diff --git a/src/key.js b/src/key.js
index 74786e40..3fc308d0 100644
--- a/src/key.js
+++ b/src/key.js
@@ -916,16 +916,15 @@ function generate(options) {
   if (options.keyType !== enums.publicKey.rsa_encrypt_sign) {
     throw new Error('Only RSA Encrypt or Sign supported');
   }
-  if (!options.passphrase) {
-    throw new Error('Parameter options.passphrase required');
-  }
 
   var packetlist = new packet.List();
 
   var secretKeyPacket = new packet.SecretKey();
   secretKeyPacket.algorithm = enums.read(enums.publicKey, options.keyType);
   secretKeyPacket.generate(options.numBits);
-  secretKeyPacket.encrypt(options.passphrase);
+  if (options.passphrase) {
+    secretKeyPacket.encrypt(options.passphrase);
+  }
 
   var userIdPacket = new packet.Userid();
   userIdPacket.read(options.userId);
@@ -960,7 +959,9 @@ function generate(options) {
   var secretSubkeyPacket = new packet.SecretSubkey();
   secretSubkeyPacket.algorithm = enums.read(enums.publicKey, options.keyType);
   secretSubkeyPacket.generate(options.numBits);
-  secretSubkeyPacket.encrypt(options.passphrase);
+  if (options.passphrase) {
+    secretSubkeyPacket.encrypt(options.passphrase);
+  }
 
   dataToSign = {};
   dataToSign.key = secretKeyPacket;
diff --git a/src/message.js b/src/message.js
index 5fd6ffc8..8adacfb1 100644
--- a/src/message.js
+++ b/src/message.js
@@ -236,16 +236,18 @@ Message.prototype.verify = function(keys) {
     for (var i = 0; i < signatureList.length; i++) {
       keyPacket = key.getKeyPacket([signatureList[i].issuerKeyId]);
       if (keyPacket) {
-        var verifiedSig = {};
-        verifiedSig.keyid = signatureList[i].issuerKeyId;
-        verifiedSig.valid = signatureList[i].verify(keyPacket, literalDataList[0]);
-        result.push(verifiedSig);
         break;
       }
     }
-    if (!keyPacket) {
-      throw new Error('No matching signature found for specified keys.');
+    var verifiedSig = {};
+    if (keyPacket) {
+      verifiedSig.keyid = signatureList[i].issuerKeyId;
+      verifiedSig.valid = signatureList[i].verify(keyPacket, literalDataList[0]);
+    } else {
+      verifiedSig.keyid = key.primaryKey.keyid;
+      verifiedSig.valid = null;
     }
+    result.push(verifiedSig);
   });
   return result;
 };
diff --git a/src/packet/secret_key.js b/src/packet/secret_key.js
index f48a7545..be3cc5aa 100644
--- a/src/packet/secret_key.js
+++ b/src/packet/secret_key.js
@@ -170,10 +170,18 @@ SecretKey.prototype.write = function () {
 
 
 /** Encrypt the payload. By default, we use aes256 and iterated, salted string
- * to key specifier
+ * to key specifier. If the key is in a decrypted state (isDecrypted == true)
+ * and the passphrase is empty or undefined, the key will be set as not encrypted.
+ * This can be used to remove passphrase protection after calling decrypt().
  * @param {String} passphrase
  */
 SecretKey.prototype.encrypt = function (passphrase) {
+  if (this.isDecrypted && !passphrase) {
+    this.encrypted = null;
+    return;
+  } else if (!passphrase) {
+    throw new Error('The key must be decrypted before removing passphrase protection.');
+  }
 
   var s2k = new type_s2k(),
     symmetric = 'aes256',
diff --git a/test/general/basic.js b/test/general/basic.js
index 060b7414..c954b42b 100644
--- a/test/general/basic.js
+++ b/test/general/basic.js
@@ -84,14 +84,11 @@ describe('Basic', function() {
       var anotherKey = openpgp.generateKeyPair({numBits: 512, userId: userid, passphrase: passphrase});
       var anotherPubKey = openpgp.key.readArmored(anotherKey.publicKeyArmored).keys[0];
 
-      var decrypted;
-      try {
-        decrypted = openpgp.decryptAndVerifyMessage(privKey, [anotherPubKey], msg);
-      } catch(e) {
-        expect(e).to.exist;
-        expect(decrypted).to.not.exist;
-        done();
-      }
+      var decrypted = openpgp.decryptAndVerifyMessage(privKey, [anotherPubKey], msg);
+      expect(decrypted).to.exist;
+      expect(decrypted.signatures[0].valid).to.be.null;
+      expect(decrypted.text).to.equal(message);
+      done();
     });
 
     it('Performance test', function (done) {