diff --git a/doc/api/crypto.markdown b/doc/api/crypto.markdown
index b6834d0a945979..e93fc1b0b62b30 100644
--- a/doc/api/crypto.markdown
+++ b/doc/api/crypto.markdown
@@ -678,10 +678,13 @@ Encrypts `buffer` with `public_key`. Only RSA is currently supported.
 
 `public_key` can be an object or a string. If `public_key` is a string, it is
 treated as the key with no passphrase and will use `RSA_PKCS1_OAEP_PADDING`.
+Since RSA public keys may be derived from private keys you may pass a private
+key to this method.
 
 `public_key`:
 
 * `key` : A string holding the PEM encoded private key
+* `passphrase` : An optional string of passphrase for the private key
 * `padding` : An optional padding value, one of the following:
   * `constants.RSA_NO_PADDING`
   * `constants.RSA_PKCS1_PADDING`
diff --git a/lib/crypto.js b/lib/crypto.js
index f8efffda483ec7..84517f7397b248 100644
--- a/lib/crypto.js
+++ b/lib/crypto.js
@@ -336,16 +336,17 @@ Verify.prototype.verify = function(object, signature, sigEncoding) {
   return this._handle.verify(toBuf(object), toBuf(signature, sigEncoding));
 };
 
-function rsaPublic(method, defaultPadding) {
-  return function(options, buffer) {
+function makeRsaPublic(method, defaultPadding) {
+  return function rsaPublic(options, buffer) {
     var key = options.key || options;
     var padding = options.padding || defaultPadding;
-    return method(toBuf(key), buffer, padding);
+    var passphrase = options.passphrase || null;
+    return method(toBuf(key), buffer, padding, passphrase);
   };
 }
 
-function rsaPrivate(method, defaultPadding) {
-  return function(options, buffer) {
+function makeRsaPrivate(method, defaultPadding) {
+  return function rsaPrivate(options, buffer) {
     var key = options.key || options;
     var passphrase = options.passphrase || null;
     var padding = options.padding || defaultPadding;
@@ -353,14 +354,14 @@ function rsaPrivate(method, defaultPadding) {
   };
 }
 
-exports.publicEncrypt = rsaPublic(binding.publicEncrypt,
-                                  constants.RSA_PKCS1_OAEP_PADDING);
-exports.publicDecrypt = rsaPublic(binding.publicDecrypt,
-                                  constants.RSA_PKCS1_PADDING);
-exports.privateEncrypt = rsaPrivate(binding.privateEncrypt,
-                                    constants.RSA_PKCS1_PADDING);
-exports.privateDecrypt = rsaPrivate(binding.privateDecrypt,
-                                    constants.RSA_PKCS1_OAEP_PADDING);
+exports.publicEncrypt = makeRsaPublic(binding.publicEncrypt,
+                                      constants.RSA_PKCS1_OAEP_PADDING);
+exports.publicDecrypt = makeRsaPublic(binding.publicDecrypt,
+                                      constants.RSA_PKCS1_PADDING);
+exports.privateEncrypt = makeRsaPrivate(binding.privateEncrypt,
+                                        constants.RSA_PKCS1_PADDING);
+exports.privateDecrypt = makeRsaPrivate(binding.privateDecrypt,
+                                        constants.RSA_PKCS1_OAEP_PADDING);
 
 
 exports.createDiffieHellman = exports.DiffieHellman = DiffieHellman;
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto.js
index 8198a6c9d601de..f5001fd24a0345 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-crypto.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-crypto.js
@@ -831,6 +831,28 @@ assert.equal(bad_dh.verifyError, constants.DH_NOT_SUITABLE_GENERATOR);
   }, encryptedBuffer);
   assert.equal(input, decryptedBufferWithPassword.toString());
 
+  encryptedBuffer = crypto.publicEncrypt({
+    key: rsaKeyPemEncrypted,
+    passphrase: 'password'
+  }, bufferToEncrypt);
+
+  decryptedBufferWithPassword = crypto.privateDecrypt({
+    key: rsaKeyPemEncrypted,
+    passphrase: 'password'
+  }, encryptedBuffer);
+  assert.equal(input, decryptedBufferWithPassword.toString());
+
+  encryptedBuffer = crypto.privateEncrypt({
+    key: rsaKeyPemEncrypted,
+    passphrase: new Buffer('password')
+  }, bufferToEncrypt);
+
+  decryptedBufferWithPassword = crypto.publicDecrypt({
+    key: rsaKeyPemEncrypted,
+    passphrase: new Buffer('password')
+  }, encryptedBuffer);
+  assert.equal(input, decryptedBufferWithPassword.toString());
+
   encryptedBuffer = crypto.publicEncrypt(certPem, bufferToEncrypt);
 
   decryptedBuffer = crypto.privateDecrypt(keyPem, encryptedBuffer);
@@ -850,6 +872,25 @@ assert.equal(bad_dh.verifyError, constants.DH_NOT_SUITABLE_GENERATOR);
     crypto.privateDecrypt({
       key: rsaKeyPemEncrypted,
       passphrase: 'wrong'
+    }, bufferToEncrypt);
+  });
+
+  assert.throws(function() {
+    crypto.publicEncrypt({
+      key: rsaKeyPemEncrypted,
+      passphrase: 'wrong'
+    }, encryptedBuffer);
+  });
+
+  assert.throws(function() {
+    encryptedBuffer = crypto.privateEncrypt({
+      key: rsaKeyPemEncrypted,
+      passphrase: new Buffer('password')
+    }, bufferToEncrypt);
+    
+    crypto.publicDecrypt({
+      key: rsaKeyPemEncrypted,
+      passphrase: [].concat.apply([], new Buffer('password'))
     }, encryptedBuffer);
   });
 })();