diff --git a/library/ecp.c b/library/ecp.c
index 5f2a7b0c0..dfa095782 100644
--- a/library/ecp.c
+++ b/library/ecp.c
@@ -3288,7 +3288,10 @@ int mbedtls_ecp_read_key(mbedtls_ecp_group_id grp_id, mbedtls_ecp_keypair *key,
         MBEDTLS_MPI_CHK(mbedtls_mpi_read_binary(&key->d, buf, buflen));
     }
 #endif
-    MBEDTLS_MPI_CHK(mbedtls_ecp_check_privkey(&key->grp, &key->d));
+
+    if (ret == 0) {
+        MBEDTLS_MPI_CHK(mbedtls_ecp_check_privkey(&key->grp, &key->d));
+    }
 
 cleanup: