diff --git a/OpenPGP-Keychain/src/org/sufficientlysecure/keychain/helper/PgpHelper.java b/OpenPGP-Keychain/src/org/sufficientlysecure/keychain/helper/PgpHelper.java
index b77fc71d1..697eb1aaa 100644
--- a/OpenPGP-Keychain/src/org/sufficientlysecure/keychain/helper/PgpHelper.java
+++ b/OpenPGP-Keychain/src/org/sufficientlysecure/keychain/helper/PgpHelper.java
@@ -415,6 +415,30 @@ public class PgpHelper {
         return convertFingerprintToHex(key.getFingerprint());
     }
 
+    public static boolean isSecretKeyPrivateEmpty(PGPSecretKey secretKey) {
+        try {
+            PBESecretKeyDecryptor keyDecryptor = new JcePBESecretKeyDecryptorBuilder()
+                    .setProvider(PgpMain.BOUNCY_CASTLE_PROVIDER_NAME).build(new char[] {});
+            PGPPrivateKey testKey = secretKey.extractPrivateKey(
+                    keyDecryptor);
+            if (testKey != null) {
+                return false;
+            }
+        } catch (PGPException e) {
+            // all good if this fails, we likely didn't use the right password
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    public static boolean isSecretKeyPrivateEmpty(Context context, long keyId) {
+        PGPSecretKey secretKey = ProviderHelper.getPGPSecretKeyByKeyId(context, keyId);
+        if (secretKey == null) {
+            Log.e(Constants.TAG, "Key could not be found!");
+            return false; //could be a public key, assume it is not empty
+        }
+        return isSecretKeyPrivateEmpty(secretKey);
+    }
+
     public static String getSmallFingerPrint(long keyId) {
         String fingerPrint = Long.toHexString(keyId & 0xffffffffL).toUpperCase(Locale.US);
         while (fingerPrint.length() < 8) {
diff --git a/OpenPGP-Keychain/src/org/sufficientlysecure/keychain/ui/widget/KeyListAdapter.java b/OpenPGP-Keychain/src/org/sufficientlysecure/keychain/ui/widget/KeyListAdapter.java
index 8e8d33886..61ca0e9d0 100644
--- a/OpenPGP-Keychain/src/org/sufficientlysecure/keychain/ui/widget/KeyListAdapter.java
+++ b/OpenPGP-Keychain/src/org/sufficientlysecure/keychain/ui/widget/KeyListAdapter.java
@@ -159,8 +159,14 @@ public class KeyListAdapter extends CursorTreeAdapter {
                 }
 
                 ImageView signIcon = (ImageView) view.findViewById(R.id.ic_signKey);
-                if (cursor.getInt(cursor.getColumnIndex(Keys.CAN_SIGN)) != 1) {
-                    signIcon.setVisibility(View.GONE);
+                boolean privateEmpty = false; //Don't show signing icon for master keys without private keys
+                //TODO: does this need to be done for encrypting icon? Does anyone use master key for encrypt?
+                if (cursor.getInt(cursor.getColumnIndex(Keys.IS_MASTER_KEY)) == 1) {
+                    privateEmpty = PgpHelper.isSecretKeyPrivateEmpty(context,
+                            cursor.getLong(cursor.getColumnIndex(Keys.KEY_ID)));
+                }
+                if (privateEmpty || cursor.getInt(cursor.getColumnIndex(Keys.CAN_SIGN)) != 1) {
+                        signIcon.setVisibility(View.GONE);
                 } else {
                     signIcon.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
                 }
@@ -261,4 +267,4 @@ public class KeyListAdapter extends CursorTreeAdapter {
         return mContext.getContentResolver().query(uri, projection, selection, null, sortOrder);
     }
 
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}