diff --git a/drivers/crypto/cavium/nitrox/nitrox_skcipher.c b/drivers/crypto/cavium/nitrox/nitrox_skcipher.c
index d4935d6cefdd..7e4a5e69085e 100644
--- a/drivers/crypto/cavium/nitrox/nitrox_skcipher.c
+++ b/drivers/crypto/cavium/nitrox/nitrox_skcipher.c
@@ -257,12 +257,8 @@ static int nitrox_aes_decrypt(struct skcipher_request *skreq)
 static int nitrox_3des_setkey(struct crypto_skcipher *cipher,
 			      const u8 *key, unsigned int keylen)
 {
-	if (keylen != DES3_EDE_KEY_SIZE) {
-		crypto_skcipher_set_flags(cipher, CRYPTO_TFM_RES_BAD_KEY_LEN);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
-	return nitrox_skcipher_setkey(cipher, 0, key, keylen);
+	return unlikely(des3_verify_key(cipher, key)) ?:
+	       nitrox_skcipher_setkey(cipher, 0, key, keylen);
 }
 
 static int nitrox_3des_encrypt(struct skcipher_request *skreq)