diff --git a/apps/pkeyutl.c b/apps/pkeyutl.c
index aaa90740a..014738862 100644
--- a/apps/pkeyutl.c
+++ b/apps/pkeyutl.c
@@ -419,8 +419,13 @@ static EVP_PKEY_CTX *init_ctx(int *pkeysize,
     if (!pkey)
         goto end;
 
-    ctx = EVP_PKEY_CTX_new(pkey, e);
-
+    if ((keyform == FORMAT_ENGINE) && (strncmp(ENGINE_get_name(e),"pkcs11 engine", strlen("pkcs11 engine"))==0)) {
+      fprintf(stderr, "engine name = \"%s\"\n", ENGINE_get_name(e));
+      ctx = EVP_PKEY_CTX_new(pkey, NULL);
+    } else {
+      ctx = EVP_PKEY_CTX_new(pkey, e);
+    }
+    
     EVP_PKEY_free(pkey);
 
     if (!ctx)