diff --git a/include/mbedtls/ctr_drbg.h b/include/mbedtls/ctr_drbg.h
index 2b0c61712..09f4e620e 100644
--- a/include/mbedtls/ctr_drbg.h
+++ b/include/mbedtls/ctr_drbg.h
@@ -12,36 +12,14 @@
  * The Mbed TLS implementation of CTR_DRBG uses AES-256 (default) or AES-128
  * (if \c MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_USE_128_BIT_KEY is enabled at compile time)
  * as the underlying block cipher, with a derivation function.
- * The initial seeding grabs #MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN bytes of entropy.
- * See the documentation of mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed() for more details.
  *
- * Based on NIST SP 800-90A §10.2.1 table 3 and NIST SP 800-57 part 1 table 2,
- * here are the security strengths achieved in typical configuration:
- * - 256 bits under the default configuration of the library, with AES-256
- *   and with #MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN set to 48 or more.
- * - 256 bits if AES-256 is used, #MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN is set
- *   to 32 or more, and the DRBG is initialized with an explicit
- *   nonce in the \c custom parameter to mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed().
- * - 256 bits if AES-256 is used, #MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN is set
- *   to 32 or more, and mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_nonce_len() is called to set
- *   an entropy nonce length of 16 bytes or more.
- * - 128 bits if AES-256 is used but #MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN is
- *   between 24 and 47 and the DRBG is not initialized with an explicit
- *   nonce (see mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed()).
- * - 128 bits if AES-128 is used (\c MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_USE_128_BIT_KEY enabled)
- *   and #MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN is set to 24 or more (which is
- *   always the case unless it is explicitly set to a different value
- *   in config.h).
- * - 128 bits if AES-128 is used (\c MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_USE_128_BIT_KEY enabled)
- *   to 16 or more, and mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_nonce_len() is called to set
- *   an entropy nonce length of 8 bytes or more.
- *
- * Note that the value of #MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN defaults to:
- * - \c 48 if the module \c MBEDTLS_SHA512_C is enabled and the symbol
- *   \c MBEDTLS_ENTROPY_FORCE_SHA256 is disabled at compile time.
- *   This is the default configuration of the library.
- * - \c 32 if the module \c MBEDTLS_SHA512_C is disabled at compile time.
- * - \c 32 if \c MBEDTLS_ENTROPY_FORCE_SHA256 is enabled at compile time.
+ * The security strength as defined in NIST SP 800-90A is
+ * 128 bits when AES-128 is used (\c MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_USE_128_BIT_KEY enabled)
+ * and 256 bits otherwise, provided that #MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN is
+ * kept at its default value (and not overridden in config.h) and that the
+ * DRBG instance is set up with default parameters.
+ * See the documentation of mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed() for more
+ * information.
  */
 /*
  *  Copyright (C) 2006-2019, Arm Limited (or its affiliates), All Rights Reserved
@@ -232,6 +210,26 @@ void mbedtls_ctr_drbg_init( mbedtls_ctr_drbg_context *ctx );
  * The entropy length is #MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN by default.
  * You can override it by calling mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_entropy_len().
  *
+ * The entropy nonce length is:
+ * - \c 0 if the entropy length is at least 3/2 times the entropy length,
+ *   which guarantees that the security strength is the maximum permitted
+ *   by the key size and entropy length according to NIST SP 800-90A §10.2.1;
+ * - Half the entropy length otherwise.
+ * You can override it by calling mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_nonce_len().
+ */
+#if MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN >= MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_KEYSIZE * 3 / 2
+/** With the default entropy length, the entropy nonce length is \c 0.
+ */
+#elif MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN & 1
+/** With the default entropy length, the entropy nonce length is
+ * (#MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN + 1) / 2.
+ */
+#else
+/** With the default entropy length, the entropy nonce length is
+ * #MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN / 2.
+ */
+#endif
+/**
  * You can provide a nonce and personalization string in addition to the
  * entropy source, to make this instantiation as unique as possible.
  * See SP 800-90A §8.6.7 for more details about nonces.
@@ -241,10 +239,20 @@ void mbedtls_ctr_drbg_init( mbedtls_ctr_drbg_context *ctx );
  * is the concatenation of the following strings:
  * - A string obtained by calling \p f_entropy function for the entropy
  *   length.
- * - A string obtained by calling \p f_entropy function for the nonce
- *   length set with mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_nonce_len(). If the entropy
- *   nonce length is \c 0, this function does not make a second call
- *   to \p f_entropy.
+ */
+#if MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN >= MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_KEYSIZE * 3 / 2
+/**
+ * - If mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_nonce_len() has been called, a string
+ *   obtained by calling \p f_entropy function for the specified length.
+ */
+#else
+/**
+ * - A string obtained by calling \p f_entropy function for the entropy nonce
+ *   length. If the entropy nonce length is \c 0, this function does not
+ *   make a second call to \p f_entropy.
+ */
+#endif
+/**
  * - The \p custom string.
  *
  * \note                To achieve the nominal security strength permitted
@@ -256,10 +264,7 @@ void mbedtls_ctr_drbg_init( mbedtls_ctr_drbg_context *ctx );
  *
  *                      In addition, if you do not pass a nonce in \p custom,
  *                      the sum of the entropy length
- *                      (#MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN unless overridden with
- *                      mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_entropy_len())
- *                      and the entropy nonce length (\c 0 unless overridden
- *                      with mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_nonce_len()) must be:
+ *                      and the entropy nonce length must be:
  *                      - at least 24 bytes for a 128-bit strength
  *                      (maximum achievable strength when using AES-128);
  *                      - at least 48 bytes for a 256-bit strength
diff --git a/library/ctr_drbg.c b/library/ctr_drbg.c
index 8c6ee59d5..047bb2a3e 100644
--- a/library/ctr_drbg.c
+++ b/library/ctr_drbg.c
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@
 void mbedtls_ctr_drbg_init( mbedtls_ctr_drbg_context *ctx )
 {
     memset( ctx, 0, sizeof( mbedtls_ctr_drbg_context ) );
+    /* Indicate that the entropy nonce length is not set explicitly.
+     * See mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_nonce_len(). */
+    ctx->reseed_counter = -1;
 
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_THREADING_C)
     mbedtls_mutex_init( &ctx->mutex );
@@ -419,6 +422,19 @@ int mbedtls_ctr_drbg_reseed( mbedtls_ctr_drbg_context *ctx,
     return( mbedtls_ctr_drbg_reseed_internal( ctx, additional, len, 0 ) );
 }
 
+/* Return a "good" nonce length for CTR_DRBG. The chosen nonce length
+ * is sufficient to achieve the maximum security strength given the key
+ * size and entropy length. If there is enough entropy in the initial
+ * call to the entropy function to serve as both the entropy input and
+ * the nonce, don't make a second call to get a nonce. */
+static size_t good_nonce_len( size_t entropy_len )
+{
+    if( entropy_len >= MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_KEYSIZE * 3 / 2 )
+        return( 0 );
+    else
+        return( ( entropy_len + 1 ) / 2 );
+}
+
 /* CTR_DRBG_Instantiate with derivation function (SP 800-90A §10.2.1.3.2)
  * mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed(ctx, f_entropy, p_entropy, custom, len)
  * implements
@@ -438,6 +454,7 @@ int mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed( mbedtls_ctr_drbg_context *ctx,
 {
     int ret;
     unsigned char key[MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_KEYSIZE];
+    size_t nonce_len;
 
     memset( key, 0, MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_KEYSIZE );
 
@@ -448,6 +465,14 @@ int mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed( mbedtls_ctr_drbg_context *ctx,
 
     if( ctx->entropy_len == 0 )
         ctx->entropy_len = MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN;
+    /* ctx->reseed_counter contains the desired amount of entropy to
+     * grab for a nonce (see mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_nonce_len()).
+     * If it's -1, indicating that the entropy nonce length was not set
+     * explicitly, use a sufficiently large nonce for security. */
+    nonce_len = ( ctx->reseed_counter >= 0 ?
+                  (size_t) ctx->reseed_counter :
+                  good_nonce_len( ctx->entropy_len ) );
+
     ctx->reseed_interval = MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_RESEED_INTERVAL;
 
     /* Initialize with an empty key. */
@@ -457,11 +482,9 @@ int mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed( mbedtls_ctr_drbg_context *ctx,
         return( ret );
     }
 
-    /* Do the initial seeding.
-     * ctx->reseed_counter contains the desired amount of entropy to
-     * grab for a nonce (see mbedtls_ctr_drbg_set_nonce_len()). */
+    /* Do the initial seeding. */
     if( ( ret = mbedtls_ctr_drbg_reseed_internal( ctx, custom, len,
-                                                  ctx->reseed_counter ) ) != 0 )
+                                                  nonce_len ) ) != 0 )
     {
         return( ret );
     }
diff --git a/tests/suites/test_suite_ctr_drbg.data b/tests/suites/test_suite_ctr_drbg.data
index 5f198a4ee..461e50255 100644
--- a/tests/suites/test_suite_ctr_drbg.data
+++ b/tests/suites/test_suite_ctr_drbg.data
@@ -1071,6 +1071,11 @@ depends_on:MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_USE_128_BIT_KEY
 ctr_drbg_validate_pr:"d4f1f4ae08bcb3e1":"5d4041942bcf68864a4997d8171f1f9fef55a769b7eaf03fe082029bb32a2b9d8239e865c0a42e14b964b9c09de85a20":"":"":"4155320287eedcf7d484c2c2a1e2eb64b9c9ce77c87202a1ae1616c7a5cfd1c687c7a0bfcc85bda48fdd4629fd330c22d0a76076f88fc7cd04037ee06b7af602"
 
 CTR_DRBG entropy usage (entropy_nonce_len=0 by default)
+depends_on:!DEFAULT_ENTROPY_NONCE
+ctr_drbg_entropy_usage:-1
+
+CTR_DRBG entropy usage (entropy_nonce_len=entropy_len/2 by default)
+depends_on:DEFAULT_ENTROPY_NONCE
 ctr_drbg_entropy_usage:-1
 
 CTR_DRBG entropy usage (entropy_nonce_len=0)
diff --git a/tests/suites/test_suite_ctr_drbg.function b/tests/suites/test_suite_ctr_drbg.function
index c79b6e2aa..c28438587 100644
--- a/tests/suites/test_suite_ctr_drbg.function
+++ b/tests/suites/test_suite_ctr_drbg.function
@@ -3,6 +3,14 @@
 #include "mbedtls/ctr_drbg.h"
 #include "string.h"
 
+/* mbedtls_ctr_drbg_seed() grabs a nonce by default if the entropy
+ * length is smaller than 3/2 times the maximum security strength. */
+#if MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN >= MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_KEYSIZE * 3 / 2
+#undef DEFAULT_ENTROPY_NONCE
+#else
+#define DEFAULT_ENTROPY_NONCE
+#endif
+
 /* Modes for ctr_drbg_validate */
 enum reseed_mode
 {
@@ -215,6 +223,12 @@ void ctr_drbg_entropy_usage( int entropy_nonce_len )
     expected_idx += MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN;
     if( entropy_nonce_len >= 0 )
         expected_idx += entropy_nonce_len;
+    else
+    {
+#if defined(DEFAULT_ENTROPY_NONCE)
+        expected_idx += ( MBEDTLS_CTR_DRBG_ENTROPY_LEN + 1 ) / 2;
+#endif
+    }
     TEST_EQUAL( test_offset_idx, expected_idx );
 
     /* By default, PR is off and reseed_interval is large,