diff --git a/apps/cmp.c b/apps/cmp.c
index e96e9a1df3f56f..a5b1c03ee1eb0f 100644
--- a/apps/cmp.c
+++ b/apps/cmp.c
@@ -1398,7 +1398,8 @@ static SSL_CTX *setup_ssl_ctx(OSSL_CMP_CTX *ctx, const char *host,
  */
 static int setup_protection_ctx(OSSL_CMP_CTX *ctx, ENGINE *engine)
 {
-    if (!opt_unprotected_requests && opt_secret == NULL && opt_key == NULL) {
+    if (!opt_unprotected_requests && opt_secret == NULL && opt_key == NULL
+        && opt_srvcert == NULL) {
         CMP_err("must give -key or -secret unless -unprotected_requests is used");
         return 0;
     }
@@ -1408,7 +1409,8 @@ static int setup_protection_ctx(OSSL_CMP_CTX *ctx, ENGINE *engine)
         CMP_err("must give -ref if no -cert and no -subject given");
         return 0;
     }
-    if (!opt_secret && ((opt_cert == NULL) != (opt_key == NULL))) {
+    if (!opt_secret && ((opt_cert == NULL) != (opt_key == NULL))
+        && opt_srvcert == NULL) {
         CMP_err("must give both -cert and -key options or neither");
         return 0;
     }