diff --git a/src/key/key.js b/src/key/key.js
index f0082fe1..91b59aa3 100644
--- a/src/key/key.js
+++ b/src/key/key.js
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ class Key {
     this.users = [];
     this.subKeys = [];
     this.packetlist2structure(packetlist);
-    if (!this.keyPacket || !this.users.length) {
-      throw new Error('Invalid key: need at least key and user ID packet');
+    if (!this.keyPacket) {
+      throw new Error('Invalid key: need at least key packet');
     }
   }
 
@@ -545,11 +545,6 @@ class Key {
     if (await this.isRevoked(null, null, date)) {
       throw new Error('Primary key is revoked');
     }
-    // check for at least one self signature. Self signature of user ID not mandatory
-    // See {@link https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4880#section-11.1}
-    if (!this.users.some(user => user.userId && user.selfCertifications.length)) {
-      throw new Error('No self-certifications');
-    }
     // check for valid, unrevoked, unexpired self signature
     const { selfCertification } = await this.getPrimaryUser(date, userId);
     // check for expiration time
diff --git a/test/general/key.js b/test/general/key.js
index c3e8b1b8..e675623e 100644
--- a/test/general/key.js
+++ b/test/general/key.js
@@ -1916,6 +1916,60 @@ vqBGKJzmO5q3cECw
 =X9kJ
 -----END PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----`;
 
+const uidlessKey = `-----BEGIN PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----
+
+xcMFBF8/lc8BCACwwWWyNdfZ9Qjz8zc4sFGNfHXITscT7WCMuXgC2BbFwiSD
+52+Z6fIKaaMFP07MOy8g3PsrW8rrM6j9ew4fh6Kr6taD5JtZfWEWxSnmfl8T
+MqbfcGklJZDyqbSlRBHh53ea4fZe/wCiaL2qhME9Pa7M+w/AiCT1LuXUBiKp
+oCLVn1PFf760vdsz5CD+kpzBIZ45P6zZxnR/P6zLsKjr5nERlIDZ1gWtctx9
+9ZEEVBrgnEE4dBIT1W/M/XbEwsKn1HGOyTBvzeEfM863uW0V9HKmjilbMF2P
+fJ583t1HzuhA7IewcgX/VGC4QKMnukUpRhJQPlcVFSy0zjD9zQYIh437ABEB
+AAH+CQMIblUClAvPYEvgLJlwFM3vC1LLOtMvegEdpUDVA0rpZLASe9RoyEbB
+PGue+yaxxu06N20fsqIxaBh3+uU2ZVfcEre/5XNCj6QxHzqSbclMyHUyVHlv
+/G308yKMyjvwj3mx1hNY5frDb7Pop4ZSftpx1R3tXU1DC1DGy+3Whp41BKAF
+ahSQ5oK2VjUFqdoej6p46vt0pt9JOsX7T2eX7Z7TcPoJPNZ0rBDYJDV4RVYk
+tdgA2P4mfbjHZOquexzRgGY9Pn7X/NciUrbmfA6sxyR21aG0xAXMk91bwPDs
+SEEj7ikpIlt7F87yafzwS4JFPzuhhGpZjK1f6t24fAAmufKCdt+IEV4EgkBI
+QWrfUUAXytHIPFyP3z4gcIitmx10DqArxhHeR0sKjtAjOKrMP0qBiQAG6cH+
+y4CdRiBiuEDTazgePzIDJMgIjmWH/hxl5puoEKkQAR9kiiU0bDtphSAQ5GXw
+c/1WhYacYWJytUM+uUWMFAdryd93YmRew1kYxqdZn5AywzOOAbTWD6Q2GME5
+0o0Adfw4CopT2VxsbRq4X74DPtXnReyFGd0167IV3Y8HToHyM4gJxxMVXF3G
+TNW7CSq2L53kklynLtBnAuJKwunR8my7Sm+CX/errsXpq/u3QGZDeHlAh8ul
+rHeqOTZwEqGHxHb1FcQJ+1QQohrwJp2hHKXxgZyGQH8ykTZyNpPAiqkhcl9O
+DJdxq4Ke6wistyzF/sRGRcaXaLHZ8dKS8TIjjzGuMWMaZtBO+6EqIE5JgEHe
+t+SdnMeEZ9kDtWx2+eTb/j5IFuIPlWjRNndad3qpw17wvLufSUs06Pjd5O7q
+3k38hvPHNpCyWWsLnddnCGJZwH5uXCsfKqrO1JkY+0gJISxQ0ZNvMCki2tpZ
+k3ByPEnFoT4c6f8eJMQhODqC8Do9xrTHwwYEXz+VzwEIAKp98eVpCy1lIu26
+HdR5CYlQ5aVhqOVPlk1gWqwQwBBOykj3t3nJtA2tS/qgSgbNtk1bf7KSPUKI
+E8vBGZ/uHCtC9B19ytZxHI51TQtTJgbOkuRkq7KizB+ZZ1TPwrb4HyDxtw4L
+K6kBA0vhvOZeWh4XD7CPSjN457eCaKjnaD6HuvvTin4EVJ9G6B9Ioi6Oyi98
+PB0JA3dpPY4cx/3eggx18cAPeZwiO7vIy0VHtq/G8Obf2Tzowmz1vsgTm+fV
+piZ8lQlQkNBn5Z9/mayZ4bMA1EGaQGzfzS+r4AYP+/UxXRCMlwZ3lt7YYnKI
+5lIZX73TwXzuMwFqGEevIJzD9YkAEQEAAf4JAwhHFiWWy6b0muDxhFu5N7oX
+lhSfbD+RSvezCU8xpDHbkvoOZRC21bKJ1jmkvbC/KKAlxNz5UYJ/OFtffAok
+f0aTlkrNvPxN9apqDgwvsjzC10//3b9BzHjds2rrpGHKjzyapAVkEl0PGWCR
+VPdfjC/f5t7GMzOsSNmTqHVS+aCX8aA48BKkjDjFOUjpLGSqVPxoMTe0gUpa
+NxgJhIb5RZ+6JjbmWooZ4nw/GroUGYfupRr4TG3TYVVGXCHN+/CEClyhJDCm
+sqc1ZhdarNINGVndzz/i5sBbuNMnph6j6Mh72duseSEiOxYZ0iOrwNosC0NS
+qDHA+jBHyP405U8N6V1EBKf3Z+C3+vqSxiR37JkwWcaXEDoJm4oNSI6yA1aa
+8QJIcUMEapfoCmA0alKzLvng5wLCEC82MvPMezkF1O6vBXCMBJs9lEGg/61K
+wkiIpz2FEdulWe7Hca66KTIHWLcd0X1mF7L7XK25UW7+1CrX0cqMEhXi1wGS
+SbqKIVA5bEbwNo1VgENgF0NnsR7Q8H+94k0lems8vw4xS98ogVqFdGTmGF0t
+ijE4yf4M9jt7LYWGfru2DDVIHf+K7L+DuOqcjBVXVIy0x+NDSYBnLgIYujsF
+5tMv33SfE17F/CHJDAujY5yTxuXDdzMmxYahsg6vx/fbXZVwm2RFpxCzI6pV
+E/YWhOFMknNHVpiqvQ91Y7nOJlHQAe9RmsGcxng0bwsE1J277JozUr5PNXA9
+ZDPVG7/3nHnUnNwnXupHAsiYW4aN/uFUXg5CoArXvj2SHjWQSBMwWDQK9jC5
+YVzi15D9Jt3xYDXpDbSEf8N+d8C31Jx3QedDi/ei5xs/9CJ+DqbBxRUW04jj
+r8mew9pM2+gpDS5DoNLSBJ1vn3OIRLnCudmSJBHs3NMh85qF07bc1+sAozpZ
+vM7CwF8EGAEIAAkFAl8/lc8CGwwACgkQKBMN0dHENohRNAf/Z5G5pySJe4tk
+G1pGQOLjZms08e1KGQlbRtZR8WN2ySCe3Pyla/R3KQRJBQS6V926GKnvsOZC
+3CWVKHDcn1Rx2uV3GH8VWOHfT+EjQI7zCoQAppVEX4uJ4BCxP5Z9CgSxL8zH
+31AHwLEtCqDfeZf8dttihfafyAUFKCCrN5R6cP2AtUlRDE1XRdTJ8zRk4mRX
+81r0vXC1Xfs1zBy3YnDIJVJcEro9v7yOn/5WBtQT/jnBvJZ/gBieolgXUrRb
+V5PJ0lZPFfMdYjjYR+i7j3+/j59kd1Wuz+6I572J+j4lWlPIvGk2V+rzzHqK
+CciXuhqnLwoVF5/uXMYffVtfl/OU+w==
+=EqcV
+-----END PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----`;
 
 const rsaSignOnly = `-----BEGIN PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----
 
@@ -3214,6 +3268,14 @@ VYGdb3eNlV8CfoEC
     await expect(openpgp.encrypt({ message: openpgp.message.fromText('hello'), publicKeys: publicKey, privateKeys: privateKey, toUserIds: { name: 'Test User', email: 'c@c.com' }, armor: false })).to.be.rejectedWith('Could not find user that matches that user ID');
   });
 
+  it('Fails to encrypt to User ID-less key', async function() {
+    const publicKey = await openpgp.key.readArmored(uidlessKey);
+    expect(publicKey.users.length).to.equal(0);
+    const privateKey = await openpgp.key.readArmored(uidlessKey);
+    await privateKey.decrypt('correct horse battery staple');
+    await expect(openpgp.encrypt({ message: openpgp.message.fromText('hello'), publicKeys: publicKey, privateKeys: privateKey, armor: false })).to.be.rejectedWith('Could not find primary user');
+  });
+
   it('Sign - specific user', async function() {
     const publicKey = await openpgp.key.readArmored(multi_uid_key);
     const privateKey = await openpgp.key.readArmored(priv_key_rsa);