diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 4eed5c34ec1..767b35b0048 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ PHP                                                                        NEWS
   . Fixed bug GH-21052 (Preloaded constant erroneously propagated to file-cached
     script). (ilutov)
 
+- OpenSSL:
+  . Fixed bug GH-21083 (Skip private_key_bits validation for EC/curve-based
+    keys). (iliaal)
+
 - PCNTL:
   . Fixed signal handler installation on AIX by bumping the storage size of the
     num_signals global. (Calvin Buckley)
diff --git a/ext/openssl/openssl_backend_common.c b/ext/openssl/openssl_backend_common.c
index 78da71b53d9..84e19dbea09 100644
--- a/ext/openssl/openssl_backend_common.c
+++ b/ext/openssl/openssl_backend_common.c
@@ -1444,7 +1444,10 @@ static const char *php_openssl_get_evp_pkey_name(int key_type) {
 
 EVP_PKEY *php_openssl_generate_private_key(struct php_x509_request * req)
 {
-	if (req->priv_key_bits < MIN_KEY_LENGTH) {
+	if ((req->priv_key_type == OPENSSL_KEYTYPE_RSA ||
+			req->priv_key_type == OPENSSL_KEYTYPE_DH ||
+			req->priv_key_type == OPENSSL_KEYTYPE_DSA) &&
+			req->priv_key_bits < MIN_KEY_LENGTH) {
 		php_error_docref(NULL, E_WARNING, "Private key length must be at least %d bits, configured to %d",
 			MIN_KEY_LENGTH, req->priv_key_bits);
 		return NULL;
diff --git a/ext/openssl/tests/gh21083.phpt b/ext/openssl/tests/gh21083.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..31afb7ca084
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/openssl/tests/gh21083.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+--TEST--
+GH-21083 (openssl_pkey_new() fails for EC keys when private_key_bits is not set)
+--EXTENSIONS--
+openssl
+--SKIPIF--
+<?php if (!defined("OPENSSL_KEYTYPE_EC")) die("skip EC disabled"); ?>
+--ENV--
+OPENSSL_CONF=
+--FILE--
+<?php
+// Create a minimal openssl.cnf without default_bits (simulates OpenSSL 3.6 default config)
+$conf = tempnam(sys_get_temp_dir(), 'ossl');
+file_put_contents($conf, "[req]\ndistinguished_name = req_dn\n[req_dn]\n");
+
+// EC key - size is determined by the curve, private_key_bits should not be required
+$key = openssl_pkey_new([
+    'config' => $conf,
+    'private_key_type' => OPENSSL_KEYTYPE_EC,
+    'curve_name' => 'prime256v1',
+]);
+var_dump($key !== false);
+$details = openssl_pkey_get_details($key);
+var_dump($details['bits']);
+var_dump($details['type'] === OPENSSL_KEYTYPE_EC);
+echo "EC OK\n";
+
+// X25519 - fixed size key, private_key_bits should not be required
+if (defined('OPENSSL_KEYTYPE_X25519')) {
+    $key = openssl_pkey_new([
+        'config' => $conf,
+        'private_key_type' => OPENSSL_KEYTYPE_X25519,
+    ]);
+    var_dump($key !== false);
+    echo "X25519 OK\n";
+} else {
+    echo "bool(true)\nX25519 OK\n";
+}
+
+// Ed25519 - fixed size key, private_key_bits should not be required
+if (defined('OPENSSL_KEYTYPE_ED25519')) {
+    $key = openssl_pkey_new([
+        'config' => $conf,
+        'private_key_type' => OPENSSL_KEYTYPE_ED25519,
+    ]);
+    var_dump($key !== false);
+    echo "Ed25519 OK\n";
+} else {
+    echo "bool(true)\nEd25519 OK\n";
+}
+
+unlink($conf);
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+bool(true)
+int(256)
+bool(true)
+EC OK
+bool(true)
+X25519 OK
+bool(true)
+Ed25519 OK