diff --git a/agent/consul/auto_encrypt.go b/agent/consul/auto_encrypt.go
index 85298ff398..e3a0e78c54 100644
--- a/agent/consul/auto_encrypt.go
+++ b/agent/consul/auto_encrypt.go
@@ -51,6 +51,13 @@ func (c *Client) RequestAutoEncryptCerts(servers []string, port int, token strin
 		return errFn(err)
 	}
 
+	if conf.PrivateKeyType == "" {
+		conf.PrivateKeyType = connect.DefaultPrivateKeyType
+	}
+	if conf.PrivateKeyBits == 0 {
+		conf.PrivateKeyBits = connect.DefaultPrivateKeyBits
+	}
+
 	// Create a new private key
 	pk, pkPEM, err := connect.GeneratePrivateKeyWithConfig(conf.PrivateKeyType, conf.PrivateKeyBits)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/agent/consul/auto_encrypt_test.go b/agent/consul/auto_encrypt_test.go
index d27b2f9489..535cedb857 100644
--- a/agent/consul/auto_encrypt_test.go
+++ b/agent/consul/auto_encrypt_test.go
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 package consul
 
 import (
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"log"
 	"net"
 	"os"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
 func TestAutoEncrypt_resolveAddr(t *testing.T) {
@@ -77,3 +79,31 @@ func TestAutoEncrypt_missingPortError(t *testing.T) {
 	_, _, err = net.SplitHostPort(host)
 	require.False(t, missingPortError(host, err))
 }
+
+func TestAutoEncrypt_RequestAutoEncryptCerts(t *testing.T) {
+	dir1, c1 := testClient(t)
+	defer os.RemoveAll(dir1)
+	defer c1.Shutdown()
+	servers := []string{"localhost"}
+	port := 8301
+	token := ""
+	interruptCh := make(chan struct{})
+	doneCh := make(chan struct{})
+	var err error
+	go func() {
+		_, _, err = c1.RequestAutoEncryptCerts(servers, port, token, interruptCh)
+		close(doneCh)
+	}()
+	select {
+	case <-doneCh:
+		// since there are no servers at this port, we shouldn't be
+		// done and this should be an error of some sorts that happened
+		// in the setup phase before entering the for loop in
+		// RequestAutoEncryptCerts.
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+	case <-time.After(50 * time.Millisecond):
+		// this is the happy case since auto encrypt is in its loop to
+		// try to request certs.
+		interruptCh <- struct{}{}
+	}
+}