diff --git a/g10/getkey.c b/g10/getkey.c
index 47c7cab7d..bc2923ac7 100644
--- a/g10/getkey.c
+++ b/g10/getkey.c
@@ -4022,6 +4022,26 @@ release_akl (void)
     }
 }
 
+
+/* Returns true if the AKL is empty or has only the local method
+ * active.  */
+int
+akl_empty_or_only_local (void)
+{
+  struct akl *akl;
+  int any = 0;
+
+  for (akl = opt.auto_key_locate; akl; akl = akl->next)
+    if (akl->type != AKL_NODEFAULT && akl->type != AKL_LOCAL)
+      {
+        any = 1;
+        break;
+      }
+
+  return !any;
+}
+
+
 /* Returns false on error. */
 int
 parse_auto_key_locate (const char *options_arg)
diff --git a/g10/gpg.c b/g10/gpg.c
index dc70a130b..4295f708a 100644
--- a/g10/gpg.c
+++ b/g10/gpg.c
@@ -950,6 +950,9 @@ static struct debug_flags_s debug_flags [] =
 #define ALWAYS_ADD_KEYRINGS 0
 #endif
 
+/* The list of the default AKL methods.  */
+#define DEFAULT_AKL_LIST "local,wkd"
+
 
 int g10_errors_seen = 0;
 
@@ -2484,7 +2487,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 
     /* Set default options which require that malloc stuff is ready.  */
     additional_weak_digest ("MD5");
-    parse_auto_key_locate ("local,wkd");
+    parse_auto_key_locate (DEFAULT_AKL_LIST);
 
     /* Try for a version specific config file first */
     default_configname = get_default_configname ();
@@ -4444,7 +4447,17 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 	sl = NULL;
 	for (; argc; argc--, argv++)
           add_to_strlist2( &sl, *argv, utf8_strings );
+        if (cmd == aLocateExtKeys && akl_empty_or_only_local ())
+          {
+            /* This is a kludge to let --locate-external-keys even
+             * work if the config file has --no-auto-key-locate.  This
+             * better matches the expectations of the user.  */
+            release_akl ();
+            parse_auto_key_locate (DEFAULT_AKL_LIST);
+          }
 	public_key_list (ctrl, sl, 1, cmd == aLocateExtKeys);
+
+
 	free_strlist (sl);
 	break;
 
diff --git a/g10/keydb.h b/g10/keydb.h
index a0ac12fd1..8d956b264 100644
--- a/g10/keydb.h
+++ b/g10/keydb.h
@@ -449,6 +449,7 @@ char *get_user_id_byfpr (ctrl_t ctrl, const byte *fpr, size_t *rn);
 char *get_user_id_byfpr_native (ctrl_t ctrl, const byte *fpr);
 
 void release_akl(void);
+int akl_empty_or_only_local (void);
 int parse_auto_key_locate(const char *options);
 int parse_key_origin (char *string);
 const char *key_origin_string (int origin);