diff --git a/lib/expmt/ecies.js b/lib/expmt/ecies.js
index 2ddb85296..30dfb5476 100644
--- a/lib/expmt/ecies.js
+++ b/lib/expmt/ecies.js
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ var ECIES = function ECIES() {
 };
 
 ECIES.encrypt = function(messagebuf, tokeypair, fromkeypair, ivbuf) {
+  if (!fromkeypair)
+    fromkeypair = Keypair().fromRandom();
   var r = fromkeypair.privkey.bn;
   var R = fromkeypair.pubkey.point;
   var Rpubkey = fromkeypair.pubkey;
diff --git a/test/ecies.js b/test/ecies.js
index 213d21b36..8231ae3f0 100644
--- a/test/ecies.js
+++ b/test/ecies.js
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ describe('#ECIES', function() {
       Buffer.isBuffer(encbuf).should.equal(true);
     });
 
+    it('should return a buffer if fromkey is not present', function() {
+      var encbuf = ECIES.encrypt(messagebuf, tokey);
+      Buffer.isBuffer(encbuf).should.equal(true);
+    });
+
   });
 
   describe('@decrypt', function() {