diff --git a/apps/req.c b/apps/req.c
index cc21f063c940605d1c39a7bd3487264595031013..60f09551e5627aa8f0f5f1986762ad07191bf9d8 100644
--- a/apps/req.c
+++ b/apps/req.c
@@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ bad:
 
 	if (keyfile != NULL)
 		{
-		pkey = load_key(bio_err, keyfile, keyform, NULL, e,
+		pkey = load_key(bio_err, keyfile, keyform, passin, e,
 			"Private Key");
 		if (!pkey)
 			{