diff --git a/crypto/key.go b/crypto/key.go
index 8a76107..a02f01a 100644
--- a/crypto/key.go
+++ b/crypto/key.go
@@ -114,13 +114,15 @@ func (key *Key) Lock(passphrase []byte) (*Key, error) {
 		return lockedKey, nil
 	}
 
-	err = lockedKey.entity.PrivateKey.Encrypt(passphrase)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "gopenpgp: error in locking key")
+	if lockedKey.entity.PrivateKey != nil && !lockedKey.entity.PrivateKey.Dummy() {
+		err = lockedKey.entity.PrivateKey.Encrypt(passphrase)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "gopenpgp: error in locking key")
+		}
 	}
 
 	for _, sub := range lockedKey.entity.Subkeys {
-		if sub.PrivateKey != nil {
+		if sub.PrivateKey != nil && !sub.PrivateKey.Dummy() {
 			if err := sub.PrivateKey.Encrypt(passphrase); err != nil {
 				return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "gopenpgp: error in locking sub key")
 			}
@@ -157,9 +159,11 @@ func (key *Key) Unlock(passphrase []byte) (*Key, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	err = unlockedKey.entity.PrivateKey.Decrypt(passphrase)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "gopenpgp: error in unlocking key")
+	if unlockedKey.entity.PrivateKey != nil && !unlockedKey.entity.PrivateKey.Dummy() {
+		err = unlockedKey.entity.PrivateKey.Decrypt(passphrase)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "gopenpgp: error in unlocking key")
+		}
 	}
 
 	for _, sub := range unlockedKey.entity.Subkeys {
diff --git a/crypto/message_test.go b/crypto/message_test.go
index c0de997..392e2c0 100644
--- a/crypto/message_test.go
+++ b/crypto/message_test.go
@@ -214,6 +214,54 @@ func TestIssue11(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Exactly(t, "message from sender", plainMessage.GetString())
 }
 
+
+func TestDummy(t *testing.T) {
+	pgp.latestServerTime = 1636644417
+	defer func() { pgp.latestServerTime = testTime }()
+
+	dummyKey, err := NewKeyFromArmored(readTestFile("key_dummy", false))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("Expected no error while unarmoring public keyring, got:", err)
+	}
+
+	unlockedDummyKey, err := dummyKey.Unlock([]byte("golang"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("Expected no error while unlocking private key, got:", err)
+	}
+
+	_, err = unlockedDummyKey.Lock([]byte("golang"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("Expected no error while unlocking private key, got:", err)
+	}
+
+	dummyKeyRing, err := NewKeyRing(unlockedDummyKey)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("Expected no error while building private keyring, got:", err)
+	}
+
+	var message = NewPlainMessageFromString(
+		"The secret code is... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. I repeat: the secret code is... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5",
+	)
+
+	ciphertext, err := dummyKeyRing.Encrypt(message, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("Expected no error when encrypting, got:", err)
+	}
+
+	split, err := ciphertext.SeparateKeyAndData(1024, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("Expected no error when splitting, got:", err)
+	}
+
+	assert.Len(t, split.GetBinaryDataPacket(), 133) // Assert uncompressed encrypted body length
+
+	decrypted, err := dummyKeyRing.Decrypt(ciphertext, nil, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("Expected no error when decrypting, got:", err)
+	}
+	assert.Exactly(t, message.GetString(), decrypted.GetString())
+}
+
 func TestSignedMessageDecryption(t *testing.T) {
 	pgpMessage, err := NewPGPMessageFromArmored(readTestFile("message_signed", false))
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/crypto/testdata/key_dummy b/crypto/testdata/key_dummy
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e3fa805
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crypto/testdata/key_dummy
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+-----BEGIN PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----
+
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+XGP4suk8zJsKrEscczTb
+=HRg1
+-----END PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----