Index: src/encrypt-sign.c
===================================================================
--- src/encrypt-sign.c
+++ src/encrypt-sign.c
@@ -45,6 +45,16 @@
   return err;
 }
 
+static gpgme_error_t
+encrypt_sym_status_handler (void *priv, gpgme_status_code_t code, char *args)
+{
+  gpgme_error_t err;
+
+  err = _gpgme_progress_status_handler (priv, code, args);
+  if (!err)
+    err = _gpgme_passphrase_status_handler (priv, code, args);
+  return err;
+}
 
 static gpgme_error_t
 encrypt_sign_start (gpgme_ctx_t ctx, int synchronous, gpgme_key_t recp[],
@@ -52,14 +62,20 @@
 		    gpgme_data_t plain, gpgme_data_t cipher)
 {
   gpgme_error_t err;
+  int symmetric = 0;
 
   err = _gpgme_op_reset (ctx, synchronous);
   if (err)
     return err;
 
+  if (!recp)
+    symmetric = 1;
+
   if (!plain)
     return gpg_error (GPG_ERR_NO_DATA);
-  if (!cipher || !recp)
+  if (!cipher)
+    return gpg_error (GPG_ERR_INV_VALUE);
+  if (recp && ! *recp) 
     return gpg_error (GPG_ERR_INV_VALUE);
 
   err = _gpgme_op_encrypt_init_result (ctx);
@@ -79,8 +95,11 @@
     }
 
   _gpgme_engine_set_status_handler (ctx->engine,
-				    encrypt_sign_status_handler, ctx);
-  
+                                    symmetric
+                                    ? encrypt_sym_status_handler
+                                    : encrypt_sign_status_handler,
+                                    ctx);
+
   return _gpgme_engine_op_encrypt_sign (ctx->engine, recp, flags, plain,
 					cipher, ctx->use_armor,
 					ctx /* FIXME */);
Index: src/engine-gpg.c
===================================================================
--- src/engine-gpg.c
+++ src/engine-gpg.c
@@ -1671,25 +1671,31 @@
 {
   engine_gpg_t gpg = engine;
   gpgme_error_t err;
+  int symmetric = !recp;
+
+  err = add_arg (gpg, symmetric ? "--symmetric" : "--encrypt");
 
-  err = add_arg (gpg, "--encrypt");
   if (!err)
     err = add_arg (gpg, "--sign");
   if (!err && use_armor)
     err = add_arg (gpg, "--armor");
 
-  /* If we know that all recipients are valid (full or ultimate trust)
-     we can suppress further checks.  */
-  if (!err && (flags & GPGME_ENCRYPT_ALWAYS_TRUST))
-    err = add_arg (gpg, "--always-trust");
+  if (!symmetric)
+    {
+      /* If we know that all recipients are valid (full or ultimate trust)
+	 we can suppress further checks.  */
+      if (!err && (flags & GPGME_ENCRYPT_ALWAYS_TRUST))
+	err = add_arg (gpg, "--always-trust");
 
-  if (!err)
-    err = append_args_from_recipients (gpg, recp);
+      if (!err)
+	err = append_args_from_recipients (gpg, recp);
 
-  if (!err)
+      if (!err)
     err = append_args_from_signers (gpg, ctx);
-  if (!err)
+
+      if (!err)
     err = append_args_from_sig_notations (gpg, ctx);
+    }
 
   /* Tell the gpg object about the data.  */
   if (!err)