diff --git a/bccsp/pkcs11/pkcs11.go b/bccsp/pkcs11/pkcs11.go
index 83c77bdb41b..05de1e42ec9 100644
--- a/bccsp/pkcs11/pkcs11.go
+++ b/bccsp/pkcs11/pkcs11.go
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ func (csp *impl) generateECKey(curve asn1.ObjectIdentifier, ephemeral bool) (ski
 		pkcs11.NewAttribute(pkcs11.CKA_TOKEN, !ephemeral),
 		pkcs11.NewAttribute(pkcs11.CKA_VERIFY, true),
 		pkcs11.NewAttribute(pkcs11.CKA_EC_PARAMS, marshaledOID),
-		pkcs11.NewAttribute(pkcs11.CKA_PRIVATE, true),
+		pkcs11.NewAttribute(pkcs11.CKA_PRIVATE, false),
 
 		pkcs11.NewAttribute(pkcs11.CKA_ID, publabel),
 		pkcs11.NewAttribute(pkcs11.CKA_LABEL, publabel),