diff --git a/crypto/evp/keymgmt_lib.c b/crypto/evp/keymgmt_lib.c
index 76c4a30a1c..7169f4270e 100644
--- a/crypto/evp/keymgmt_lib.c
+++ b/crypto/evp/keymgmt_lib.c
@@ -80,13 +80,7 @@ void *evp_keymgmt_export_to_provider(EVP_PKEY *pk, EVP_KEYMGMT *keymgmt)
             return NULL;
 
         if (pk->ameth->dirty_cnt(pk) != pk->dirty_cnt_copy)
-            for (i = 0;
-                 i < OSSL_NELEM(pk->pkeys) && pk->pkeys[i].keymgmt != NULL;
-                 i++) {
-                pk->pkeys[i].keymgmt->freekey(pk->pkeys[i].provkey);
-                pk->pkeys[i].keymgmt = NULL;
-                pk->pkeys[i].provkey = NULL;
-            }
+            evp_keymgmt_clear_pkey_cache(pk);
     }
 
     /*
@@ -186,3 +180,22 @@ void *evp_keymgmt_export_to_provider(EVP_PKEY *pk, EVP_KEYMGMT *keymgmt)
     }
     return provkey;
 }
+
+void evp_keymgmt_clear_pkey_cache(EVP_PKEY *pk)
+{
+    size_t i;
+
+    if (pk != NULL) {
+        for (i = 0;
+             i < OSSL_NELEM(pk->pkeys) && pk->pkeys[i].keymgmt != NULL;
+             i++) {
+            EVP_KEYMGMT *keymgmt = pk->pkeys[i].keymgmt;
+            void *provkey = pk->pkeys[i].provkey;
+
+            pk->pkeys[i].keymgmt = NULL;
+            pk->pkeys[i].provkey = NULL;
+            keymgmt->freekey(provkey);
+            EVP_KEYMGMT_free(keymgmt);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crypto/evp/p_lib.c b/crypto/evp/p_lib.c
index c6ebfe6462..653693e1dc 100644
--- a/crypto/evp/p_lib.c
+++ b/crypto/evp/p_lib.c
@@ -613,6 +613,9 @@ void EVP_PKEY_free(EVP_PKEY *x)
 static void EVP_PKEY_free_it(EVP_PKEY *x)
 {
     /* internal function; x is never NULL */
+
+    evp_keymgmt_clear_pkey_cache(x);
+
     if (x->ameth && x->ameth->pkey_free) {
         x->ameth->pkey_free(x);
         x->pkey.ptr = NULL;
diff --git a/crypto/include/internal/evp_int.h b/crypto/include/internal/evp_int.h
index ff9b6e545b..af273f2bf3 100644
--- a/crypto/include/internal/evp_int.h
+++ b/crypto/include/internal/evp_int.h
@@ -560,8 +560,9 @@ void openssl_add_all_kdfs_int(void);
 void evp_cleanup_int(void);
 void evp_app_cleanup_int(void);
 
+/* KEYMGMT helper functions */
 void *evp_keymgmt_export_to_provider(EVP_PKEY *pk, EVP_KEYMGMT *keymgmt);
-
+void evp_keymgmt_clear_pkey_cache(EVP_PKEY *pk);
 
 /* Pulling defines out of C source files */
 
diff --git a/doc/internal/man3/evp_keymgmt_export_to_provider.pod b/doc/internal/man3/evp_keymgmt_export_to_provider.pod
index 51234bd609..72b766fb93 100644
--- a/doc/internal/man3/evp_keymgmt_export_to_provider.pod
+++ b/doc/internal/man3/evp_keymgmt_export_to_provider.pod
@@ -2,13 +2,16 @@
 
 =head1 NAME
 
-evp_keymgmt_export_to_provider - key material exporter to providers for EVP
+evp_keymgmt_export_to_provider,
+evp_keymgmt_clear_pkey_cache
+- key material provider export for EVP
 
 =head1 SYNOPSIS
 
  #include "internal/evp_int.h"
 
  void *evp_keymgmt_export_to_provider(EVP_PKEY *pk, EVP_KEYMGMT *keymgmt);
+ void evp_keymgmt_clear_pkey_cache(EVP_PKEY *pk);
 
 =head1 DESCRIPTION
 
@@ -24,10 +27,13 @@ is_dirty() method returns 1.
 If it has, the cache of already exported keys is cleared, and a new
 export is made with the new key material.
 
+evp_keymgmt_clear_pkey_cache() can be used to explicitly clear the
+cache of provider key references.
+
 =head1 RETURN VALUES
 
-evp_keymgmt_export_to_provider() returns a pointer to the newly
-created provider side key, or NULL on error.
+evp_keymgmt_export_to_provider() returns a pointer to the appropriate
+provider side key (created or found again), or NULL on error.
 
 =head1 NOTES