diff --git a/g10/export.c b/g10/export.c
index f354ca0f6..86681264d 100644
--- a/g10/export.c
+++ b/g10/export.c
@@ -2208,6 +2208,48 @@ export_ssh_key (ctrl_t ctrl, const char *userid)
               latest_key = node;
             }
         }
+
+      /* If no subkey was suitable check the primary key.  */
+      if (!latest_key
+          && (node = keyblock) && node->pkt->pkttype == PKT_PUBLIC_KEY)
+        {
+          pk = node->pkt->pkt.public_key;
+          if (DBG_LOOKUP)
+            log_debug ("\tchecking primary key %08lX\n",
+                       (ulong) keyid_from_pk (pk, NULL));
+          if (!(pk->pubkey_usage & PUBKEY_USAGE_AUTH))
+            {
+              if (DBG_LOOKUP)
+                log_debug ("\tprimary key not usable for authentication\n");
+            }
+          else if (!pk->flags.valid)
+            {
+              if (DBG_LOOKUP)
+                log_debug ("\tprimary key not valid\n");
+            }
+          else if (pk->flags.revoked)
+            {
+              if (DBG_LOOKUP)
+                log_debug ("\tprimary key has been revoked\n");
+            }
+          else if (pk->has_expired)
+            {
+              if (DBG_LOOKUP)
+                log_debug ("\tprimary key has expired\n");
+            }
+          else if (pk->timestamp > curtime && !opt.ignore_valid_from)
+            {
+              if (DBG_LOOKUP)
+                log_debug ("\tprimary key not yet valid\n");
+            }
+          else
+            {
+              if (DBG_LOOKUP)
+                log_debug ("\tprimary key is fine\n");
+              latest_date = pk->timestamp;
+              latest_key = node;
+            }
+        }
     }
 
   if (!latest_key)
diff --git a/tests/openpgp/samplekeys/README b/tests/openpgp/samplekeys/README
index 29524d512..6f2399fd9 100644
--- a/tests/openpgp/samplekeys/README
+++ b/tests/openpgp/samplekeys/README
@@ -17,3 +17,5 @@ E657FB607BB4F21C90BB6651BC067AF28BC90111.asc Key with subkeys (no protection)
 rsa-rsa-sample-1.asc   RSA+RSA sample key (no passphrase)
 ed25519-cv25519-sample-1.asc  Ed25519+CV25519 sample key (no passphrase)
 silent-running.asc     Collection of sample secret keys (no passphrases)
+rsa-primary-auth-only.pub.asc  rsa2408 primary only, usage: cert,auth
+rsa-primary-auth-only.sec.asc  Ditto but the secret keyblock.
diff --git a/tests/openpgp/samplekeys/rsa-primary-auth-only.pub.asc b/tests/openpgp/samplekeys/rsa-primary-auth-only.pub.asc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f34999e92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/openpgp/samplekeys/rsa-primary-auth-only.pub.asc
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+pub   rsa2048 2017-02-14 [CA]
+      F74B4029E6906D12EBDA8EE3BD7744900FDABC8D
+      Keygrip = AB1BB1843677AF7CC4D6C14444320C3FF4147E98
+uid           [ unknown] ssh://host.example.net
+
+-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
+
+mQENBFiizWgBCACi28riS0AaC7UvXaZfoafEvcXq/MAq6akiowPf3eY4zz5DkBPf
+Ep3kGuDMAFqULvchIt9vpg719Zar/Xldi+UG+/KsDz+TT5k+nP6CwvBHbAXXtISv
+S51TKKnTFpvjcgJc1BMFN0pGf7JnZx1QfRfsZO2BvS4qVzYCWbSS9hlpMq4aIgOc
+ERBMsZYMPnI4ijbXysksecDC91kbJH0q5j8aGir5sDyrDwfVLp0SUAubRFU5gXuZ
+SEv9QmeV7XoXKXzk9KEYy7GUgoAJzabvbF0rVXqd3DE8KFkwK7rKBe8sGC04DWlK
+j/sHJcAfMSqCi/SZyYpO+FSfnB+uJ1BNc05hABEBAAG0FnNzaDovL2hvc3QuZXhh
+bXBsZS5uZXSJAU4EEwEIADgWIQT3S0Ap5pBtEuvajuO9d0SQD9q8jQUCWKLNaAIb
+IQULCQgHAgYVCAkKCwIEFgIDAQIeAQIXgAAKCRC9d0SQD9q8jZBrB/41MJWUeclV
+tM60+ydPNgUJwyRXpKdLIm/AtM1zOijlFkwsaMmzbFSFJJX98HGASHdU5OpL2Lv3
+1NNDNMbUuFumApVrLzJUBugFRb+8/uY7H3Z0/YKQ9g9OC3z7+uqFFv/+/wA+VdYX
+Zy6uim8E4OlJ41S68fQcMiTxbLTCDkvBbpf505t6JhNqF6JB+SBFQJXvRqjoydXf
+dyoiDz9N1V0ERzmGEiPewvHg2zWcVia07NGhxN3slQ3klOfYJQ8Ye72feNq1zKCy
+AyU3X8fL10XKWooCAU+t4hR5hXYxYTSZse5q0FHZ38Lt9c3ApMSZ2+ueeOtGbsH9
+kV8icGkI6KXp
+=zMXp
+-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
diff --git a/tests/openpgp/samplekeys/rsa-primary-auth-only.sec.asc b/tests/openpgp/samplekeys/rsa-primary-auth-only.sec.asc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9d72421d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/openpgp/samplekeys/rsa-primary-auth-only.sec.asc
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+sec   rsa2048 2017-02-14 [CA]
+      F74B4029E6906D12EBDA8EE3BD7744900FDABC8D
+      Keygrip = AB1BB1843677AF7CC4D6C14444320C3FF4147E98
+uid           [ unknown] ssh://host.example.net
+
+Passprase: none
+
+-----BEGIN PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----
+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+=3QG9
+-----END PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----