diff --git a/cryptography/hazmat/backends/openssl/backend.py b/cryptography/hazmat/backends/openssl/backend.py
index 01e6128..333bef0 100644
--- a/cryptography/hazmat/backends/openssl/backend.py
+++ b/cryptography/hazmat/backends/openssl/backend.py
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@
 )
 from cryptography.hazmat.backends.interfaces import (
     CMACBackend, CipherBackend, DSABackend, EllipticCurveBackend, HMACBackend,
-    HashBackend, PBKDF2HMACBackend, PKCS8SerializationBackend, RSABackend,
+    HashBackend, PBKDF2HMACBackend, PEMSerializationBackend,
+    PKCS8SerializationBackend, RSABackend,
     TraditionalOpenSSLSerializationBackend
 )
 from cryptography.hazmat.backends.openssl.ciphers import (
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@
 @utils.register_interface(PKCS8SerializationBackend)
 @utils.register_interface(RSABackend)
 @utils.register_interface(TraditionalOpenSSLSerializationBackend)
+@utils.register_interface(PEMSerializationBackend)
 class Backend(object):
     """
     OpenSSL API binding interfaces.
@@ -770,12 +772,7 @@
     def create_cmac_ctx(self, algorithm):
         return _CMACContext(self, algorithm)
 
-    def load_traditional_openssl_pem_private_key(self, data, password):
-        # OpenSSLs API for loading PKCS#8 certs can also load the traditional
-        # format so we just use that for both of them.
-        return self.load_pkcs8_pem_private_key(data, password)
-
-    def load_pkcs8_pem_private_key(self, data, password):
+    def load_pem_private_key(self, data, password):
         return self._load_key(
             self._lib.PEM_read_bio_PrivateKey,
             self._evp_pkey_to_private_key,
@@ -783,6 +780,9 @@
             password,
         )
 
+    load_traditional_openssl_pem_private_key = load_pkcs8_pem_private_key = \
+        load_pem_private_key
+
     def _load_key(self, openssl_read_func, convert_func, data, password):
         mem_bio = self._bytes_to_bio(data)
 
diff --git a/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/serialization.py b/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/serialization.py
index 55b8640..cf1ca8e 100644
--- a/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/serialization.py
+++ b/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/serialization.py
@@ -13,12 +13,34 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
 
+import warnings
+
+from cryptography import utils
+
 
 def load_pem_traditional_openssl_private_key(data, password, backend):
+    warnings.warn(
+        "load_pem_traditional_openssl_private_key is deprecated and will be "
+        "removed in a future version, use load_pem_private_key instead.",
+        utils.DeprecatedIn06,
+        stacklevel=2
+    )
+
     return backend.load_traditional_openssl_pem_private_key(
         data, password
     )
 
 
 def load_pem_pkcs8_private_key(data, password, backend):
+    warnings.warn(
+        "load_pem_pkcs8_private_key is deprecated and will be removed in a "
+        "future version, use load_pem_private_key instead.",
+        utils.DeprecatedIn06,
+        stacklevel=2
+    )
+
     return backend.load_pkcs8_pem_private_key(data, password)
+
+
+def load_pem_private_key(data, password, backend):
+    return backend.load_pem_private_key(data, password)
diff --git a/docs/hazmat/primitives/asymmetric/serialization.rst b/docs/hazmat/primitives/asymmetric/serialization.rst
index 5438c24..e18f8c8 100644
--- a/docs/hazmat/primitives/asymmetric/serialization.rst
+++ b/docs/hazmat/primitives/asymmetric/serialization.rst
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@
 
         >>> from cryptography.hazmat.backends import default_backend
         >>> from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import interfaces
-        >>> from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.serialization import load_pem_pkcs8_private_key
-        >>> key = load_pem_pkcs8_private_key(pem_data, password=None, backend=default_backend())
+        >>> from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.serialization import load_pem_private_key
+        >>> key = load_pem_private_key(pem_data, password=None, backend=default_backend())
         >>> if isinstance(key, interfaces.RSAPrivateKey):
         ...     signature = sign_with_rsa_key(key, message)
         ... elif isinstance(key, interfaces.DSAPrivateKey):
@@ -54,6 +54,43 @@
         ... else:
         ...     raise TypeError
 
+PEM
+~~~
+
+PEM is an encapsulation format, meaning keys in it can actually be any one of
+several formats, however these are all self-identifying, so you don't need to
+worry about this detail. PEM keys are recognizable because they all begin with
+``-----BEGIN {format}-----`` and end with ``-----END {format}-----``.
+
+.. function:: load_pem_private_key(data, password, backend):
+
+    .. versionadded:: 0.6
+
+    Deserialize a private key from PEM encoded data to one of the supported
+    asymmetric private key types.
+
+    :param bytes data: The PEM encoded key data.
+
+    :param bytes password: The password to use to decrypt the data. Should
+        be ``None`` if the private key is not encrypted.
+
+    :param backend: A
+        :class:`~cryptography.hazmat.backends.interfaces.PKCS8SerializationBackend`
+        provider.
+
+    :returns: A new instance of a private key.
+
+    :raises ValueError: If the PEM data could not be decrypted or if its
+        structure could not be decoded successfully.
+
+    :raises TypeError: If a ``password`` was given and the private key was
+        not encrypted. Or if the key was encrypted but no
+        password was supplied.
+
+    :raises UnsupportedAlgorithm: If the serialized key is of a type that
+        is not supported by the backend or if the key is encrypted with a
+        symmetric cipher that is not supported by the backend.
+
 
 PKCS #8 Format
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@@ -72,6 +109,8 @@
     Deserialize a private key from PEM encoded data to one of the supported
     asymmetric private key types.
 
+    This has been deprecated in favor of :func:`load_pem_private_key`.
+
     :param bytes data: The PEM encoded key data.
 
     :param bytes password: The password to use to decrypt the data. Should
@@ -111,6 +150,8 @@
     Deserialize a private key from PEM encoded data to one of the supported
     asymmetric private key types.
 
+    This has been deprecated in favor of :func:`load_pem_private_key`.
+
     :param bytes data: The PEM encoded key data.
 
     :param bytes password: The password to use to decrypt the data. Should
diff --git a/tests/hazmat/primitives/test_serialization.py b/tests/hazmat/primitives/test_serialization.py
index 30ac4f3..e960878 100644
--- a/tests/hazmat/primitives/test_serialization.py
+++ b/tests/hazmat/primitives/test_serialization.py
@@ -22,15 +22,33 @@
 from cryptography.exceptions import _Reasons
 from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import interfaces
 from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.serialization import (
-    load_pem_pkcs8_private_key, load_pem_traditional_openssl_private_key
+    load_pem_private_key, load_pem_pkcs8_private_key,
+    load_pem_traditional_openssl_private_key
 )
 
 from .utils import _check_rsa_private_numbers, load_vectors_from_file
 from ...utils import raises_unsupported_algorithm
 
 
+@pytest.mark.pem_serialization
+class TestPEMSerialization(object):
+    def test_load_pem_rsa_private_key(self, backend):
+        key = load_vectors_from_file(
+            os.path.join(
+                "asymmetric", "Traditional_OpenSSL_Serialization", "key1.pem"),
+            lambda pemfile: load_pem_private_key(
+                pemfile.read().encode(), b"123456", backend
+            )
+        )
+
+        assert key
+        assert isinstance(key, interfaces.RSAPrivateKey)
+        if isinstance(key, interfaces.RSAPrivateKeyWithNumbers):
+            _check_rsa_private_numbers(key.private_numbers())
+
+
 @pytest.mark.traditional_openssl_serialization
-class TestTraditionalOpenSSLSerialisation(object):
+class TestTraditionalOpenSSLSerialization(object):
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(
         ("key_file", "password"),
         [
@@ -252,7 +270,7 @@
 
 
 @pytest.mark.pkcs8_serialization
-class TestPKCS8Serialisation(object):
+class TestPKCS8Serialization(object):
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(
         ("key_file", "password"),
         [