diff --git a/jose/parse.go b/jose/parse.go
index 760c4f16..1236cfaf 100644
--- a/jose/parse.go
+++ b/jose/parse.go
@@ -358,6 +358,19 @@ func guessJWKAlgorithm(ctx *context, jwk *JSONWebKey) {
 	}
 }
 
+func guessOpaqueSigner(key crypto.PrivateKey) crypto.PrivateKey {
+	switch k := key.(type) {
+	case []byte, *ecdsa.PrivateKey, *rsa.PrivateKey, ed25519.PrivateKey:
+		return key
+	case x25519.PrivateKey:
+		return X25519Signer(k)
+	case crypto.Signer:
+		return NewOpaqueSigner(k)
+	default:
+		return key
+	}
+}
+
 // guessSignatureAlgorithm returns the signature algorithm for a given private key.
 func guessSignatureAlgorithm(key crypto.PrivateKey) SignatureAlgorithm {
 	switch k := key.(type) {
@@ -371,6 +384,29 @@ func guessSignatureAlgorithm(key crypto.PrivateKey) SignatureAlgorithm {
 		return EdDSA
 	case x25519.PrivateKey, X25519Signer:
 		return XEdDSA
+	case crypto.Signer:
+		return guessSignatureAlgorithmFromPublicKey(k.Public())
+	case OpaqueSigner:
+		if algs := k.Algs(); len(algs) > 0 {
+			return algs[0]
+		}
+		if pub := k.Public(); pub != nil && pub.Key != nil {
+			return guessSignatureAlgorithmFromPublicKey(pub.Key)
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func guessSignatureAlgorithmFromPublicKey(key crypto.PublicKey) SignatureAlgorithm {
+	switch k := key.(type) {
+	case *ecdsa.PublicKey:
+		return SignatureAlgorithm(getECAlgorithm(k.Curve))
+	case *rsa.PublicKey:
+		return DefaultRSASigAlgorithm
+	case ed25519.PublicKey:
+		return EdDSA
+	case x25519.PublicKey:
+		return XEdDSA
 	default:
 		return ""
 	}
diff --git a/jose/parse_test.go b/jose/parse_test.go
index 66997320..7df4f7b5 100644
--- a/jose/parse_test.go
+++ b/jose/parse_test.go
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ import (
 	"crypto/x509"
 	"encoding/base64"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"os"
@@ -19,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/smallstep/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"go.step.sm/crypto/pemutil"
 	"go.step.sm/crypto/x25519"
 )
@@ -33,6 +36,24 @@ const (
 	octKey
 )
 
+type wrapSigner struct {
+	crypto.Signer
+}
+
+func (w wrapSigner) Public() crypto.PublicKey {
+	if w.Signer == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return w.Signer.Public()
+}
+
+func (w wrapSigner) Sign(rand io.Reader, digest []byte, opts crypto.SignerOpts) ([]byte, error) {
+	if w.Signer == nil {
+		return nil, errors.New("not implemented")
+	}
+	return w.Signer.Sign(rand, digest, opts)
+}
+
 type testdata struct {
 	typ       keyType
 	encrypted bool
@@ -744,10 +765,18 @@ func Test_guessSignatureAlgorithm(t *testing.T) {
 		return args[last-1]
 	}
 
+	p256, err := ecdsa.GenerateKey(elliptic.P256(), rand.Reader)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	p384, err := ecdsa.GenerateKey(elliptic.P384(), rand.Reader)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	p521, err := ecdsa.GenerateKey(elliptic.P521(), rand.Reader)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	rsaKey, err := rsa.GenerateKey(rand.Reader, 2048)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	_, edKey, err := ed25519.GenerateKey(rand.Reader)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 	_, x25519Key, err := x25519.GenerateKey(rand.Reader)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	type args struct {
 		key crypto.PrivateKey
@@ -758,14 +787,28 @@ func Test_guessSignatureAlgorithm(t *testing.T) {
 		want SignatureAlgorithm
 	}{
 		{"byte", args{[]byte("the-key")}, HS256},
-		{"ES256", args{must(ecdsa.GenerateKey(elliptic.P256(), rand.Reader))}, ES256},
-		{"ES384", args{must(ecdsa.GenerateKey(elliptic.P384(), rand.Reader))}, ES384},
-		{"ES512", args{must(ecdsa.GenerateKey(elliptic.P521(), rand.Reader))}, ES512},
-		{"RS256", args{must(rsa.GenerateKey(rand.Reader, 2048))}, RS256},
-		{"EdDSA", args{must(ed25519.GenerateKey(rand.Reader))}, EdDSA},
+		{"ES256", args{p256}, ES256},
+		{"ES384", args{p384}, ES384},
+		{"ES512", args{p521}, ES512},
+		{"RS256", args{rsaKey}, RS256},
+		{"EdDSA", args{edKey}, EdDSA},
 		{"XEdDSA", args{x25519Key}, XEdDSA},
 		{"XEdDSA with X25519Signer", args{X25519Signer(x25519Key)}, XEdDSA},
+		{"signer ES256", args{wrapSigner{p256}}, ES256},
+		{"signer ES384", args{wrapSigner{p384}}, ES384},
+		{"signer ES512", args{wrapSigner{p521}}, ES512},
+		{"signer RS256", args{wrapSigner{rsaKey}}, RS256},
+		{"signer EdDSA", args{wrapSigner{edKey}}, EdDSA},
+		{"signer XEdDSA", args{wrapSigner{x25519Key}}, XEdDSA},
+		{"opaque ES256", args{NewOpaqueSigner(p256)}, ES256},
+		{"opaque ES384", args{NewOpaqueSigner(p384)}, ES384},
+		{"opaque ES512", args{NewOpaqueSigner(p521)}, ES512},
+		{"opaque RS256", args{NewOpaqueSigner(rsaKey)}, RS256},
+		{"opaque EdDSA", args{NewOpaqueSigner(edKey)}, EdDSA},
+		{"opaque XEdDSA", args{NewOpaqueSigner(x25519Key)}, XEdDSA},
 		{"empty", args{must(ecdsa.GenerateKey(elliptic.P224(), rand.Reader))}, ""},
+		{"signer empty", args{wrapSigner{}}, ""},
+		{"opaque empty", args{NewOpaqueSigner(wrapSigner{})}, ""},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/jose/types.go b/jose/types.go
index f0347638..4d7af244 100644
--- a/jose/types.go
+++ b/jose/types.go
@@ -248,9 +248,7 @@ func UnixNumericDate(s int64) *NumericDate {
 
 // NewSigner creates an appropriate signer based on the key type
 func NewSigner(sig SigningKey, opts *SignerOptions) (Signer, error) {
-	if k, ok := sig.Key.(x25519.PrivateKey); ok {
-		sig.Key = X25519Signer(k)
-	}
+	sig.Key = guessOpaqueSigner(sig.Key)
 	if sig.Algorithm == "" {
 		sig.Algorithm = guessSignatureAlgorithm(sig.Key)
 	}
diff --git a/jose/types_test.go b/jose/types_test.go
index 3edd56d6..e9a4604c 100644
--- a/jose/types_test.go
+++ b/jose/types_test.go
@@ -139,6 +139,8 @@ func TestSignVerify(t *testing.T) {
 		{"rsa2048", args{SigningKey{Key: rsa2048}, nil}, false},
 		{"ed", args{SigningKey{Key: edKey}, nil}, false},
 		{"x25519", args{SigningKey{Key: xKey}, nil}, false},
+		{"signer", args{SigningKey{Key: wrapSigner{edKey}}, nil}, false},
+		{"opaque", args{SigningKey{Key: NewOpaqueSigner(edKey)}, nil}, false},
 		{"fail P224", args{SigningKey{Key: p224}, nil}, true},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {