diff --git a/ChangeLog.d/gen-key-segfault.txt b/ChangeLog.d/gen-key-segfault.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fefc702726
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ChangeLog.d/gen-key-segfault.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Bugfix
+   * Avoid segmentation fault caused by releasing not initialized
+     entropy resource in gen_key example. Fixes #8809.
diff --git a/programs/pkey/gen_key.c b/programs/pkey/gen_key.c
index 6914c9390d..194a5cbba6 100644
--- a/programs/pkey/gen_key.c
+++ b/programs/pkey/gen_key.c
@@ -249,6 +249,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     mbedtls_mpi_init(&DQ); mbedtls_mpi_init(&QP);
 #endif /* MBEDTLS_RSA_C */
 
+    mbedtls_entropy_init(&entropy);
     mbedtls_pk_init(&key);
     mbedtls_ctr_drbg_init(&ctr_drbg);
     memset(buf, 0, sizeof(buf));
@@ -336,7 +337,6 @@ usage:
     mbedtls_printf("\n  . Seeding the random number generator...");
     fflush(stdout);
 
-    mbedtls_entropy_init(&entropy);
 #if !defined(_WIN32) && defined(MBEDTLS_FS_IO)
     if (opt.use_dev_random) {
         if ((ret = mbedtls_entropy_add_source(&entropy, dev_random_entropy_poll,