diff --git a/lib/jwk/import.js b/lib/jwk/import.js
index 46aa42b8cc..c07d71d723 100644
--- a/lib/jwk/import.js
+++ b/lib/jwk/import.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ const mergedParameters = (target = {}, source = {}) => {
   }
 }
 
-const openSSHpublicKey = /^[a-zA-Z0-9-]+ (?:[a-zA-Z0-9+/])*(?:==|=)?(?: .*)?$/
+const openSSHpublicKey = /^[a-zA-Z0-9-]+ AAAA(?:[0-9A-Za-z+/])+(?:==|=)?(?: .*)?$/
 
 const asKey = (key, parameters, { calculateMissingRSAPrimes = false } = {}) => {
   let privateKey, publicKey, secret
diff --git a/test/jwk/oct.test.js b/test/jwk/oct.test.js
index 1bbba1ef9b..27244884d7 100644
--- a/test/jwk/oct.test.js
+++ b/test/jwk/oct.test.js
@@ -204,3 +204,11 @@ b3BlbnNzaC1rZXktdjEAAAAABG5vbmUAAAAEbm9uZQAAAAAAAAABAAAAMwAAAAtzc2gtZW`
     }, { instanceOf: errors.JWKImportFailed, message: 'key import failed' })
   })
 })
+
+test('some phrases do not fall through to openssh check', t => {
+  asKey('secret')
+  asKey('secret phrase')
+  asKey('longer secret phrase')
+  asKey('very long secret phrase')
+  t.pass()
+})