diff --git a/src/scrambler-istream.c b/src/scrambler-istream.c
index 07047f2..746a474 100644
--- a/src/scrambler-istream.c
+++ b/src/scrambler-istream.c
@@ -83,14 +83,6 @@ scrambler_istream_read_detect_magic(struct scrambler_istream *sstream,
 {
   ssize_t ret;
 
-  if (sstream->private_key == NULL) {
-    i_error("[scrambler] Trying to decrypt without private key.");
-    sstream->istream.istream.stream_errno = EACCES;
-    sstream->istream.istream.eof = TRUE;
-    ret = -1;
-    goto end;
-  }
-
   /* Check for the scrambler header and if so we have an encrypted email that
    * we'll try to decrypt. */
   if (!memcmp(scrambler_header, source, sizeof(scrambler_header))) {