diff --git a/openssl/src/crypto/pkey.rs b/openssl/src/crypto/pkey.rs
index 314ee63d..7cfa1288 100644
--- a/openssl/src/crypto/pkey.rs
+++ b/openssl/src/crypto/pkey.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use crypto::hash;
 use crypto::hash::Type as HashType;
 use ffi;
 use ssl::error::{SslError, StreamError};
+use crypto::rsa::RSA;
 
 #[derive(Copy, Clone)]
 pub enum Parts {
@@ -125,18 +126,10 @@ impl PKey {
     pub fn private_rsa_key_from_pem<R>(reader: &mut R) -> Result<PKey, SslError>
     where R: Read
     {
-        let mut mem_bio = try!(MemBio::new());
-        try!(io::copy(reader, &mut mem_bio).map_err(StreamError));
-
+        let rsa = try!(RSA::private_key_from_pem(reader));
         unsafe {
-            let rsa = try_ssl_null!(ffi::PEM_read_bio_RSAPrivateKey(mem_bio.get_handle(),
-                                                                 ptr::null_mut(),
-                                                                 None,
-                                                                 ptr::null_mut()));
-            let evp = ffi::EVP_PKEY_new();
-            if ffi::EVP_PKEY_set1_RSA(evp, rsa) == 0 {
-                return Err(SslError::get());
-            }
+            let evp = try_ssl_null!(ffi::EVP_PKEY_new());
+            try_ssl!(ffi::EVP_PKEY_set1_RSA(evp, rsa.as_ptr()));
 
             Ok(PKey {
                 evp: evp,
@@ -149,18 +142,10 @@ impl PKey {
     pub fn public_rsa_key_from_pem<R>(reader: &mut R) -> Result<PKey, SslError>
     where R: Read
     {
-        let mut mem_bio = try!(MemBio::new());
-        try!(io::copy(reader, &mut mem_bio).map_err(StreamError));
-
+        let rsa = try!(RSA::public_key_from_pem(reader));
         unsafe {
-            let rsa = try_ssl_null!(ffi::PEM_read_bio_RSA_PUBKEY(mem_bio.get_handle(),
-                                                                 ptr::null_mut(),
-                                                                 None,
-                                                                 ptr::null_mut()));
-            let evp = ffi::EVP_PKEY_new();
-            if ffi::EVP_PKEY_set1_RSA(evp, rsa) == 0 {
-                return Err(SslError::get());
-            }
+            let evp = try_ssl_null!(ffi::EVP_PKEY_new());
+            try_ssl!(ffi::EVP_PKEY_set1_RSA(evp, rsa.as_ptr()));
 
             Ok(PKey {
                 evp: evp,
diff --git a/openssl/src/crypto/rsa.rs b/openssl/src/crypto/rsa.rs
index ffc11255..ee0d9ec4 100644
--- a/openssl/src/crypto/rsa.rs
+++ b/openssl/src/crypto/rsa.rs
@@ -1,41 +1,87 @@
 use ffi;
-use bn::BigNum;
 use std::fmt;
-use ssl::error::SslError;
+use ssl::error::{SslError, StreamError};
+use std::ptr;
+use std::io::{self, Read};
 
-pub struct RSA {
-    rsa_obj : ffi::RSA
+use bn::BigNum;
+use bio::MemBio;
+
+pub struct RSA(*mut ffi::RSA);
+
+impl Drop for RSA {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        unsafe {
+            ffi::RSA_free(self.0);
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 impl RSA {
+    /// Reads an RSA private key from PEM formatted data.
+    pub fn private_key_from_pem<R>(reader: &mut R) -> Result<RSA, SslError>
+    where R: Read
+    {
+        let mut mem_bio = try!(MemBio::new());
+        try!(io::copy(reader, &mut mem_bio).map_err(StreamError));
+
+        unsafe {
+            let rsa = try_ssl_null!(ffi::PEM_read_bio_RSAPrivateKey(mem_bio.get_handle(),
+                                                                    ptr::null_mut(),
+                                                                    None,
+                                                                    ptr::null_mut()));
+            Ok(RSA(rsa))
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Reads an RSA public key from PEM formatted data.
+    pub fn public_key_from_pem<R>(reader: &mut R) -> Result<RSA, SslError>
+    where R: Read
+    {
+        let mut mem_bio = try!(MemBio::new());
+        try!(io::copy(reader, &mut mem_bio).map_err(StreamError));
+
+        unsafe {
+            let rsa = try_ssl_null!(ffi::PEM_read_bio_RSA_PUBKEY(mem_bio.get_handle(),
+                                                                 ptr::null_mut(),
+                                                                 None,
+                                                                 ptr::null_mut()));
+            Ok(RSA(rsa))
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn as_ptr(&self) -> *mut ffi::RSA {
+        self.0
+    }
+
     // The following getters are unsafe, since BigNum::new_from_ffi fails upon null pointers
     pub fn n(&self) -> Result<BigNum, SslError> {
         unsafe {
-            BigNum::new_from_ffi(self.rsa_obj.n)
+            BigNum::new_from_ffi((*self.0).n)
         }
     }
 
     pub fn d(&self) -> Result<BigNum, SslError> {
         unsafe {
-            BigNum::new_from_ffi(self.rsa_obj.d)
+            BigNum::new_from_ffi((*self.0).d)
         }
     }
 
     pub fn e(&self) -> Result<BigNum, SslError> {
         unsafe {
-            BigNum::new_from_ffi(self.rsa_obj.e)
+            BigNum::new_from_ffi((*self.0).e)
         }
     }
 
     pub fn p(&self) -> Result<BigNum, SslError> {
         unsafe {
-            BigNum::new_from_ffi(self.rsa_obj.p)
+            BigNum::new_from_ffi((*self.0).p)
         }
     }
 
     pub fn q(&self) -> Result<BigNum, SslError> {
         unsafe {
-            BigNum::new_from_ffi(self.rsa_obj.q)
+            BigNum::new_from_ffi((*self.0).q)
         }
     }
 }