diff --git a/command/init.go b/command/init.go
index f0fdd7bad7..4ed9e67879 100644
--- a/command/init.go
+++ b/command/init.go
@@ -329,13 +329,16 @@ Init Options:
   -pgp-keys                 If provided, must be a comma-separated list of
                             files on disk containing binary- or base64-format
                             public PGP keys, or Keybase usernames specified as
-                            "keybase:<username>". The number of given entries
-                            must match 'key-shares'. The output unseal keys will
+                            "keybase:<username>". The output unseal keys will
                             be encrypted and base64-encoded, in order, with the
                             given public keys. If you want to use them with the
                             'vault unseal' command, you will need to base64-
                             decode and decrypt; this will be the plaintext
-                            unseal key.
+                            unseal key. When 'stored-shares' are not used, the
+                            number of entries in this field must match 'key-shares'.
+                            When 'stored-shares' are used, the number of entries
+                            should match the difference between 'key-shares'
+                            and 'stored-shares'.
 
   -root-token-pgp-key       If provided, a file on disk with a binary- or
                             base64-format public PGP key, or a Keybase username
diff --git a/http/sys_init.go b/http/sys_init.go
index 134687ab90..c29b040a6a 100644
--- a/http/sys_init.go
+++ b/http/sys_init.go
@@ -81,6 +81,18 @@ func handleSysInitPut(core *vault.Core, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if len(barrierConfig.PGPKeys) > 0 && len(barrierConfig.PGPKeys) != barrierConfig.SecretShares-barrierConfig.StoredShares {
+		respondError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, fmt.Errorf("incorrect number of PGP keys"))
+		return
+	}
+
+	if core.SealAccess().RecoveryKeySupported() {
+		if len(recoveryConfig.PGPKeys) > 0 && len(recoveryConfig.PGPKeys) != recoveryConfig.SecretShares-recoveryConfig.StoredShares {
+			respondError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, fmt.Errorf("incorrect number of PGP keys for recovery"))
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
 	initParams := &vault.InitParams{
 		BarrierConfig:   barrierConfig,
 		RecoveryConfig:  recoveryConfig,
diff --git a/http/sys_init_test.go b/http/sys_init_test.go
index b3dec904dc..9dfa776393 100644
--- a/http/sys_init_test.go
+++ b/http/sys_init_test.go
@@ -53,6 +53,39 @@ func TestSysInit_get(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Test to check if the API errors out when wrong number of PGP keys are
+// supplied
+func TestSysInit_pgpKeysEntries(t *testing.T) {
+	core := vault.TestCore(t)
+	ln, addr := TestServer(t, core)
+	defer ln.Close()
+
+	resp := testHttpPut(t, "", addr+"/v1/sys/init", map[string]interface{}{
+		"secret_shares":   5,
+		"secret_threhold": 3,
+		"pgp_keys":        []string{"pgpkey1"},
+	})
+	testResponseStatus(t, resp, 400)
+}
+
+// Test to check if the API errors out when wrong number of PGP keys are
+// supplied for recovery config
+func TestSysInit_pgpKeysEntriesForRecovery(t *testing.T) {
+	core := vault.TestCoreNewSeal(t)
+	ln, addr := TestServer(t, core)
+	defer ln.Close()
+
+	resp := testHttpPut(t, "", addr+"/v1/sys/init", map[string]interface{}{
+		"secret_shares":      1,
+		"secret_threshold":   1,
+		"stored_shares":      1,
+		"recovery_shares":    5,
+		"recovery_threshold": 3,
+		"recovery_pgp_keys":  []string{"pgpkey1"},
+	})
+	testResponseStatus(t, resp, 400)
+}
+
 func TestSysInit_put(t *testing.T) {
 	core := vault.TestCore(t)
 	ln, addr := TestServer(t, core)
diff --git a/http/sys_rekey.go b/http/sys_rekey.go
index 43dcd95ab6..86d0d5dd19 100644
--- a/http/sys_rekey.go
+++ b/http/sys_rekey.go
@@ -113,6 +113,11 @@ func handleSysRekeyInitPut(core *vault.Core, recovery bool, w http.ResponseWrite
 		return
 	}
 
+	if len(req.PGPKeys) > 0 && len(req.PGPKeys) != req.SecretShares-req.StoredShares {
+		respondError(w, http.StatusBadRequest, fmt.Errorf("incorrect number of PGP keys for rekey"))
+		return
+	}
+
 	// Initialize the rekey
 	err := core.RekeyInit(&vault.SealConfig{
 		SecretShares:    req.SecretShares,
diff --git a/http/sys_rekey_test.go b/http/sys_rekey_test.go
index 4811bd2411..52729628e0 100644
--- a/http/sys_rekey_test.go
+++ b/http/sys_rekey_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,22 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/vault/vault"
 )
 
+// Test to check if the API errors out when wrong number of PGP keys are
+// supplied for rekey
+func TestSysRekeyInit_pgpKeysEntriesForRekey(t *testing.T) {
+	core, _, token := vault.TestCoreUnsealed(t)
+	ln, addr := TestServer(t, core)
+	defer ln.Close()
+	TestServerAuth(t, addr, token)
+
+	resp := testHttpPut(t, token, addr+"/v1/sys/rekey/init", map[string]interface{}{
+		"secret_shares":    5,
+		"secret_threshold": 3,
+		"pgp_keys":         []string{"pgpkey1"},
+	})
+	testResponseStatus(t, resp, 400)
+}
+
 func TestSysRekeyInit_Status(t *testing.T) {
 	core, _, token := vault.TestCoreUnsealed(t)
 	ln, addr := TestServer(t, core)
diff --git a/vault/testing.go b/vault/testing.go
index 3851915079..a0273db593 100644
--- a/vault/testing.go
+++ b/vault/testing.go
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ func TestCore(t *testing.T) *Core {
 	return TestCoreWithSeal(t, nil)
 }
 
+// TestCoreNewSeal returns an in-memory, ininitialized core with the new seal
+// configuration.
+func TestCoreNewSeal(t *testing.T) *Core {
+	return TestCoreWithSeal(t, &TestSeal{})
+}
+
 // TestCoreWithSeal returns a pure in-memory, uninitialized core with the
 // specified seal for testing.
 func TestCoreWithSeal(t *testing.T, testSeal Seal) *Core {