diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/939-private-key-errors.yml b/changelogs/fragments/939-private-key-errors.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6166e775
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/939-private-key-errors.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - "Improve error message when loading a private key fails due to correct private key files or wrong passwords.
+     Also include the original cryptography error since it likely contains more helpful information
+     (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.crypto/issues/936, https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.crypto/pull/939)."
diff --git a/plugins/module_utils/_crypto/support.py b/plugins/module_utils/_crypto/support.py
index 8e473ffe..51c85881 100644
--- a/plugins/module_utils/_crypto/support.py
+++ b/plugins/module_utils/_crypto/support.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from ansible_collections.community.crypto.plugins.module_utils._crypto.pem impor
 
 try:
     from cryptography import x509
+    from cryptography.exceptions import UnsupportedAlgorithm
     from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import hashes, serialization
     from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.serialization import load_pem_private_key
 except ImportError:
@@ -168,13 +169,15 @@ def load_privatekey(
             priv_key_detail,
             None if passphrase is None else to_bytes(passphrase),
         )
+    except UnsupportedAlgorithm as exc:
+        raise OpenSSLBadPassphraseError(f"Unsupported private key type: {exc}") from exc
     except TypeError as exc:
         raise OpenSSLBadPassphraseError(
             "Wrong or empty passphrase provided for private key"
         ) from exc
     except ValueError as exc:
         raise OpenSSLBadPassphraseError(
-            "Wrong passphrase provided for private key"
+            f"Wrong passphrase provided for private key, or private key cannot be parsed: {exc}"
         ) from exc
 
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/targets/openssl_privatekey_info/tasks/impl.yml b/tests/integration/targets/openssl_privatekey_info/tasks/impl.yml
index 740c5957..bf1e1cb8 100644
--- a/tests/integration/targets/openssl_privatekey_info/tasks/impl.yml
+++ b/tests/integration/targets/openssl_privatekey_info/tasks/impl.yml
@@ -90,6 +90,32 @@
       - "'public_data' not in result"
       - "'private_data' not in result"
 
+- name: ({{ select_crypto_backend }}) Get key 3 info (with wrong passphrase)
+  community.crypto.openssl_privatekey_info:
+    path: '{{ remote_tmp_dir }}/privatekey_3.pem'
+    return_private_key_data: true
+    select_crypto_backend: '{{ select_crypto_backend }}'
+    passphrase: blabla
+  ignore_errors: true
+  register: result
+
+- name: Check that loading passphrase protected key with wrong passphrase failed
+  ansible.builtin.assert:
+    that:
+      - result is failed
+      # Check that return values are there
+      - result.can_load_key is defined
+      - result.can_parse_key is defined
+      # Check that return values are correct
+      - result.can_load_key
+      - not result.can_parse_key
+      # Check that additional data isn't there
+      - "'pulic_key' not in result"
+      - "'pulic_key_fingerprints' not in result"
+      - "'type' not in result"
+      - "'public_data' not in result"
+      - "'private_data' not in result"
+
 - name: ({{ select_crypto_backend }}) Get key 3 info (with passphrase)
   community.crypto.openssl_privatekey_info:
     path: '{{ remote_tmp_dir }}/privatekey_3.pem'
@@ -155,3 +181,53 @@
       - "result.public_data.y > 2"
       - "'private_data' in result"
       - "result.private_data.x > 2"
+
+- name: ({{ select_crypto_backend }}) Get empty key info
+  community.crypto.openssl_privatekey_info:
+    content: ''
+    return_private_key_data: true
+    select_crypto_backend: '{{ select_crypto_backend }}'
+  register: result
+  ignore_errors: true
+
+- name: Check that empty key loading failed
+  ansible.builtin.assert:
+    that:
+      - result is failed
+      # Check that return values are there
+      - result.can_load_key is defined
+      - result.can_parse_key is defined
+      # Check that return values are correct
+      - result.can_load_key
+      - not result.can_parse_key
+      # Check that additional data isn't there
+      - "'pulic_key' not in result"
+      - "'pulic_key_fingerprints' not in result"
+      - "'type' not in result"
+      - "'public_data' not in result"
+      - "'private_data' not in result"
+
+- name: ({{ select_crypto_backend }}) Get corrupt key info
+  community.crypto.openssl_privatekey_info:
+    content: C0RRUPT
+    return_private_key_data: true
+    select_crypto_backend: '{{ select_crypto_backend }}'
+  register: result
+  ignore_errors: true
+
+- name: Check that corrupt key loading failed
+  ansible.builtin.assert:
+    that:
+      - result is failed
+      # Check that return values are there
+      - result.can_load_key is defined
+      - result.can_parse_key is defined
+      # Check that return values are correct
+      - result.can_load_key
+      - not result.can_parse_key
+      # Check that additional data isn't there
+      - "'pulic_key' not in result"
+      - "'pulic_key_fingerprints' not in result"
+      - "'type' not in result"
+      - "'public_data' not in result"
+      - "'private_data' not in result"