diff --git a/pkg/keyctl/key.go b/pkg/keyctl/key.go
index 0d42a8f1c1..e4396a9df7 100644
--- a/pkg/keyctl/key.go
+++ b/pkg/keyctl/key.go
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ type Key struct {
 }
 
 // ID returns the 32-bit kernel identifier for a specific key
-func (k *Key) ID() int {
-	return int(k.id)
+func (k *Key) ID() int32 {
+	return int32(k.id)
 }
 
 // Get the key's value as a byte slice
diff --git a/pkg/keyctl/keyring.go b/pkg/keyctl/keyring.go
index dd037840a8..6e029c9235 100644
--- a/pkg/keyctl/keyring.go
+++ b/pkg/keyctl/keyring.go
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@
 // +build linux
 
 // Package keyctl is a Go interface to linux kernel keyrings (keyctl interface)
+//
+// Deprecated: Most callers should use either golang.org/x/sys/unix directly,
+// or the original (and more extensive) github.com/jsipprell/keyctl .
 package keyctl
 
 import (
@@ -24,7 +27,7 @@ type keyring struct {
 
 // ID is unique 32-bit serial number identifiers for all Keys and Keyrings have.
 type ID interface {
-	ID() int
+	ID() int32
 }
 
 // Add a new key to a keyring. The key can be searched for later by name.
@@ -49,8 +52,8 @@ func (kr *keyring) Search(name string) (*Key, error) {
 }
 
 // ID returns the 32-bit kernel identifier of a keyring
-func (kr *keyring) ID() int {
-	return int(kr.id)
+func (kr *keyring) ID() int32 {
+	return int32(kr.id)
 }
 
 // SessionKeyring returns the current login session keyring
@@ -65,12 +68,12 @@ func UserKeyring() (Keyring, error) {
 
 // Unlink an object from a keyring
 func Unlink(parent Keyring, child ID) error {
-	_, err := unix.KeyctlInt(unix.KEYCTL_UNLINK, child.ID(), parent.ID(), 0, 0)
+	_, err := unix.KeyctlInt(unix.KEYCTL_UNLINK, int(child.ID()), int(parent.ID()), 0, 0)
 	return err
 }
 
 // Link a key into a keyring
 func Link(parent Keyring, child ID) error {
-	_, err := unix.KeyctlInt(unix.KEYCTL_LINK, child.ID(), parent.ID(), 0, 0)
+	_, err := unix.KeyctlInt(unix.KEYCTL_LINK, int(child.ID()), int(parent.ID()), 0, 0)
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/pkg/keyctl/perm.go b/pkg/keyctl/perm.go
index 152b740047..ae9697149d 100644
--- a/pkg/keyctl/perm.go
+++ b/pkg/keyctl/perm.go
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@ const (
 
 // SetPerm sets the permissions on a key or keyring.
 func SetPerm(k ID, p KeyPerm) error {
-	err := unix.KeyctlSetperm(k.ID(), uint32(p))
+	err := unix.KeyctlSetperm(int(k.ID()), uint32(p))
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/pkg/keyctl/sys_linux.go b/pkg/keyctl/sys_linux.go
index 80e6d6a065..196c827607 100644
--- a/pkg/keyctl/sys_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/keyctl/sys_linux.go
@@ -10,11 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 )
 
-type keyID int
-
-func (id keyID) ID() int {
-	return int(id)
-}
+type keyID int32
 
 func newKeyring(id keyID) (*keyring, error) {
 	r1, err := unix.KeyctlGetKeyringID(int(id), true)