diff --git a/src/keys.c b/src/keys.c
index 1362b128..47678a53 100644
--- a/src/keys.c
+++ b/src/keys.c
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ static PyObject* PyXmlSec_KeyFromFile(PyObject* self, PyObject* args, PyObject*
     if (is_content) {
         key->handle = xmlSecCryptoAppKeyLoadMemory((const xmlSecByte*)data, (xmlSecSize)data_size, format, password, NULL, NULL);
     } else {
-        key->handle = xmlSecCryptoAppKeyLoad(data, format, password, NULL, NULL);
+        key->handle = xmlSecCryptoAppKeyLoadEx(data, xmlSecKeyDataTypePrivate, format, password, NULL, NULL);
     }
     Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;