diff --git a/src/crypto.h b/src/crypto.h
index fdf3e2a4..58a621e8 100644
--- a/src/crypto.h
+++ b/src/crypto.h
@@ -184,9 +184,15 @@ _libssh2_ed25519_verify(libssh2_ed25519_ctx *ctx, const uint8_t *s,
                         size_t s_len, const uint8_t *m, size_t m_len);
 
 int
-_libssh2_ed25519_new_private(libssh2_ed25519_ctx **ec_ctx,
+_libssh2_ed25519_new_private(libssh2_ed25519_ctx **ed_ctx,
                             LIBSSH2_SESSION *session,
                             const char *filename, const uint8_t *passphrase);
+
+int
+_libssh2_ed25519_new_public(libssh2_ed25519_ctx **ed_ctx,
+                            LIBSSH2_SESSION *session,
+                            const char *raw_pub_key, const uint8_t key_len);
+
 int
 _libssh2_ed25519_sign(libssh2_ed25519_ctx *ctx, LIBSSH2_SESSION *session,
                       uint8_t **out_sig, size_t *out_sig_len,
diff --git a/src/hostkey.c b/src/hostkey.c
index 41b251b0..f76eea25 100644
--- a/src/hostkey.c
+++ b/src/hostkey.c
@@ -795,9 +795,8 @@ hostkey_method_ssh_ed25519_init(LIBSSH2_SESSION * session,
                                 size_t hostkey_data_len,
                                 void **abstract)
 {
-    const unsigned char *s;
+    const char *s;
     unsigned long len, key_len;
-    EVP_PKEY *public_key = NULL;
     libssh2_ed25519_ctx *ctx = NULL;
 
     if(*abstract) {
@@ -823,17 +822,10 @@ hostkey_method_ssh_ed25519_init(LIBSSH2_SESSION * session,
     key_len = _libssh2_ntohu32(s);
     s += 4;
 
-    public_key = EVP_PKEY_new_raw_public_key(EVP_PKEY_ED25519, NULL, (const unsigned char*)s, key_len);
-    if(public_key == NULL) {
-        return _libssh2_error(session, LIBSSH2_ERROR_PROTO, "could not create ED25519 public key");
+    if(_libssh2_ed25519_new_public(&ctx, session, s, key_len) != 0) {
+        return -1;
     }
 
-    ctx = _libssh2_ed25519_new_ctx();
-    if(ctx == NULL) {
-        return _libssh2_error(session, LIBSSH2_ERROR_ALLOC, "could not alloc public/private key");
-    }
-
-    ctx->public_key = public_key;
     *abstract = ctx;
 
     return 0;
diff --git a/src/openssl.c b/src/openssl.c
index 64a2a12c..36170b73 100644
--- a/src/openssl.c
+++ b/src/openssl.c
@@ -1774,6 +1774,37 @@ _libssh2_ed25519_new_private_frommemory(libssh2_ed25519_ctx ** ed_ctx,
                                             filedata, filedata_len, passphrase);
 }
 
+int
+_libssh2_ed25519_new_public(libssh2_ed25519_ctx ** ed_ctx,
+                            LIBSSH2_SESSION * session,
+                            const char *raw_pub_key, const uint8_t key_len)
+{
+    libssh2_ed25519_ctx *ctx = NULL;
+    EVP_PKEY *public_key = NULL;
+
+    if(ed_ctx == NULL)
+        return -1;
+
+    public_key = EVP_PKEY_new_raw_public_key(EVP_PKEY_ED25519, NULL, (const unsigned char*)raw_pub_key, key_len);
+    if(public_key == NULL) {
+        return _libssh2_error(session, LIBSSH2_ERROR_PROTO, "could not create ED25519 public key");
+    }
+    
+    ctx = _libssh2_ed25519_new_ctx();
+    if(ctx == NULL) {
+        return _libssh2_error(session, LIBSSH2_ERROR_ALLOC, "could not alloc public/private key");
+    }
+    
+    ctx->public_key = public_key;
+    
+    if(ed_ctx != NULL)
+        *ed_ctx = ctx;
+    else if(ctx != NULL)
+        _libssh2_ed25519_free(ctx);
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 #endif /* LIBSSH2_ED25519 */
 
 int