diff --git a/cmd/common-main.go b/cmd/common-main.go
index 243af20ee..0b9ea911d 100644
--- a/cmd/common-main.go
+++ b/cmd/common-main.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/tls"
 	"crypto/x509"
 	"encoding/gob"
+	"encoding/pem"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -798,7 +799,29 @@ func handleCommonEnvVars() {
 				endpoints = append(endpoints, strings.Join(lbls, ""))
 			}
 		}
-		certificate, err := tls.LoadX509KeyPair(env.Get(config.EnvKESClientCert, ""), env.Get(config.EnvKESClientKey, ""))
+		// Manually load the certificate and private key into memory.
+		// We need to check whether the private key is encrypted, and
+		// if so, decrypt it using the user-provided password.
+		certBytes, err := os.ReadFile(env.Get(config.EnvKESClientCert, ""))
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.Fatal(err, "Unable to load KES client certificate as specified by the shell environment")
+		}
+		keyBytes, err := os.ReadFile(env.Get(config.EnvKESClientKey, ""))
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.Fatal(err, "Unable to load KES client private key as specified by the shell environment")
+		}
+		privateKeyPEM, rest := pem.Decode(bytes.TrimSpace(keyBytes))
+		if len(rest) != 0 {
+			logger.Fatal(errors.New("private key contains additional data"), "Unable to load KES client private key as specified by the shell environment")
+		}
+		if x509.IsEncryptedPEMBlock(privateKeyPEM) {
+			keyBytes, err = x509.DecryptPEMBlock(privateKeyPEM, []byte(env.Get(config.EnvKESClientPassword, "")))
+			if err != nil {
+				logger.Fatal(err, "Unable to decrypt KES client private key as specified by the shell environment")
+			}
+			keyBytes = pem.EncodeToMemory(&pem.Block{Type: privateKeyPEM.Type, Bytes: keyBytes})
+		}
+		certificate, err := tls.X509KeyPair(certBytes, keyBytes)
 		if err != nil {
 			logger.Fatal(err, "Unable to load KES client certificate as specified by the shell environment")
 		}
diff --git a/docs/kms/README.md b/docs/kms/README.md
index f5ec16e7d..1f1cda4df 100644
--- a/docs/kms/README.md
+++ b/docs/kms/README.md
@@ -120,6 +120,20 @@ Encrypted :
   X-Amz-Server-Side-Encryption: AES256
 ```
 
+## Encrypted Private Key
+
+MinIO supports encrypted KES client private keys. Therefore, you can use
+an password-protected private keys for `MINIO_KMS_KES_KEY_FILE`. 
+
+When using password-protected private keys for accessing KES you need to
+provide the password via:
+```
+export MINIO_KMS_KES_KEY_PASSWORD=<your-password>
+``` 
+
+Note that MinIO only supports encrypted private keys - not encrypted certificates.
+Certificates are no secrets and sent in plaintext as part of the TLS handshake.
+
 ## Explore Further
 
 - [Use `mc` with MinIO Server](https://docs.min.io/docs/minio-client-quickstart-guide)
diff --git a/internal/config/constants.go b/internal/config/constants.go
index 94a97dd7f..05a9f2674 100644
--- a/internal/config/constants.go
+++ b/internal/config/constants.go
@@ -62,13 +62,14 @@ const (
 
 	EnvUpdate = "MINIO_UPDATE"
 
-	EnvKMSSecretKey     = "MINIO_KMS_SECRET_KEY"
-	EnvKMSSecretKeyFile = "MINIO_KMS_SECRET_KEY_FILE"
-	EnvKESEndpoint      = "MINIO_KMS_KES_ENDPOINT"
-	EnvKESKeyName       = "MINIO_KMS_KES_KEY_NAME"
-	EnvKESClientKey     = "MINIO_KMS_KES_KEY_FILE"
-	EnvKESClientCert    = "MINIO_KMS_KES_CERT_FILE"
-	EnvKESServerCA      = "MINIO_KMS_KES_CAPATH"
+	EnvKMSSecretKey      = "MINIO_KMS_SECRET_KEY"
+	EnvKMSSecretKeyFile  = "MINIO_KMS_SECRET_KEY_FILE"
+	EnvKESEndpoint       = "MINIO_KMS_KES_ENDPOINT"
+	EnvKESKeyName        = "MINIO_KMS_KES_KEY_NAME"
+	EnvKESClientKey      = "MINIO_KMS_KES_KEY_FILE"
+	EnvKESClientPassword = "MINIO_KMS_KES_KEY_PASSWORD"
+	EnvKESClientCert     = "MINIO_KMS_KES_CERT_FILE"
+	EnvKESServerCA       = "MINIO_KMS_KES_CAPATH"
 
 	EnvEndpoints  = "MINIO_ENDPOINTS"   // legacy
 	EnvWorm       = "MINIO_WORM"        // legacy