diff --git a/src/rnp/rnp.cpp b/src/rnp/rnp.cpp
index 40a57b611..7e05d3197 100644
--- a/src/rnp/rnp.cpp
+++ b/src/rnp/rnp.cpp
@@ -276,10 +276,16 @@ setcmd(rnp_cfg_t *cfg, int cmd, const char *arg)
     switch (cmd) {
     case CMD_ENCRYPT:
         rnp_cfg_setbool(cfg, CFG_ENCRYPT_PK, true);
+        if (rnp_cfg_getbool(cfg, CFG_ENCRYPT_SK)) {
+            rnp_cfg_setint(cfg, CFG_KEYSTORE_DISABLED, 0);
+        }
         newcmd = CMD_PROTECT;
         break;
     case CMD_SYM_ENCRYPT:
         rnp_cfg_setbool(cfg, CFG_ENCRYPT_SK, true);
+        if (!rnp_cfg_getbool(cfg, CFG_ENCRYPT_PK) && !rnp_cfg_getbool(cfg, CFG_SIGN_NEEDED)) {
+            rnp_cfg_setint(cfg, CFG_KEYSTORE_DISABLED, 1);
+        }
         newcmd = CMD_PROTECT;
         break;
     case CMD_CLEARSIGN:
@@ -288,6 +294,9 @@ setcmd(rnp_cfg_t *cfg, int cmd, const char *arg)
     case CMD_SIGN:
         rnp_cfg_setbool(cfg, CFG_NEEDSSECKEY, true);
         rnp_cfg_setbool(cfg, CFG_SIGN_NEEDED, true);
+        if (rnp_cfg_getbool(cfg, CFG_ENCRYPT_SK)) {
+            rnp_cfg_setint(cfg, CFG_KEYSTORE_DISABLED, 0);
+        }
         newcmd = CMD_PROTECT;
         break;
     case CMD_DECRYPT:
diff --git a/src/tests/cli_tests.py b/src/tests/cli_tests.py
index 86f6919d1..f41418449 100755
--- a/src/tests/cli_tests.py
+++ b/src/tests/cli_tests.py
@@ -1449,6 +1449,31 @@ def test_debug_log(self):
         run_proc(RNPK, ['--homedir', data_path('test_stream_key_load/g10'), '--list-keys', '--debug', '--all'])
         return
 
+    def test_pubring_loading(self):
+        test_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix='rnpctmp')
+        test_data = data_path('test_messages/message.txt')
+        output = path.join(test_dir, 'output')
+        params = ['--symmetric', '--password', 'pass', '--homedir', test_dir, test_data, '--output', output]
+        
+        ret, _, err = run_proc(RNP, ['--encrypt'] + params)
+        if not (ret == 2 and 'wrong pubring path' in err):
+            raise_err("encrypt w/o pubring didn't fail", err)
+
+        ret, _, err = run_proc(RNP, ['--sign'] + params)
+        if not (ret == 2 and 'wrong pubring path' in err):
+            raise_err("sign w/o pubring didn't fail", err)
+
+        ret, _, err = run_proc(RNP, ['--clearsign'] + params)
+        if not (ret == 2 and 'wrong pubring path' in err):
+            raise_err("clearsign w/o pubring didn't fail", err)
+
+        ret, _, err = run_proc(RNP, params)
+        if ret != 0:
+            raise_err("symmetric w/o pubring failed", err)
+
+        shutil.rmtree(test_dir)
+
+
 class Encryption(unittest.TestCase):
     '''
         Things to try later: