diff --git a/include/psa/crypto.h b/include/psa/crypto.h
index 77ade6c897..0d0de2e0a5 100644
--- a/include/psa/crypto.h
+++ b/include/psa/crypto.h
@@ -132,7 +132,8 @@ psa_status_t psa_crypto_init(void);
  * psa_reset_key_attributes() on an attribute structure is optional if
  * the structure has only been modified by the following functions
  * since it was initialized or last reset with psa_reset_key_attributes():
- * - psa_make_key_persistent()
+ * - psa_set_key_id()
+ * - psa_set_key_lifetime()
  * - psa_set_key_type()
  * - psa_set_key_bits()
  * - psa_set_key_usage_flags()
@@ -173,7 +174,9 @@ psa_status_t psa_crypto_init(void);
  *
  * A typical sequence to create a key is as follows:
  * -# Create and initialize an attribute structure.
- * -# If the key is persistent, call psa_make_key_persistent().
+ * -# If the key is persistent, call psa_set_key_id().
+ *    Also call psa_set_key_lifetime() to place the key in a non-default
+ *    location.
  * -# Set the key policy with psa_set_key_usage_flags() and
  *    psa_set_key_algorithm().
  * -# Set the key type with psa_set_key_type(). If the key type requires
@@ -203,30 +206,51 @@ psa_status_t psa_crypto_init(void);
  */
 typedef struct psa_key_attributes_s psa_key_attributes_t;
 
-/** Declare a key as persistent.
+/** Declare a key as persistent and set its key identifier.
+ *
+ * If the attribute structure declares the key as volatile (which is
+ * the default content of an attribute structure), this function sets
+ * the lifetime attribute to #PSA_KEY_LIFETIME_PERSISTENT.
  *
  * This function does not access storage, it merely fills the attribute
- * structure with given values. The persistent key will be written to
+ * structure with given value. The persistent key will be written to
  * storage when the attribute structure is passed to a key creation
  * function such as psa_import_key(), psa_generate_random_key(),
  * psa_generate_derived_key() or psa_copy_key().
  *
- * This function overwrites any identifier and lifetime values
- * previously set in \p attributes.
- *
  * This function may be declared as `static` (i.e. without external
  * linkage). This function may be provided as a function-like macro,
  * but in this case it must evaluate each of its arguments exactly once.
  *
  * \param[out] attributes       The attribute structure to write to.
  * \param id                    The persistent identifier for the key.
+ */
+static void psa_set_key_id(psa_key_attributes_t *attributes,
+                           psa_key_id_t id);
+
+/** Set the location of a persistent key.
+ *
+ * To make a key persistent, you must give it a persistent key identifier
+ * with psa_set_key_id().
+ *
+ * This function does not access storage, it merely fills the attribute
+ * structure with given value. The persistent key will be written to
+ * storage when the attribute structure is passed to a key creation
+ * function such as psa_import_key(), psa_generate_random_key(),
+ * psa_generate_derived_key() or psa_copy_key().
+ *
+ * This function may be declared as `static` (i.e. without external
+ * linkage). This function may be provided as a function-like macro,
+ * but in this case it must evaluate each of its arguments exactly once.
+ *
+ * \param[out] attributes       The attribute structure to write to.
  * \param lifetime              The lifetime for the key.
  *                              If this is #PSA_KEY_LIFETIME_VOLATILE, the
- *                              key will be volatile, and \p id is ignored.
+ *                              key will be volatile, and the key identifier
+ *                              attribute is reset to 0.
  */
-static void psa_make_key_persistent(psa_key_attributes_t *attributes,
-                                    psa_key_id_t id,
-                                    psa_key_lifetime_t lifetime);
+static void psa_set_key_lifetime(psa_key_attributes_t *attributes,
+                                 psa_key_lifetime_t lifetime);
 
 /** Retrieve the key identifier from key attributes.
  *
diff --git a/include/psa/crypto_struct.h b/include/psa/crypto_struct.h
index f6bec2cf5f..91adc85f6a 100644
--- a/include/psa/crypto_struct.h
+++ b/include/psa/crypto_struct.h
@@ -287,12 +287,28 @@ static inline void psa_make_key_persistent(psa_key_attributes_t *attributes,
     attributes->lifetime = lifetime;
 }
 
+static inline void psa_set_key_id(psa_key_attributes_t *attributes,
+                                  psa_key_id_t id)
+{
+    attributes->id = id;
+    if( attributes->lifetime == PSA_KEY_LIFETIME_VOLATILE )
+        attributes->lifetime = PSA_KEY_LIFETIME_PERSISTENT;
+}
+
 static inline psa_key_id_t psa_get_key_id(
     const psa_key_attributes_t *attributes)
 {
     return( attributes->id );
 }
 
+static inline void psa_set_key_lifetime(psa_key_attributes_t *attributes,
+                                        psa_key_lifetime_t lifetime)
+{
+    attributes->lifetime = lifetime;
+    if( lifetime == PSA_KEY_LIFETIME_VOLATILE )
+        attributes->id = 0;
+}
+
 static inline psa_key_lifetime_t psa_get_key_lifetime(
     const psa_key_attributes_t *attributes)
 {