diff --git a/lib/libalpm/alpm.h b/lib/libalpm/alpm.h
index 96e5e643..ee967dbb 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/alpm.h
+++ b/lib/libalpm/alpm.h
@@ -300,6 +300,8 @@ typedef enum _alpm_errno_t {
 	ALPM_ERR_SIG_MISSING,
 	/** Signatures are invalid */
 	ALPM_ERR_SIG_INVALID,
+	/** Keys are missing from keyring */
+	ALPM_ERR_KEY_MISSING,
 	/* Dependencies */
 	/** Dependencies could not be satisfied */
 	ALPM_ERR_UNSATISFIED_DEPS,
diff --git a/lib/libalpm/be_package.c b/lib/libalpm/be_package.c
index 0fecbcb5..a7ceb8a2 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/be_package.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/be_package.c
@@ -766,6 +766,7 @@ int SYMEXPORT alpm_pkg_load(alpm_handle_t *handle, const char *filename, int ful
 
 			if(fail) {
 				_alpm_log(handle, ALPM_LOG_ERROR, _("required key missing from keyring\n"));
+				handle->pm_errno = ALPM_ERR_KEY_MISSING;
 				free(sigpath);
 				return -1;
 			}
diff --git a/lib/libalpm/error.c b/lib/libalpm/error.c
index 58842eac..e59bdb5f 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/error.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/error.c
@@ -130,6 +130,8 @@ const char SYMEXPORT *alpm_strerror(alpm_errno_t err)
 			return _("missing PGP signature");
 		case ALPM_ERR_SIG_INVALID:
 			return _("invalid PGP signature");
+		case ALPM_ERR_KEY_MISSING:
+			return _("PGP key missing from keyring");
 		/* Dependencies */
 		case ALPM_ERR_UNSATISFIED_DEPS:
 			return _("could not satisfy dependencies");
diff --git a/lib/libalpm/sync.c b/lib/libalpm/sync.c
index 087c48de..63f5d500 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/sync.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/sync.c
@@ -975,6 +975,7 @@ static int check_keyring(alpm_handle_t *handle)
 		EVENT(handle, &event);
 		if(fail) {
 			_alpm_log(handle, ALPM_LOG_ERROR, _("required key missing from keyring\n"));
+			handle->pm_errno = ALPM_ERR_KEY_MISSING;
 			return -1;
 		}
 	}