diff --git a/include/libssh/pki.h b/include/libssh/pki.h
index f7ce4ccb..182079f2 100644
--- a/include/libssh/pki.h
+++ b/include/libssh/pki.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ ssh_string ssh_pki_do_sign(ssh_session session, ssh_buffer sigbuf,
 
 /* temporary functions, to be removed after migration to ssh_key */
 ssh_public_key ssh_pki_convert_key_to_publickey(ssh_key key);
+ssh_private_key ssh_pki_convert_key_to_privatekey(ssh_key key);
 
 enum ssh_keytypes_e pki_privatekey_type_from_string(const char *privkey);
 
diff --git a/src/pki.c b/src/pki.c
index 57b3ad29..593cc413 100644
--- a/src/pki.c
+++ b/src/pki.c
@@ -293,6 +293,22 @@ ssh_public_key ssh_pki_convert_key_to_publickey(ssh_key key) {
     return pub;
 }
 
+ssh_private_key ssh_pki_convert_key_to_privatekey(ssh_key key) {
+    ssh_private_key privkey;
+
+    privkey = malloc(sizeof(struct ssh_private_key_struct));
+    if (privkey == NULL) {
+        ssh_key_free(key);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    privkey->type = key->type;
+    privkey->dsa_priv = key->dsa;
+    privkey->rsa_priv = key->rsa;
+
+    return privkey;
+}
+
 /** @brief import a base64 formated key from a memory c-string
  *
  * @param   key     The key to fill, created with ssh_key_new()