diff --git a/apps/encryption/lib/Controller/SettingsController.php b/apps/encryption/lib/Controller/SettingsController.php
index fd3637e0d7963..537ffa39a865d 100644
--- a/apps/encryption/lib/Controller/SettingsController.php
+++ b/apps/encryption/lib/Controller/SettingsController.php
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 use OCP\AppFramework\Http\Attribute\NoAdminRequired;
 use OCP\AppFramework\Http\Attribute\UseSession;
 use OCP\AppFramework\Http\DataResponse;
+use OCP\Encryption\Exceptions\GenericEncryptionException;
 use OCP\IL10N;
 use OCP\IRequest;
 use OCP\ISession;
@@ -76,7 +77,13 @@ public function updatePrivateKeyPassword($oldPassword, $newPassword) {
 
 		if ($passwordCorrect !== false) {
 			$encryptedKey = $this->keyManager->getPrivateKey($uid);
-			$decryptedKey = $this->crypt->decryptPrivateKey($encryptedKey, $oldPassword, $uid);
+			try {
+				$decryptedKey = $this->crypt->decryptPrivateKey($encryptedKey, $oldPassword, $uid);
+			} catch (GenericEncryptionException) {
+				// A wrong passphrase does not only make decrypting return false, it can
+				// also fail the signature check or the decryption itself
+				$decryptedKey = false;
+			}
 
 			if ($decryptedKey) {
 				$encryptedKey = $this->crypt->encryptPrivateKey($decryptedKey, $newPassword, $uid);
diff --git a/apps/encryption/tests/Controller/SettingsControllerTest.php b/apps/encryption/tests/Controller/SettingsControllerTest.php
index bee20f67cecdb..b61c4d76371e3 100644
--- a/apps/encryption/tests/Controller/SettingsControllerTest.php
+++ b/apps/encryption/tests/Controller/SettingsControllerTest.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
  */
 namespace OCA\Encryption\Tests\Controller;
 
+use OC\Encryption\Exceptions\DecryptionFailedException;
 use OCA\Encryption\Controller\SettingsController;
 use OCA\Encryption\Crypto\Crypt;
 use OCA\Encryption\KeyManager;
@@ -146,6 +147,28 @@ public function testUpdatePrivateKeyPasswordWrongOldPassword(): void {
 			$data['message']);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * test updatePrivateKeyPassword() if decrypting the private key with the given
+	 * old password fails with an exception instead of returning false
+	 */
+	public function testUpdatePrivateKeyPasswordUndecryptableKey(): void {
+		$this->userManagerMock
+			->expects($this->once())
+			->method('checkPassword')
+			->willReturn(true);
+
+		$this->cryptMock
+			->expects($this->once())
+			->method('decryptPrivateKey')
+			->willThrowException(new DecryptionFailedException('Decryption failed'));
+
+		$result = $this->controller->updatePrivateKeyPassword('old', 'new');
+
+		$this->assertSame(Http::STATUS_BAD_REQUEST, $result->getStatus());
+		$this->assertSame('The old password was not correct, please try again.',
+			$result->getData()['message']);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * test updatePrivateKeyPassword() with the correct old and new password
 	 */