diff --git a/apps/ca.c b/apps/ca.c
index 558809ee30..48f7cd1973 100644
--- a/apps/ca.c
+++ b/apps/ca.c
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ int ca_main(int argc, char **argv)
     int batch = 0, default_op = 1, doupdatedb = 0, ext_copy = EXT_COPY_NONE;
     int keyformat = FORMAT_PEM, multirdn = 0, notext = 0, output_der = 0;
     int ret = 1, email_dn = 1, req = 0, verbose = 0, gencrl = 0, dorevoke = 0;
-    int rand_ser = 0, i, j, selfsign = 0;
+    int rand_ser = 0, i, j, selfsign = 0, def_nid, def_ret;
     long crldays = 0, crlhours = 0, crlsec = 0, days = 0;
     unsigned long chtype = MBSTRING_ASC, certopt = 0;
     X509 *x509 = NULL, *x509p = NULL, *x = NULL;
@@ -728,24 +728,28 @@ end_of_options:
         }
     }
 
-    if (md == NULL && (md = lookup_conf(conf, section, ENV_DEFAULT_MD)) == NULL)
-        goto end;
-
-    if (strcmp(md, "null") == 0) {
+    def_ret = EVP_PKEY_get_default_digest_nid(pkey, &def_nid);
+    /*
+     * EVP_PKEY_get_default_digest_nid() returns 2 if the digest is
+     * mandatory for this algorithm.
+     */
+    if (def_ret == 2 && def_nid == NID_undef) {
+        /* The signing algorithm requires there to be no digest */
         dgst = EVP_md_null();
+    } else if (md == NULL
+               && (md = lookup_conf(conf, section, ENV_DEFAULT_MD)) == NULL) {
+        goto end;
     } else {
         if (strcmp(md, "default") == 0) {
-            int def_nid;
-            if (EVP_PKEY_get_default_digest_nid(pkey, &def_nid) <= 0) {
+            if (def_ret <= 0) {
                 BIO_puts(bio_err, "no default digest\n");
                 goto end;
             }
             md = (char *)OBJ_nid2sn(def_nid);
         }
 
-        if (!opt_md(md, &dgst)) {
+        if (!opt_md(md, &dgst))
             goto end;
-        }
     }
 
     if (req) {
diff --git a/crypto/ec/ecx_meth.c b/crypto/ec/ecx_meth.c
index e75e07b052..b76bfdb6dc 100644
--- a/crypto/ec/ecx_meth.c
+++ b/crypto/ec/ecx_meth.c
@@ -331,8 +331,18 @@ static int ecx_ctrl(EVP_PKEY *pkey, int op, long arg1, void *arg2)
         }
         return 0;
 
+    default:
+        return -2;
+
+    }
+}
+
+static int ecd_ctrl(EVP_PKEY *pkey, int op, long arg1, void *arg2)
+{
+    switch (op) {
     case ASN1_PKEY_CTRL_DEFAULT_MD_NID:
-        *(int *)arg2 = NID_sha256;
+        /* We currently only support Pure EdDSA which takes no digest */
+        *(int *)arg2 = NID_undef;
         return 2;
 
     default:
@@ -579,7 +589,7 @@ const EVP_PKEY_ASN1_METHOD ed25519_asn1_meth = {
     0, 0,
 
     ecx_free,
-    0,
+    ecd_ctrl,
     NULL,
     NULL,
     ecd_item_verify,
@@ -621,7 +631,7 @@ const EVP_PKEY_ASN1_METHOD ed448_asn1_meth = {
     0, 0,
 
     ecx_free,
-    0,
+    ecd_ctrl,
     NULL,
     NULL,
     ecd_item_verify,
diff --git a/doc/man1/ca.pod b/doc/man1/ca.pod
index ebd8a4386a..9b282e6479 100644
--- a/doc/man1/ca.pod
+++ b/doc/man1/ca.pod
@@ -184,9 +184,9 @@ The number of days to certify the certificate for.
 =item B<-md alg>
 
 The message digest to use.
-Any digest supported by the OpenSSL B<dgst> command can be used. If the signing
-key is using Ed25519 or Ed448 then you should specify "null" for the digest.
-This option also applies to CRLs.
+Any digest supported by the OpenSSL B<dgst> command can be used. For signing
+algorithms that do not support a digest (i.e. Ed25519 and Ed448) any message
+digest that is set is ignored. This option also applies to CRLs.
 
 =item B<-policy arg>
 
@@ -453,7 +453,8 @@ least one of these must be present to generate a CRL.
 
 =item B<default_md>
 
-The same as the B<-md> option. Mandatory.
+The same as the B<-md> option. Mandatory except where the signing algorithm does
+not require a digest (i.e. Ed25519 and Ed448).
 
 =item B<database>
 
diff --git a/doc/man3/EVP_PKEY_get_default_digest_nid.pod b/doc/man3/EVP_PKEY_get_default_digest_nid.pod
index 3dce5c59a8..6113115aec 100644
--- a/doc/man3/EVP_PKEY_get_default_digest_nid.pod
+++ b/doc/man3/EVP_PKEY_get_default_digest_nid.pod
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ EVP_PKEY_get_default_digest_nid - get default signature digest
 
 The EVP_PKEY_get_default_digest_nid() function sets B<pnid> to the default
 message digest NID for the public key signature operations associated with key
-B<pkey>.
+B<pkey>. Note that some signature algorithms (i.e. Ed25519 and Ed448) do not use
+a digest during signing. In this case B<pnid> will be set to NID_undef.
 
 =head1 NOTES