diff --git a/cmd/helm/package.go b/cmd/helm/package.go
index d99309c4a..f9cf4cdbc 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/package.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/package.go
@@ -23,8 +23,10 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"syscall"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"golang.org/x/crypto/ssh/terminal"
 
 	"k8s.io/helm/cmd/helm/helmpath"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/chartutil"
@@ -145,6 +147,10 @@ func (p *packageCmd) clearsign(filename string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if err := signer.DecryptKey(promptUser); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	sig, err := signer.ClearSign(filename)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -156,3 +162,11 @@ func (p *packageCmd) clearsign(filename string) error {
 
 	return ioutil.WriteFile(filename+".prov", []byte(sig), 0755)
 }
+
+// promptUser implements provenance.PassphraseFetcher
+func promptUser(name string) ([]byte, error) {
+	fmt.Printf("Password for key %q >  ", name)
+	pw, err := terminal.ReadPassword(int(syscall.Stdin))
+	fmt.Println()
+	return []byte(pw), err
+}
diff --git a/docs/provenance.md b/docs/provenance.md
index e427c533a..6a6faac36 100644
--- a/docs/provenance.md
+++ b/docs/provenance.md
@@ -27,11 +27,14 @@ This section describes a potential workflow for using provenance data effectivel
 
 Prerequisites:
 
-- A valid, passphrase-less PGP keypair in a binary (not ASCII-armored) format
+- A valid PGP keypair in a binary (not ASCII-armored) format
 - The `helm` command line tool
 - GnuPG command line tools (optional)
 - Keybase command line tools (optional)
 
+**NOTE:** If your PGP private key has a passphrase, you will be prompted to enter
+that passphrase for any commands that support the `--sign` option.
+
 Creating a new chart is the same as before:
 
 ```
diff --git a/pkg/provenance/sign.go b/pkg/provenance/sign.go
index 90b14cdc5..480932648 100644
--- a/pkg/provenance/sign.go
+++ b/pkg/provenance/sign.go
@@ -144,10 +144,55 @@ func NewFromKeyring(keyringfile, id string) (*Signatory, error) {
 	if vague {
 		return s, fmt.Errorf("more than one key contain the id %q", id)
 	}
+
 	s.Entity = candidate
 	return s, nil
 }
 
+// PassphraseFetcher returns a passphrase for decrypting keys.
+//
+// This is used as a callback to read a passphrase from some other location. The
+// given name is the Name field on the key, typically of the form:
+//
+//	USER_NAME (COMMENT) <EMAIL>
+type PassphraseFetcher func(name string) ([]byte, error)
+
+// DecryptKey decrypts a private key in the Signatory.
+//
+// If the key is not encrypted, this will return without error.
+//
+// If the key does not exist, this will return an error.
+//
+// If the key exists, but cannot be unlocked with the passphrase returned by
+// the PassphraseFetcher, this will return an error.
+//
+// If the key is successfully unlocked, it will return nil.
+func (s *Signatory) DecryptKey(fn PassphraseFetcher) error {
+	if s.Entity == nil || s.Entity.PrivateKey == nil {
+		return errors.New("private key not found")
+	}
+
+	// Nothing else to do if key is not encrypted.
+	if !s.Entity.PrivateKey.Encrypted {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	fname := "Unknown"
+	for i := range s.Entity.Identities {
+		if i != "" {
+			fname = i
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	p, err := fn(fname)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return s.Entity.PrivateKey.Decrypt(p)
+}
+
 // ClearSign signs a chart with the given key.
 //
 // This takes the path to a chart archive file and a key, and it returns a clear signature.
diff --git a/pkg/provenance/sign_test.go b/pkg/provenance/sign_test.go
index 747a9376a..388941deb 100644
--- a/pkg/provenance/sign_test.go
+++ b/pkg/provenance/sign_test.go
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ const (
 	// phrase. Use `gpg --export-secret-keys helm-test` to export the secret.
 	testKeyfile = "testdata/helm-test-key.secret"
 
+	// testPasswordKeyFile is a keyfile with a password.
+	testPasswordKeyfile = "testdata/helm-password-key.secret"
+
 	// testPubfile is the public key file.
 	// Use `gpg --export helm-test` to export the public key.
 	testPubfile = "testdata/helm-test-key.pub"
@@ -39,6 +42,8 @@ const (
 	// Generated name for the PGP key in testKeyFile.
 	testKeyName = `Helm Testing (This key should only be used for testing. DO NOT TRUST.) <helm-testing@helm.sh>`
 
+	testPasswordKeyName = `password key (fake) <fake@helm.sh>`
+
 	testChartfile = "testdata/hashtest-1.2.3.tgz"
 
 	// testSigBlock points to a signature generated by an external tool.
@@ -177,6 +182,36 @@ func TestDigestFile(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestDecryptKey(t *testing.T) {
+	k, err := NewFromKeyring(testPasswordKeyfile, testPasswordKeyName)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if !k.Entity.PrivateKey.Encrypted {
+		t.Fatal("Key is not encrypted")
+	}
+
+	// We give this a simple callback that returns the password.
+	if err := k.DecryptKey(func(s string) ([]byte, error) {
+		return []byte("secret"), nil
+	}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// Re-read the key (since we already unlocked it)
+	k, err = NewFromKeyring(testPasswordKeyfile, testPasswordKeyName)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	// Now we give it a bogus password.
+	if err := k.DecryptKey(func(s string) ([]byte, error) {
+		return []byte("secrets_and_lies"), nil
+	}); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Expected an error when giving a bogus passphrase")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestClearSign(t *testing.T) {
 	signer, err := NewFromFiles(testKeyfile, testPubfile)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/provenance/testdata/helm-password-key.secret b/pkg/provenance/testdata/helm-password-key.secret
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..03c8aa583
Binary files /dev/null and b/pkg/provenance/testdata/helm-password-key.secret differ