diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 9617f5212f479a040ba39f0a3a85909bf7df92f1..18b5c23a33c4aad510f83e322fb6de9deaba9222 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -745,6 +745,9 @@
 
  Changes between 0.9.7e and 0.9.7f  [XX xxx XXXX]
 
+  *) Add new -passin argument to dgst.
+     [Steve Henson]
+
   *) Perform some character comparisons of different types in X509_NAME_cmp:
      this is needed for some certificates that reencode DNs into UTF8Strings
      (in violation of RFC3280) and can't or wont issue name rollover
diff --git a/apps/dgst.c b/apps/dgst.c
index 30253149114186123e8159b811248a7d7bdc527f..c13535f3b21f59f4fc12ed8944c7b2ed9c10108d 100644
--- a/apps/dgst.c
+++ b/apps/dgst.c
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ int MAIN(int argc, char **argv)
 	EVP_PKEY *sigkey = NULL;
 	unsigned char *sigbuf = NULL;
 	int siglen = 0;
+	char *passargin = NULL, *passin = NULL;
 #ifndef OPENSSL_NO_ENGINE
 	char *engine=NULL;
 #endif
@@ -145,6 +146,12 @@ int MAIN(int argc, char **argv)
 			if (--argc < 1) break;
 			keyfile=*(++argv);
 			}
+		else if (!strcmp(*argv,"-passin"))
+			{
+			if (--argc < 1)
+				break;
+			passargin=*++argv;
+			}
 		else if (strcmp(*argv,"-verify") == 0)
 			{
 			if (--argc < 1) break;
@@ -257,6 +264,12 @@ int MAIN(int argc, char **argv)
 		BIO_set_callback_arg(in,bio_err);
 		}
 
+	if(!app_passwd(bio_err, passargin, NULL, &passin, NULL))
+		{
+		BIO_printf(bio_err, "Error getting password\n");
+		goto end;
+		}
+
 	if ((in == NULL) || (bmd == NULL))
 		{
 		ERR_print_errors(bio_err);
@@ -298,7 +311,7 @@ int MAIN(int argc, char **argv)
 			sigkey = load_pubkey(bio_err, keyfile, keyform, 0, NULL,
 				e, "key file");
 		else
-			sigkey = load_key(bio_err, keyfile, keyform, 0, NULL,
+			sigkey = load_key(bio_err, keyfile, keyform, 0, passin,
 				e, "key file");
 		if (!sigkey)
 			{
@@ -385,6 +398,8 @@ end:
 		OPENSSL_free(buf);
 		}
 	if (in != NULL) BIO_free(in);
+	if (passin)
+		OPENSSL_free(passin);
 	BIO_free_all(out);
 	EVP_PKEY_free(sigkey);
 	if(sigbuf) OPENSSL_free(sigbuf);
diff --git a/doc/apps/dgst.pod b/doc/apps/dgst.pod
index 1648742bcfe188647539f55978ac7d48bbb6d505..b0d198724c6b28770e0ea5656421939de522c1da 100644
--- a/doc/apps/dgst.pod
+++ b/doc/apps/dgst.pod
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ B<openssl> B<dgst>
 [B<-binary>]
 [B<-out filename>]
 [B<-sign filename>]
+[B<-passin arg>]
 [B<-verify filename>]
 [B<-prverify filename>]
 [B<-signature filename>]
@@ -59,6 +60,11 @@ filename to output to, or standard output by default.
 
 digitally sign the digest using the private key in "filename".
 
+=item B<-passin arg>
+
+the private key password source. For more information about the format of B<arg>
+see the B<PASS PHRASE ARGUMENTS> section in L<openssl(1)|openssl(1)>.
+
 =item B<-verify filename>
 
 verify the signature using the the public key in "filename".