diff --git a/src/client.js b/src/client.js
index b7d7db2ba..5b8738eab 100644
--- a/src/client.js
+++ b/src/client.js
@@ -1381,15 +1381,30 @@ MatrixClient.prototype.disableKeyBackup = function() {
  * @param {string} password Passphrase string that can be entered by the user
  *     when restoring the backup as an alternative to entering the recovery key.
  *     Optional.
+ * @param {boolean} [opts.secureSecretStorage = false] Whether to use Secure
+ *     Secret Storage (MSC1946) to store the key encrypting key backups.
+ *     Optional, defaults to false.
  *
  * @returns {Promise<object>} Object that can be passed to createKeyBackupVersion and
  *     additionally has a 'recovery_key' member with the user-facing recovery key string.
  */
-MatrixClient.prototype.prepareKeyBackupVersion = async function(password) {
+MatrixClient.prototype.prepareKeyBackupVersion = async function(
+    password,
+    { secureSecretStorage = false } = {},
+) {
     if (this._crypto === null) {
         throw new Error("End-to-end encryption disabled");
     }
 
+    if (secureSecretStorage) {
+        logger.log("Preparing key backup version with Secure Secret Storage");
+
+        // Ensure Secure Secret Storage is ready for use
+        if (!this._secretStorage.hasKey()) {
+            throw new Error("Secure Secret Storage has no keys, needs bootstrapping");
+        }
+    }
+
     const decryption = new global.Olm.PkDecryption();
     try {
         let publicKey;
diff --git a/src/crypto/index.js b/src/crypto/index.js
index fa1850e51..d5f461f5b 100644
--- a/src/crypto/index.js
+++ b/src/crypto/index.js
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ import {
     DeviceTrustLevel,
     CrossSigningLevel,
 } from './CrossSigning';
-import SecretStorage from './SecretStorage';
+import SecretStorage, { SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1 } from './SecretStorage';
 
 import OutgoingRoomKeyRequestManager from './OutgoingRoomKeyRequestManager';
 import IndexedDBCryptoStore from './store/indexeddb-crypto-store';
@@ -302,19 +302,29 @@ Crypto.prototype.bootstrapSecretStorage = async function({
     // key with the cross-signing master key. The cross-signing master keys is also used
     // to verify the signature on the SSSS default key when adding secrets, so we
     // effectively need it for both reading and writing secrets.
+    let crossSigningKeysChanged = false;
     if (!this._crossSigningInfo.getId()) {
         logger.log("Cross-signing keys not found, creating new keys");
         await this.resetCrossSigningKeys(
             CrossSigningLevel.MASTER,
             { doInteractiveAuthFlow },
         );
+        crossSigningKeysChanged = true;
     }
 
-    // Check if Secure Secret Storage has a default key. If so, we should be
-    // ready to store things.
+    // Check if Secure Secret Storage has a default key. If we don't have one, create the
+    // default key (which will also be signed by the cross-signing master key).
     if (!this._secretStorage.hasKey()) {
-        // add key
-        throw new Error("Secret Storage key step unimplemented!");
+        logger.log("Secret storage default key not found, creating new key");
+        const newKeyId = await this.addSecretKey(
+            SECRET_STORAGE_ALGORITHM_V1,
+        );
+        await this.setDefaultSecretStorageKeyId(newKeyId);
+    }
+
+    // If cross-signing keys changed, store them in Secure Secret Storage.
+    if (crossSigningKeysChanged) {
+        throw new Error("Cross-signing keys need to be stored!");
     }
 
     logger.log("Secure Secret Storage ready");