diff --git a/OpenSSL/crypto/pkey.c b/OpenSSL/crypto/pkey.c
index 7d5c6a8..f037fd4 100644
--- a/OpenSSL/crypto/pkey.c
+++ b/OpenSSL/crypto/pkey.c
@@ -112,7 +112,10 @@
 \n\
 Arguments: self - The PKey object\n\
            args - The Python argument tuple, should be empty\n\
-Returns: True if key is consistent.  False if not.\n\
+Returns: True if key is consistent.\n\
+Raises: Error if the key is inconsistent.\n\
+        TypeError if the key is of a type which cannot be checked.  Only RSA\n\
+        keys can currently be checked.\n\
 ";
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -127,10 +130,11 @@
         RSA *rsa;
         rsa = EVP_PKEY_get1_RSA(self->pkey);
         r = RSA_check_key(rsa);
-        if (r == 1)
+        if (r == 1) {
             return PyBool_FromLong(1L);
-        else
-            return PyBool_FromLong(0L);
+        } else {
+            FAIL();
+        }
     } else {
         PyErr_SetString( PyExc_TypeError, "key type unsupported");
         return NULL;
diff --git a/OpenSSL/test/test_crypto.py b/OpenSSL/test/test_crypto.py
index a22ad12..cda0137 100644
--- a/OpenSSL/test/test_crypto.py
+++ b/OpenSSL/test/test_crypto.py
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@
         L{PKeyType.check} returns C{False} if the key is not consistent.
         """
         key = load_privatekey(FILETYPE_PEM, inconsistentPrivateKeyPEM)
-        self.assertFalse(key.check())
+        self.assertRaises(Error, key.check)
 
 
 class X509NameTests(TestCase):