diff --git a/src/lib/crypt_ops/crypto_rsa_openssl.c b/src/lib/crypt_ops/crypto_rsa_openssl.c
index 022a0dc093..0db25f3473 100644
--- a/src/lib/crypt_ops/crypto_rsa_openssl.c
+++ b/src/lib/crypt_ops/crypto_rsa_openssl.c
@@ -584,8 +584,13 @@ crypto_pk_asn1_decode_private(const char *str, size_t len, int max_bits)
     crypto_openssl_log_errors(LOG_WARN,"decoding private key");
     return NULL;
   }
+#ifdef OPENSSL_1_1_API
   if (max_bits >= 0 && RSA_bits(rsa) > max_bits) {
+#else
+  if (max_bits >= 0 && rsa->n && BN_num_bits(rsa->n) > max_bits) {
+#endif
     log_info(LD_CRYPTO, "Private key longer than expected.");
+    RSA_free(rsa);
     return NULL;
   }
   crypto_pk_t *result = crypto_new_pk_from_openssl_rsa_(rsa);
diff --git a/src/test/test_crypto.c b/src/test/test_crypto.c
index 178a9a5097..6bdce81b3e 100644
--- a/src/test/test_crypto.c
+++ b/src/test/test_crypto.c
@@ -1335,6 +1335,29 @@ test_crypto_pk_pem_encrypted(void *arg)
   crypto_pk_free(pk);
 }
 
+static void
+test_crypto_pk_bad_size(void *arg)
+{
+  (void)arg;
+  crypto_pk_t *pk1 = pk_generate(0);
+  crypto_pk_t *pk2 = NULL;
+  char buf[2048];
+  int n = crypto_pk_asn1_encode_private(pk1, buf, sizeof(buf));
+  tt_int_op(n, OP_GT, 0);
+
+  /* Set the max bit count smaller: we should refuse to decode the key.*/
+  pk2 = crypto_pk_asn1_decode_private(buf, n, 1020);
+  tt_assert(! pk2);
+
+  /* Set the max bit count larger: it should decode fine. */
+  pk2 = crypto_pk_asn1_decode_private(buf, n, 2048);
+  tt_assert(pk2);
+
+ done:
+  crypto_pk_free(pk1);
+  crypto_pk_free(pk2);
+}
+
 static void
 test_crypto_pk_invalid_private_key(void *arg)
 {
@@ -2998,6 +3021,7 @@ struct testcase_t crypto_tests[] = {
   { "pk_fingerprints", test_crypto_pk_fingerprints, TT_FORK, NULL, NULL },
   { "pk_base64", test_crypto_pk_base64, TT_FORK, NULL, NULL },
   { "pk_pem_encrypted", test_crypto_pk_pem_encrypted, TT_FORK, NULL, NULL },
+  { "pk_bad_size", test_crypto_pk_bad_size, 0, NULL, NULL },
   { "pk_invalid_private_key", test_crypto_pk_invalid_private_key, 0,
     NULL, NULL },
   CRYPTO_LEGACY(digests),