diff --git a/ziti/cmd/edge/verify_ca.go b/ziti/cmd/edge/verify_ca.go
index 2a6ea51aa..b702bf165 100644
--- a/ziti/cmd/edge/verify_ca.go
+++ b/ziti/cmd/edge/verify_ca.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/ecdsa"
 	"crypto/elliptic"
 	"crypto/rand"
+	"crypto/rsa"
 	"crypto/x509"
 	"crypto/x509/pkix"
 	"encoding/pem"
@@ -200,10 +201,27 @@ func generateCert(options *verifyCaOptions, token string) ([]byte, crypto.Signer
 	}
 
 	var signerInterface crypto.Signer
-	if caPrivateKeyBlock.Type == "EC PRIVATE KEY" {
+
+	switch caPrivateKeyBlock.Type {
+	case "EC PRIVATE KEY":
 		signerInterface, err = x509.ParseECPrivateKey(caPrivateKeyBlock.Bytes)
-	} else {
+	case "RSA PRIVATE KEY":
 		signerInterface, err = x509.ParsePKCS1PrivateKey(caPrivateKeyBlock.Bytes)
+	case "PRIVATE KEY":
+		key, err := x509.ParsePKCS8PrivateKey(caPrivateKeyBlock.Bytes)
+
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("could not parse PKCS8 key file (%s)", err)
+		}
+
+		switch typedKey := key.(type) {
+		case *rsa.PrivateKey:
+			signerInterface = typedKey
+		case *ecdsa.PrivateKey:
+			signerInterface = typedKey
+		default:
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("unsupported private key parsed from PKCS8 %T", typedKey)
+		}
 	}
 
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/ziti/cmd/lets_encrypt/accounts_storage.go b/ziti/cmd/lets_encrypt/accounts_storage.go
index 1eb73690e..47fcc614a 100644
--- a/ziti/cmd/lets_encrypt/accounts_storage.go
+++ b/ziti/cmd/lets_encrypt/accounts_storage.go
@@ -229,6 +229,8 @@ func loadPrivateKey(file string) (crypto.PrivateKey, error) {
 		return x509.ParsePKCS1PrivateKey(keyBlock.Bytes)
 	case "EC PRIVATE KEY":
 		return x509.ParseECPrivateKey(keyBlock.Bytes)
+	case "PRIVATE KEY":
+		return x509.ParsePKCS8PrivateKey(keyBlock.Bytes)
 	}
 
 	return nil, errors.New("unknown private key type")
diff --git a/ziti/pki/store/local.go b/ziti/pki/store/local.go
index 017a1e960..6047dc4a3 100644
--- a/ziti/pki/store/local.go
+++ b/ziti/pki/store/local.go
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ package store
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
-	"crypto/ecdsa"
-	"crypto/rsa"
 	"crypto/x509/pkix"
 	"encoding/pem"
 	"fmt"
@@ -188,17 +186,21 @@ func (l *Local) writeKey(caName, name, pemType string, key []byte) error {
 }
 
 func getPkPemType(key []byte) string {
-	parsedKey, _ := x509.ParsePKCS8PrivateKey(key)
+	var pkcs1Err error
+	_, pkcs1Err = x509.ParsePKCS1PrivateKey(key)
 
-	keyPemType := "UNKNOWN PRIVATE KEY"
-	switch parsedKey.(type) {
-	case *rsa.PrivateKey:
-		keyPemType = "RSA PRIVATE KEY"
-	case *ecdsa.PrivateKey:
-		keyPemType = "EC PRIVATE KEY"
+	if pkcs1Err == nil {
+		return "RSA PRIVATE KEY"
 	}
 
-	return keyPemType
+	var pkcsEcErr error
+	_, pkcsEcErr = x509.ParseECPrivateKey(key)
+
+	if pkcsEcErr == nil {
+		return "EC PRIVATE KEY"
+	}
+
+	return "PRIVATE KEY"
 }
 
 // writeBundle encodes in PEM format the bundle private key and