diff --git a/OpenSSL/crypto/netscape_spki.c b/OpenSSL/crypto/netscape_spki.c
index 4fa9d8d..ada5ef6 100644
--- a/OpenSSL/crypto/netscape_spki.c
+++ b/OpenSSL/crypto/netscape_spki.c
@@ -99,6 +99,16 @@
 			  &digest_name))
         return NULL;
 
+    if (pkey->only_public) {
+	PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "Key has only public part");
+	return NULL;
+    }
+
+    if (!pkey->initialized) {
+	PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "Key is uninitialized");
+	return NULL;
+    }
+
     if ((digest = EVP_get_digestbyname(digest_name)) == NULL)
     {
         PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "No such digest method");
@@ -119,7 +129,9 @@
 Verifies a certificate request using the supplied public key\n\
 \n\
 @param key: a public key\n\
-@return: True if the signature is correct, False otherwise.\n\
+@return: True if the signature is correct.\n\
+@raise OpenSSL.crypto.Error: If the signature is invalid or there is a\n\
+    problem verifying the signature.\n\
 ";
 
 PyObject *
@@ -128,11 +140,11 @@
     crypto_PKeyObj *pkey;
     int answer;
 
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O!:verify", &crypto_PKey_Type, &pkey)) 
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O!:verify", &crypto_PKey_Type, &pkey)) {
         return NULL;
+    }
 
-    if ((answer = NETSCAPE_SPKI_verify(self->netscape_spki, pkey->pkey)) < 0)
-    {
+    if ((answer = NETSCAPE_SPKI_verify(self->netscape_spki, pkey->pkey)) <= 0) {
         exception_from_error_queue(crypto_Error);
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -170,6 +182,7 @@
 {
     crypto_PKeyObj *crypto_PKey_New(EVP_PKEY *, int);
     EVP_PKEY *pkey;
+    crypto_PKeyObj *py_pkey;
 
     if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, ":get_pubkey"))
         return NULL;
@@ -180,7 +193,11 @@
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    return (PyObject *)crypto_PKey_New(pkey, 0);
+    py_pkey = crypto_PKey_New(pkey, 1);
+    if (py_pkey != NULL) {
+	py_pkey->only_public = 1;
+    }
+    return (PyObject *)py_pkey;
 }
 
 static char crypto_NetscapeSPKI_set_pubkey_doc[] = "\n\
diff --git a/OpenSSL/test/test_crypto.py b/OpenSSL/test/test_crypto.py
index 168596e..8f4db2c 100644
--- a/OpenSSL/test/test_crypto.py
+++ b/OpenSSL/test/test_crypto.py
@@ -788,6 +788,27 @@
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, request.sign, pub, 'MD5')
 
 
+    def test_sign(self):
+        """
+        L{X509Req.sign} succeeds when passed a private key object and a valid
+        digest function.  C{X509Req.verify} can be used to check the signature.
+        """
+        request = self.signable()
+        key = PKey()
+        key.generate_key(TYPE_RSA, 512)
+        request.set_pubkey(key)
+        request.sign(key, 'MD5')
+        # If the type has a verify method, cover that too.
+        if getattr(request, 'verify', None) is not None:
+            pub = request.get_pubkey()
+            self.assertTrue(request.verify(pub))
+            # Make another key that won't verify.
+            key = PKey()
+            key.generate_key(TYPE_RSA, 512)
+            self.assertRaises(Error, request.verify, key)
+
+
+
 
 class X509ReqTests(TestCase, _PKeyInteractionTestsMixin):
     """
@@ -889,25 +910,6 @@
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, request.add_extensions, [], None)
 
 
-    def test_sign(self):
-        """
-        L{X509Req.sign} succeeds when passed a private key object and a valid
-        digest function.  C{X509Req.verify} can be used to check the signature.
-        """
-        request = self.signable()
-        key = PKey()
-        key.generate_key(TYPE_RSA, 512)
-        request.set_pubkey(key)
-        request.sign(key, 'MD5')
-        pub = request.get_pubkey()
-        self.assertTrue(request.verify(pub))
-
-        # Make another key that won't verify.
-        key = PKey()
-        key.generate_key(TYPE_RSA, 512)
-        self.assertRaises(Error, request.verify, key)
-
-
 
 class X509Tests(TestCase, _PKeyInteractionTestsMixin):
     """
@@ -1968,10 +1970,17 @@
 
 
 
-class NetscapeSPKITests(TestCase):
+class NetscapeSPKITests(TestCase, _PKeyInteractionTestsMixin):
     """
     Tests for L{OpenSSL.crypto.NetscapeSPKI}.
     """
+    def signable(self):
+        """
+        Return a new L{NetscapeSPKI} for use with signing tests.
+        """
+        return NetscapeSPKI()
+
+
     def test_type(self):
         """
         L{NetscapeSPKI} and L{NetscapeSPKIType} refer to the same type object
@@ -1988,6 +1997,7 @@
         nspki = NetscapeSPKI()
         self.assertTrue(isinstance(nspki, NetscapeSPKIType))
 
+
     # XXX sign
     # XXX verify
     # XXX get_pubkey