diff --git a/crypto/akcipher.c b/crypto/akcipher.c
index 0cbeae137e0a..780daa436dac 100644
--- a/crypto/akcipher.c
+++ b/crypto/akcipher.c
@@ -119,10 +119,24 @@ static void akcipher_prepare_alg(struct akcipher_alg *alg)
 	base->cra_flags |= CRYPTO_ALG_TYPE_AKCIPHER;
 }
 
+static int akcipher_default_op(struct akcipher_request *req)
+{
+	return -ENOSYS;
+}
+
 int crypto_register_akcipher(struct akcipher_alg *alg)
 {
 	struct crypto_alg *base = &alg->base;
 
+	if (!alg->sign)
+		alg->sign = akcipher_default_op;
+	if (!alg->verify)
+		alg->verify = akcipher_default_op;
+	if (!alg->encrypt)
+		alg->encrypt = akcipher_default_op;
+	if (!alg->decrypt)
+		alg->decrypt = akcipher_default_op;
+
 	akcipher_prepare_alg(alg);
 	return crypto_register_alg(base);
 }