diff --git a/ext/openssl/ossl_pkey_ec.c b/ext/openssl/ossl_pkey_ec.c
index dee215447dacd5..06d59c2a4f69d1 100644
--- a/ext/openssl/ossl_pkey_ec.c
+++ b/ext/openssl/ossl_pkey_ec.c
@@ -414,6 +414,8 @@ ossl_ec_key_export(int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE self)
     EC_KEY *ec;
 
     GetEC(self, ec);
+    if (EC_KEY_get0_public_key(ec) == NULL)
+        ossl_raise(eECError, "can't export - no public key set");
     if (EC_KEY_get0_private_key(ec))
         return ossl_pkey_export_traditional(argc, argv, self, 0);
     else
@@ -432,6 +434,8 @@ ossl_ec_key_to_der(VALUE self)
     EC_KEY *ec;
 
     GetEC(self, ec);
+    if (EC_KEY_get0_public_key(ec) == NULL)
+        ossl_raise(eECError, "can't export - no public key set");
     if (EC_KEY_get0_private_key(ec))
         return ossl_pkey_export_traditional(0, NULL, self, 1);
     else
diff --git a/test/openssl/test_pkey_ec.rb b/test/openssl/test_pkey_ec.rb
index 23c6c4d42157b1..9a4818de8ede49 100644
--- a/test/openssl/test_pkey_ec.rb
+++ b/test/openssl/test_pkey_ec.rb
@@ -61,8 +61,10 @@ def test_generate
   def test_generate_key
     ec = OpenSSL::PKey::EC.new("prime256v1")
     assert_equal false, ec.private?
+    assert_raise(OpenSSL::PKey::ECError) { ec.to_der }
     ec.generate_key!
     assert_equal true, ec.private?
+    assert_nothing_raised { ec.to_der }
   end if !openssl?(3, 0, 0)
 
   def test_marshal