diff --git a/g10/getkey.c b/g10/getkey.c
index da499cb39..5e8c1c9f5 100644
--- a/g10/getkey.c
+++ b/g10/getkey.c
@@ -1553,13 +1553,19 @@ parse_key_usage(PKT_signature *sig)
 
       if(flags)
 	key_usage |= PUBKEY_USAGE_UNKNOWN;
+
+      if (!key_usage)
+	key_usage |= PUBKEY_USAGE_NONE;
     }
+  else if (p) /* Key flags of length zero.  */
+    key_usage |= PUBKEY_USAGE_NONE;
 
   /* We set PUBKEY_USAGE_UNKNOWN to indicate that this key has a
      capability that we do not handle.  This serves to distinguish
      between a zero key usage which we handle as the default
      capabilities for that algorithm, and a usage that we do not
-     handle. */
+     handle.  Likewise we use PUBKEY_USAGE_NONE to indicate that
+     key_flags have been given but they do not specify any usage.  */
 
   return key_usage;
 }
diff --git a/include/cipher.h b/include/cipher.h
index f5caa8deb..a3774c10a 100644
--- a/include/cipher.h
+++ b/include/cipher.h
@@ -62,9 +62,14 @@
 
 #define PUBKEY_USAGE_SIG     GCRY_PK_USAGE_SIGN  /* Good for signatures. */
 #define PUBKEY_USAGE_ENC     GCRY_PK_USAGE_ENCR  /* Good for encryption. */
-#define PUBKEY_USAGE_CERT    GCRY_PK_USAGE_CERT  /* Also good to certify keys. */
+#define PUBKEY_USAGE_CERT    GCRY_PK_USAGE_CERT  /* Also good to certify keys.*/
 #define PUBKEY_USAGE_AUTH    GCRY_PK_USAGE_AUTH  /* Good for authentication. */
 #define PUBKEY_USAGE_UNKNOWN GCRY_PK_USAGE_UNKN  /* Unknown usage flag. */
+#define PUBKEY_USAGE_NONE    256                 /* No usage given. */
+#if  (GCRY_PK_USAGE_SIGN | GCRY_PK_USAGE_ENCR | GCRY_PK_USAGE_CERT \
+      | GCRY_PK_USAGE_AUTH | GCRY_PK_USAGE_UNKN) >= 256
+# error Please choose another value for PUBKEY_USAGE_NONE
+#endif
 
 #define DIGEST_ALGO_MD5       /*  1 */ GCRY_MD_MD5
 #define DIGEST_ALGO_SHA1      /*  2 */ GCRY_MD_SHA1