diff --git a/zkey/keystore.c b/zkey/keystore.c
index 2b0c30f1..63819a7d 100644
--- a/zkey/keystore.c
+++ b/zkey/keystore.c
@@ -1722,7 +1722,9 @@ int keystore_generate_key(struct keystore *keystore, const char *name,
 	if (rc != 0)
 		goto out_free_key_filenames;
 
-	rc = cross_check_apqns(apqns, 0, true, keystore->verbose);
+	rc = cross_check_apqns(apqns, 0,
+			       get_min_card_level_for_keytype(key_type), true,
+			       keystore->verbose);
 	if (rc == -EINVAL)
 		goto out_free_key_filenames;
 	if (rc != 0 && rc != -ENOTSUP && noapqncheck == 0) {
@@ -1850,7 +1852,9 @@ int keystore_import_key(struct keystore *keystore, const char *name,
 		goto out_free_key;
 	}
 
-	rc = cross_check_apqns(apqns, mkvp, true, keystore->verbose);
+	rc = cross_check_apqns(apqns, mkvp,
+			       get_min_card_level_for_keytype(key_type), true,
+			       keystore->verbose);
 	if (rc == -EINVAL)
 		goto out_free_key;
 	if (rc != 0 && rc != -ENOTSUP && noapqncheck == 0) {
@@ -1937,8 +1941,8 @@ int keystore_change_key(struct keystore *keystore, const char *name,
 					 .nomsg = 0 };
 	struct key_filenames file_names = { NULL, NULL, NULL };
 	struct properties *key_props = NULL;
+	char *apqns_prop, *key_type;
 	size_t secure_key_size;
-	char *apqns_prop;
 	u8 *secure_key;
 	char temp[30];
 	u64 mkvp;
@@ -2005,9 +2009,12 @@ int keystore_change_key(struct keystore *keystore, const char *name,
 			goto out;
 
 		apqns_prop = properties_get(key_props, PROP_NAME_APQNS);
-		rc = cross_check_apqns(apqns_prop, mkvp, true,
-				       keystore->verbose);
+		key_type = properties_get(key_props, PROP_NAME_KEY_TYPE);
+		rc = cross_check_apqns(apqns_prop, mkvp,
+				       get_min_card_level_for_keytype(key_type),
+				       true, keystore->verbose);
 		free(apqns_prop);
+		free(key_type);
 		if (rc == -ENOTSUP)
 			rc = 0;
 		if (rc != 0 && noapqncheck == 0) {
@@ -2373,12 +2380,17 @@ static int _keystore_display_apqn_status(struct keystore *keystore,
 {
 	int rc, warning = 0;
 	char *apqns;
+	char *key_type;
 
 	apqns = properties_get(properties, PROP_NAME_APQNS);
 	if (apqns == NULL)
 		return 0;
 
-	rc = cross_check_apqns(apqns, mkvp, true, keystore->verbose);
+	apqns = properties_get(properties, PROP_NAME_APQNS);
+	key_type = properties_get(properties, PROP_NAME_KEY_TYPE);
+	rc = cross_check_apqns(apqns, mkvp,
+			       get_min_card_level_for_keytype(key_type), true,
+			       keystore->verbose);
 	if (rc != 0 && rc != -ENOTSUP)
 		warning = 1;
 
@@ -2386,6 +2398,7 @@ static int _keystore_display_apqn_status(struct keystore *keystore,
 		printf("\n");
 
 	free(apqns);
+	free(key_type);
 	return warning;
 }
 /**
diff --git a/zkey/pkey.c b/zkey/pkey.c
index 0efb0c23..fcc8faff 100644
--- a/zkey/pkey.c
+++ b/zkey/pkey.c
@@ -1630,3 +1630,23 @@ const char *get_key_type(const u8 *key, size_t key_size)
 
 	return NULL;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Returns the minimum card level for a specific key type
+ *
+ * @param[in] key_type       the type of the key
+ *
+ * @returns the minimum card level, or -1 for unknown key types
+ */
+int get_min_card_level_for_keytype(const char *key_type)
+{
+	if (key_type == NULL)
+		return -1;
+
+	if (strcasecmp(key_type, KEY_TYPE_CCA_AESDATA) == 0)
+		return 3;
+	if (strcasecmp(key_type, KEY_TYPE_CCA_AESCIPHER) == 0)
+		return 6;
+
+	return -1;
+}
diff --git a/zkey/pkey.h b/zkey/pkey.h
index 34af5462..7a838db1 100644
--- a/zkey/pkey.h
+++ b/zkey/pkey.h
@@ -264,5 +264,6 @@ bool is_cca_aes_cipher_key(const u8 *key, size_t key_size);
 bool is_xts_key(const u8 *key, size_t key_size);
 int get_key_bit_size(const u8 *key, size_t key_size, size_t *bitsize);
 const char *get_key_type(const u8 *key, size_t key_size);
+int get_min_card_level_for_keytype(const char *key_type);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/zkey/utils.c b/zkey/utils.c
index 9dc4af7b..9b29c751 100644
--- a/zkey/utils.c
+++ b/zkey/utils.c
@@ -118,6 +118,49 @@ out:
 	return rc;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Returns the level of the card. For a CEX3C 3 is returned, for a CEX4C 4,
+ * and so on.
+ *
+ * @param[in] card      card number
+ *
+ * @returns The card level, or -1 of the level can not be determined.
+ */
+int sysfs_get_card_level(int card)
+{
+	char *dev_path;
+	char type[20];
+	int rc;
+
+	dev_path = util_path_sysfs("bus/ap/devices/card%02x", card);
+	if (!util_path_is_dir(dev_path)) {
+		rc = -1;
+		goto out;
+	}
+	if (util_file_read_line(type, sizeof(type), "%s/type", dev_path) != 0) {
+		rc = -1;
+		goto out;
+	}
+	if (strncmp(type, "CEX", 3) != 0 || strlen(type) < 5) {
+		rc = -1;
+		goto out;
+	}
+	if (type[4] != 'C') {
+		rc = -1;
+		goto out;
+	}
+	if (type[3] < '1' || type[3] > '9') {
+		rc = -1;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
+	rc = type[3] - '0';
+
+out:
+	free(dev_path);
+	return rc;
+}
+
 /**
  * Gets the 8 character ASCII serial number string of an card from the sysfs.
  *
@@ -436,12 +479,14 @@ static int print_apqn_mk_info(int card, int domain, void *handler_data)
 {
 	struct print_apqn_info *info = (struct print_apqn_info *)handler_data;
 	struct mk_info mk_info;
-	int rc;
+	int rc, level;
 
 	rc = sysfs_get_mkvps(card, domain, &mk_info, info->verbose);
 	if (rc == -ENOTSUP)
 		return rc;
 
+	level = sysfs_get_card_level(card);
+
 	util_rec_set(info->rec, "APQN", "%02x.%04x", card, domain);
 
 	if (rc == 0) {
@@ -470,6 +515,11 @@ static int print_apqn_mk_info(int card, int domain, void *handler_data)
 		util_rec_set(info->rec, "OLD", "?");
 	}
 
+	if (level > 0)
+		util_rec_set(info->rec, "TYPE", "CEX%dC", level);
+	else
+		util_rec_set(info->rec, "TYPE", "?");
+
 	util_rec_print(info->rec);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -499,6 +549,7 @@ int print_mk_info(const char *apqns, bool verbose)
 	util_rec_def(info.rec, "NEW", UTIL_REC_ALIGN_LEFT, 16, "NEW MK");
 	util_rec_def(info.rec, "CUR", UTIL_REC_ALIGN_LEFT, 16, "CURRENT MK");
 	util_rec_def(info.rec, "OLD", UTIL_REC_ALIGN_LEFT, 16, "OLD MK");
+	util_rec_def(info.rec, "TYPE", UTIL_REC_ALIGN_LEFT, 6, "TYPE");
 	util_rec_print_hdr(info.rec);
 
 	rc = handle_apqns(apqns, print_apqn_mk_info, &info, verbose);
@@ -511,6 +562,7 @@ struct cross_check_info {
 	u64	mkvp;
 	u64	new_mkvp;
 	bool	key_mkvp;
+	int	min_level;
 	u32	num_cur_match;
 	u32	num_old_match;
 	u32	num_new_match;
@@ -525,7 +577,7 @@ static int cross_check_mk_info(int card, int domain, void *handler_data)
 	struct cross_check_info *info = (struct cross_check_info *)handler_data;
 	struct mk_info mk_info;
 	char temp[200];
-	int rc;
+	int rc, level;
 
 	rc = sysfs_get_mkvps(card, domain, &mk_info, info->verbose);
 	if (rc == -ENODEV) {
@@ -539,6 +591,19 @@ static int cross_check_mk_info(int card, int domain, void *handler_data)
 
 	info->num_checked++;
 
+	if (info->min_level >= 0) {
+		level = sysfs_get_card_level(card);
+
+		if (level < info->min_level) {
+			info->print_mks = 1;
+			info->mismatch = 1;
+			sprintf(temp, "WARNING: APQN %02x.%04x: The card level "
+				"is less than CEX%dC.", card, domain,
+				info->min_level);
+			util_print_indented(temp, 0);
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (mk_info.new_mk.mk_state == MK_STATE_PARTIAL) {
 		info->print_mks = 1;
 		sprintf(temp, "INFO: APQN %02x.%04x: The NEW master key "
@@ -662,6 +727,8 @@ static int cross_check_mk_info(int card, int domain, void *handler_data)
  * @param[in] mkvp      The master key verification pattern of a secure key.
  *                      If this is all zero, then the master keys are not
  *                      matched against it.
+ * @param[in] min_level The minimum card level required. If min_level is -1 then
+ *                      the card level is not checked.
  * @param[in] print_mks if true, then a the full master key info of all
  *                      specified APQns is printed, in case of a mismatch.
  * @param[in] verbose   if true, verbose messages are printed
@@ -671,7 +738,8 @@ static int cross_check_mk_info(int card, int domain, void *handler_data)
  *          -ENOTSUP is returned when the mkvps sysfs attribute is not
  *          available, because the zcrypt kernel module is on an older level.
  */
-int cross_check_apqns(const char *apqns, u64 mkvp, bool print_mks, bool verbose)
+int cross_check_apqns(const char *apqns, u64 mkvp, int min_level,
+		      bool print_mks, bool verbose)
 {
 	struct cross_check_info info;
 	char temp[200];
@@ -680,10 +748,12 @@ int cross_check_apqns(const char *apqns, u64 mkvp, bool print_mks, bool verbose)
 	memset(&info, 0, sizeof(info));
 	info.key_mkvp = mkvp != 0;
 	info.mkvp = mkvp;
+	info.min_level = min_level;
 	info.verbose = verbose;
 
-	pr_verbose(verbose, "Cross checking APQNs with mkvp 0x%016llx: %s",
-		   mkvp, apqns != NULL ? apqns : "ANY");
+	pr_verbose(verbose, "Cross checking APQNs with mkvp 0x%016llx and "
+		   "min-level %d: %s", mkvp, min_level,
+		   apqns != NULL ? apqns : "ANY");
 
 	rc = handle_apqns(apqns, cross_check_mk_info, &info, verbose);
 	if (rc != 0)
diff --git a/zkey/utils.h b/zkey/utils.h
index c4dfb2bd..74c44c1e 100644
--- a/zkey/utils.h
+++ b/zkey/utils.h
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ int sysfs_is_card_online(int card);
 
 int sysfs_is_apqn_online(int card, int domain);
 
+int sysfs_get_card_level(int card);
+
 int sysfs_get_serialnr(int card, char serialnr[9], bool verbose);
 
 #define MK_STATE_EMPTY		0
@@ -48,7 +50,7 @@ int handle_apqns(const char *apqns, apqn_handler_t handler, void *handler_data,
 
 int print_mk_info(const char *apqns, bool verbose);
 
-int cross_check_apqns(const char *apqns, u64 mkvp, bool print_mks,
-		      bool verbose);
+int cross_check_apqns(const char *apqns, u64 mkvp, int min_level,
+		      bool print_mks, bool verbose);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/zkey/zkey.c b/zkey/zkey.c
index d4995281..c7509c78 100644
--- a/zkey/zkey.c
+++ b/zkey/zkey.c
@@ -1122,7 +1122,9 @@ static int command_generate(void)
 			return EXIT_FAILURE;
 		}
 
-		rc = cross_check_apqns(NULL, 0, true, g.verbose);
+		rc = cross_check_apqns(NULL, 0,
+				get_min_card_level_for_keytype(g.key_type),
+				true, g.verbose);
 		if (rc == -EINVAL)
 			return EXIT_FAILURE;
 		if (rc != 0 && rc != -ENOTSUP) {
@@ -1447,7 +1449,10 @@ static int command_validate_file(void)
 	printf("                         %.*s\n", VERIFICATION_PATTERN_LEN / 2,
 	       &vp[VERIFICATION_PATTERN_LEN / 2]);
 
-	rc = cross_check_apqns(NULL, mkvp, true, g.verbose);
+	rc = cross_check_apqns(NULL, mkvp,
+			       get_min_card_level_for_keytype(
+				     get_key_type(secure_key, secure_key_size)),
+			       true, g.verbose);
 	if (rc == -EINVAL)
 		return EXIT_FAILURE;
 	if (rc != 0 && rc != -ENOTSUP) {