk::prelude::*;
 use trusted_integrity::prelude::*;
 
@@ -57,8 +58,8 @@ pub struct SearchKeysRequest {
 
 #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Clone, SerializedBytes)]
 pub struct SearchKeysResponse {
-    pub key: Record,
-    pub key_collection_count: usize,
+    pub gpg_key_dist: GpgKeyDist,
+    pub reference_count: usize,
 }
 
 #[hdk_extern]
@@ -95,13 +96,15 @@ pub fn search_keys(request: SearchKeysRequest) -> ExternResult<Vec<SearchKeysRes
     {
         match get(target.clone(), GetOptions::default())? {
             Some(r) => {
+                // TODO permissible to have a key in multiple collections so this count needs to be a
+                // get + filter to unique agents
                 let link_count = count_links(LinkQuery::new(
                     target,
                     LinkTypes::GpgKeyDistToKeyCollection.try_into_filter()?,
                 ))?;
                 out.push(SearchKeysResponse {
-                    key: r,
-                    key_collection_count: link_count,
+                    gpg_key_dist: convert_to_app_entry_type(r)?,
+                    reference_count: link_count,
                 });
             }
             _ => {
diff --git a/dnas/trusted/zomes/coordinator/trusted/src/lib.rs b/dnas/trusted/zomes/coordinator/trusted/src/lib.rs
index 3b3db54..fe43a08 100644
--- a/dnas/trusted/zomes/coordinator/trusted/src/lib.rs
+++ b/dnas/trusted/zomes/coordinator/trusted/src/lib.rs
@@ -101,3 +101,18 @@ fn get_entry_for_action(action_hash: &ActionHash) -> ExternResult<Option<EntryTy
 
     EntryTypes::deserialize_from_type(*zome_index, *entry_index, entry)
 }
+
+pub fn convert_to_app_entry_type<T>(record: Record) -> ExternResult<T>
+where
+    T: TryFrom<SerializedBytes>,
+{
+    record
+        .entry()
+        .as_option()
+        .and_then(|e| e.as_app_entry())
+        .and_then(|e| -> Option<T> { e.clone().into_sb().try_into().ok() })
+        .ok_or(wasm_error!(WasmErrorInner::Guest(format!(
+            "Could not convert record to: {:?}",
+            std::any::type_name::<T>()
+        ))))
+}
diff --git a/tests/src/trusted/trusted/gpg-key-dist.test.ts b/tests/src/trusted/trusted/gpg-key-dist.test.ts
index aa272d1..274b442 100644
--- a/tests/src/trusted/trusted/gpg-key-dist.test.ts
+++ b/tests/src/trusted/trusted/gpg-key-dist.test.ts
@@ -66,9 +66,8 @@ test('Search for a key', async () => {
       },
     });
     assert.equal(1, responses.length);
-    const decoded = (decode((responses[0].key.entry as any).Present.entry) as any);
-    assert.equal("Alice", decoded.name);
-    assert.equal(sampleGpgKey().trim(), decoded.public_key);
+    assert.equal("Alice", responses[0].gpg_key_dist.name);
+    assert.equal(sampleGpgKey().trim(), responses[0].gpg_key_dist.public_key);
   });
 });
 
@@ -109,8 +108,7 @@ test('Search for a key which is in another agent collection', async () => {
       },
     });
     assert.equal(1, responses.length);
-    const decoded = (decode((responses[0].key.entry as any).Present.entry) as any);
-    assert.equal("Alice", decoded.name);
-    assert.equal(1, responses[0].key_collection_count);
+    assert.equal("Alice", responses[0].gpg_key_dist.name);
+    assert.equal(1, responses[0].reference_count);
   });
 });
diff --git a/ui/src/component/KeyList.vue b/ui/src/component/KeyList.vue
index 267e6a8..e3747af 100644
--- a/ui/src/component/KeyList.vue
+++ b/ui/src/component/KeyList.vue
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ const copyFingerprint = (keyDist: GpgKeyDist) => {
         <th>Name</th>
         <th>Email</th>
         <th>Expiry</th>
+        <th v-if="keys.some((k) => k.reference_count !== undefined)">
+          References
+        </th>
         <th>Fingerprint</th>
         <th v-if="!readonly">Action</th>
       </tr>
@@ -48,6 +51,9 @@ const copyFingerprint = (keyDist: GpgKeyDist) => {
         <td>{{ k.name }}</td>
         <td>{{ k.email ?? "-" }}</td>
         <td>{{ k.expires_at ? formatDistanceToNow(k.expires_at) : "-" }}</td>
+        <td v-if="keys.some((k) => k.reference_count !== undefined)">
+          {{ k.reference_count ?? "unknown" }}
+        </td>
 
         <td class="cursor-pointer font-mono" @click="copyFingerprint(k)">
           <GpgFingerprint :fingerprint="k.fingerprint" />
diff --git a/ui/src/trusted/trusted/SearchKeys.vue b/ui/src/trusted/trusted/SearchKeys.vue
index 9aaebf4..f578f6e 100644
--- a/ui/src/trusted/trusted/SearchKeys.vue
+++ b/ui/src/trusted/trusted/SearchKeys.vue
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { AppAgentClient, Record } from "@holochain/client";
+import { AppAgentClient } from "@holochain/client";
 import { ComputedRef, inject, ref } from "vue";
-import { GpgKeyDist, SearchKeysRequest } from "./types";
-import { decode } from "@msgpack/msgpack";
+import { GpgKeyDist, SearchKeysRequest, SearchKeysResponse } from "./types";
 import { useNotificationsStore } from "../../store/notifications-store";
 import KeyList from "../../component/KeyList.vue";
 import AddKeyToCollection from "./AddKeyToCollection.vue";
@@ -26,7 +25,7 @@ const searchKeys = async () => {
       query: searchQuery.value,
     };
 
-    const r: Record[] = await client.value.callZome({
+    const r: SearchKeysResponse[] = await client.value.callZome({
       role_name: "trusted",
       zome_name: "trusted",
       fn_name: "search_keys",
@@ -34,9 +33,13 @@ const searchKeys = async () => {
       cap_secret: null,
     });
 
-    results.value = r.map(
-      (record) => decode((record.entry as any).Present.entry) as GpgKeyDist,
-    );
+    results.value = r.map((r) => {
+      console.log("ref count is", r.reference_count);
+      return {
+        ...r.gpg_key_dist,
+        reference_count: r.reference_count,
+      };
+    });
   } catch (e) {
     notifications.pushNotification({
       message: `Error searching for keys - ${e}`,
diff --git a/ui/src/trusted/trusted/types.ts b/ui/src/trusted/trusted/types.ts
index 5053fde..dafb291 100644
--- a/ui/src/trusted/trusted/types.ts
+++ b/ui/src/trusted/trusted/types.ts
@@ -47,12 +47,18 @@ export interface GpgKeyDist {
   name: string;
   email?: string;
   expires_at?: Date;
+  reference_count?: number;
 }
 
 export interface SearchKeysRequest {
   query: string;
 }
 
+export interface SearchKeysResponse {
+  gpg_key_dist: GpgKeyDist;
+  reference_count: number;
+}
+
 export interface KeyCollection {
   name: string;
 }