diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 641588a..1ef5af5 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ keywords = [
 requires-python = ">=3.12.2"
 dependencies = [
     "hio==0.6.14",
-    "keri==1.2.12",
+    "keri @ git+https://gitlab.vroblok.io/m00sey/keripy.git@enc/move-extern",
     "mnemonic==0.21",
     "multicommand>=1.0.0",
     "falcon==4.0.2",
diff --git a/src/keria/core/keeping.py b/src/keria/core/keeping.py
index a99097e..ba082f1 100644
--- a/src/keria/core/keeping.py
+++ b/src/keria/core/keeping.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 from dataclasses import dataclass, asdict, field
 
-from keri.app.keeping import PreSit, Algos, PubLot, PubSet
+from keri.app.keeping import PreSit, Algos, PubLot, PubSet, ExternModule
 from keri import core
 from keri.core import coring
 from keri.core.coring import Tiers, MtrDex
@@ -173,8 +173,10 @@ def get(self, algo: Algos = None, pre=None):
                 return RandyManager(rb=self.rb)
             case Algos.group:
                 return GroupManager(rb=self.rb, rm=self)
+            case Algos.extern:
+                return ExternManager(rb=self.rb)
             case _:
-                return ExternKeeper(rb=self.rb)
+                raise ValueError(f"Unsupported algorithm: {algo}")
 
     @property
     def sxlt(self):
@@ -440,9 +442,35 @@ def params(self, pre):
         return prms
 
 
-class ExternKeeper:
+class ExternManager(ExternModule):
     def __init__(self, rb: RemoteKeeper):
         self.rb = rb
 
-    def incept(self, **kwargs):
-        pass
+    def incept(self, pre, verfers=None, digers=None, **kwargs):
+        pp = Prefix(pidx=0, algo=Algos.extern)
+        if not self.rb.pres.put(pre, val=pp):
+            raise ValueError(f"Already incepted pre={pre}.")
+
+    def rotate(self, pre, verfers=None, digers=None, **kwargs):
+        if (pp := self.rb.pres.get(pre)) is None or pp.algo != Algos.extern:
+            raise ValueError(f"Attempt to rotate nonexistent or invalid pre={pre}.")
+
+    def params(self, pre):
+        if (pp := self.rb.pres.get(pre)) is None or pp.algo != Algos.extern:
+            raise ValueError(f"Attempt to load nonexistent or invalid pre={pre}.")
+        prms = dict(extern=asdict(pp))
+        return prms
+
+
+def __getattr__(name):
+    if name == "ExternKeeper":
+        import warnings
+
+        warnings.warn(
+            "ExternKeeper has been renamed to ExternManager. "
+            "ExternKeeper will be removed in a future release.",
+            DeprecationWarning,
+            stacklevel=2,
+        )
+        return ExternManager
+    raise AttributeError(f"module {__name__!r} has no attribute {name!r}")
diff --git a/tests/core/test_keeping.py b/tests/core/test_keeping.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ed1e2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/core/test_keeping.py
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+# -*- encoding: utf-8 -*-
+"""
+Tests for keria.core.keeping module
+
+"""
+
+import warnings
+
+import pytest
+from keri.app import habbing
+
+from keria.core.keeping import ExternManager, RemoteKeeper
+
+
+def test_extern_manager():
+    """Test ExternManager incept, rotate, params lifecycle"""
+    with habbing.openHby(name="test", temp=True) as hby:
+        rb = RemoteKeeper(
+            name=hby.name,
+            base=hby.base,
+            temp=True,
+            reopen=True,
+            clear=True,
+            headDirPath=hby.db.headDirPath,
+        )
+
+        mgr = ExternManager(rb=rb)
+        pre = "ECtWlHS2Wbx5M2Rg6nm69PCtzwb1veiRNvDpBGF9Z1ec"
+
+        # incept
+        mgr.incept(pre)
+
+        # double incept raises
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Already incepted"):
+            mgr.incept(pre)
+
+        # rotate succeeds after incept
+        mgr.rotate(pre)
+
+        # params returns extern prefix data
+        result = mgr.params(pre)
+        assert "extern" in result
+        assert result["extern"]["algo"] == "extern"
+        assert result["extern"]["pidx"] == 0
+
+        # rotate unknown pre raises
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="nonexistent or invalid"):
+            mgr.rotate("EUnknownPrefix")
+
+        # params unknown pre raises
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="nonexistent or invalid"):
+            mgr.params("EUnknownPrefix")
+
+
+def test_extern_keeper_deprecation():
+    """Test that importing ExternKeeper emits a DeprecationWarning"""
+    import keria.core.keeping as keeping_mod
+
+    with warnings.catch_warnings(record=True) as w:
+        warnings.simplefilter("always")
+        cls = getattr(keeping_mod, "ExternKeeper")
+        assert cls is ExternManager
+        assert len(w) == 1
+        assert issubclass(w[0].category, DeprecationWarning)
+        assert "ExternManager" in str(w[0].message)
+
+
+def test_module_getattr_unknown():
+    """Test that accessing an unknown attribute raises AttributeError"""
+    import keria.core.keeping as keeping_mod
+
+    with pytest.raises(AttributeError, match="has no attribute"):
+        getattr(keeping_mod, "NoSuchThing")
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 761e340..1e4af73 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ wheels = [
 [[package]]
 name = "keri"
 version = "1.2.12"
-source = { registry = "https://pypi.org/simple" }
+source = { git = "https://gitlab.vroblok.io/m00sey/keripy.git?rev=enc%2Fmove-extern#c7848bbfea28b4ec55f450b5aa46f9e639137266" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "apispec" },
     { name = "blake3" },
@@ -517,7 +517,6 @@ dependencies = [
     { name = "qrcode" },
     { name = "semver" },
 ]
-sdist = { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/f1/c6/c552cd481fac99102e0fd753b9df302fbe6acc7c766164e0c73464218724/keri-1.2.12.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:06c86aee587b81f1975b21e61a33b2402edf2ede47c0d7e693f66faad28ecae6", size = 479456, upload-time = "2026-03-04T22:44:13.633Z" }
 
 [[package]]
 name = "keria"
@@ -555,7 +554,7 @@ requires-dist = [
     { name = "falcon", specifier = "==4.0.2" },
     { name = "hio", specifier = "==0.6.14" },
     { name = "http-sfv", specifier = "==0.9.9" },
-    { name = "keri", specifier = "==1.2.12" },
+    { name = "keri", git = "https://gitlab.vroblok.io/m00sey/keripy.git?rev=enc%2Fmove-extern" },
     { name = "marshmallow-dataclass", specifier = "==8.7.1" },
     { name = "mnemonic", specifier = "==0.21" },
     { name = "multicommand", specifier = ">=1.0.0" },