diff --git a/include/mbedtls/asn1write.h b/include/mbedtls/asn1write.h
index dc6947bf9..d62853ebf 100644
--- a/include/mbedtls/asn1write.h
+++ b/include/mbedtls/asn1write.h
@@ -204,9 +204,10 @@ int mbedtls_asn1_write_bitstring( unsigned char **p, unsigned char *start,
                           const unsigned char *buf, size_t bits );
 
 /**
- * \brief           Write an octet string tag (MBEDTLS_ASN1_OCTET_STRING) and
- *                  value in ASN.1 format
- *                  Note: function works backwards in data buffer
+ * \brief           Write an octet string tag (#MBEDTLS_ASN1_OCTET_STRING)
+ *                  and value in ASN.1 format.
+ *
+ * \note            This function works backwards in data buffer.
  *
  * \param p         reference to current position pointer
  * \param start     start of the buffer (for bounds-checking)
diff --git a/library/asn1write.c b/library/asn1write.c
index c13e85e56..b451887ed 100644
--- a/library/asn1write.c
+++ b/library/asn1write.c
@@ -294,22 +294,28 @@ int mbedtls_asn1_write_bitstring( unsigned char **p, unsigned char *start,
                           const unsigned char *buf, size_t bits )
 {
     int ret;
-    size_t len = 0, size;
+    size_t len = 0;
+    size_t unused_bits, byte_len;
 
-    size = ( bits / 8 ) + ( ( bits % 8 ) ? 1 : 0 );
+    byte_len = ( bits + 7 ) / 8;
+    unused_bits = ( byte_len * 8 ) - bits;
 
-    // Calculate byte length
-    //
-    if( *p < start || (size_t)( *p - start ) < size + 1 )
+    if( *p < start || (size_t)( *p - start ) < byte_len + 1 )
         return( MBEDTLS_ERR_ASN1_BUF_TOO_SMALL );
 
-    len = size + 1;
-    (*p) -= size;
-    memcpy( *p, buf, size );
+    len = byte_len + 1;
 
-    // Write unused bits
-    //
-    *--(*p) = (unsigned char) (size * 8 - bits);
+    /* Write the bitstring. Ensure the unused bits are zeroed */
+    if( byte_len > 0 )
+    {
+        byte_len--;
+        *--( *p ) = buf[byte_len] & ~( ( 0x1 << unused_bits ) - 1 );
+        ( *p ) -= byte_len;
+        memcpy( *p, buf, byte_len );
+    }
+
+    /* Write unused bits */
+    *--( *p ) = (unsigned char)unused_bits;
 
     MBEDTLS_ASN1_CHK_ADD( len, mbedtls_asn1_write_len( p, start, len ) );
     MBEDTLS_ASN1_CHK_ADD( len, mbedtls_asn1_write_tag( p, start, MBEDTLS_ASN1_BIT_STRING ) );
diff --git a/library/x509write_crt.c b/library/x509write_crt.c
index 41dfe87b7..4cdb941a1 100644
--- a/library/x509write_crt.c
+++ b/library/x509write_crt.c
@@ -222,26 +222,51 @@ int mbedtls_x509write_crt_set_authority_key_identifier( mbedtls_x509write_cert *
 }
 #endif /* MBEDTLS_SHA1_C */
 
+static size_t crt_get_unused_bits_for_named_bitstring( unsigned char bitstring,
+                                                       size_t bit_offset )
+{
+    size_t unused_bits;
+
+     /* Count the unused bits removing trailing 0s */
+    for( unused_bits = bit_offset; unused_bits < 8; unused_bits++ )
+        if( ( ( bitstring >> unused_bits ) & 0x1 ) != 0 )
+            break;
+
+     return( unused_bits );
+}
+
 int mbedtls_x509write_crt_set_key_usage( mbedtls_x509write_cert *ctx,
                                          unsigned int key_usage )
 {
     unsigned char buf[4], ku;
     unsigned char *c;
     int ret;
+    size_t unused_bits;
+    const unsigned int allowed_bits = MBEDTLS_X509_KU_DIGITAL_SIGNATURE |
+        MBEDTLS_X509_KU_NON_REPUDIATION   |
+        MBEDTLS_X509_KU_KEY_ENCIPHERMENT  |
+        MBEDTLS_X509_KU_DATA_ENCIPHERMENT |
+        MBEDTLS_X509_KU_KEY_AGREEMENT     |
+        MBEDTLS_X509_KU_KEY_CERT_SIGN     |
+        MBEDTLS_X509_KU_CRL_SIGN;
 
-    /* We currently only support 7 bits, from 0x80 to 0x02 */
-    if( ( key_usage & ~0xfe ) != 0 )
+    /* Check that nothing other than the allowed flags is set */
+    if( ( key_usage & ~allowed_bits ) != 0 )
         return( MBEDTLS_ERR_X509_FEATURE_UNAVAILABLE );
 
     c = buf + 4;
-    ku = (unsigned char) key_usage;
+    ku = (unsigned char)key_usage;
+    unused_bits = crt_get_unused_bits_for_named_bitstring( ku, 1 );
+    ret = mbedtls_asn1_write_bitstring( &c, buf, &ku, 8 - unused_bits );
 
-    if( ( ret = mbedtls_asn1_write_bitstring( &c, buf, &ku, 7 ) ) != 4 )
+    if( ret < 0 )
         return( ret );
+    else if( ret < 3 || ret > 4 )
+        return( MBEDTLS_ERR_X509_INVALID_FORMAT );
 
     ret = mbedtls_x509write_crt_set_extension( ctx, MBEDTLS_OID_KEY_USAGE,
                                        MBEDTLS_OID_SIZE( MBEDTLS_OID_KEY_USAGE ),
-                                       1, buf, 4 );
+                                       1, c, (size_t)ret );
     if( ret != 0 )
         return( ret );
 
@@ -253,16 +278,22 @@ int mbedtls_x509write_crt_set_ns_cert_type( mbedtls_x509write_cert *ctx,
 {
     unsigned char buf[4];
     unsigned char *c;
+    size_t unused_bits;
     int ret;
 
     c = buf + 4;
 
-    if( ( ret = mbedtls_asn1_write_bitstring( &c, buf, &ns_cert_type, 8 ) ) != 4 )
+    unused_bits = crt_get_unused_bits_for_named_bitstring( ns_cert_type, 0 );
+    ret = mbedtls_asn1_write_bitstring( &c,
+                                        buf,
+                                        &ns_cert_type,
+                                        8 - unused_bits );
+    if( ret < 3 || ret > 4 )
         return( ret );
 
     ret = mbedtls_x509write_crt_set_extension( ctx, MBEDTLS_OID_NS_CERT_TYPE,
                                        MBEDTLS_OID_SIZE( MBEDTLS_OID_NS_CERT_TYPE ),
-                                       0, buf, 4 );
+                                       0, c, (size_t)ret );
     if( ret != 0 )
         return( ret );
 
diff --git a/library/x509write_csr.c b/library/x509write_csr.c
index e80053828..d59354dc4 100644
--- a/library/x509write_csr.c
+++ b/library/x509write_csr.c
@@ -85,20 +85,39 @@ int mbedtls_x509write_csr_set_extension( mbedtls_x509write_csr *ctx,
                                0, val, val_len );
 }
 
+static size_t csr_get_unused_bits_for_named_bitstring( unsigned char bitstring,
+                                                       size_t bit_offset )
+{
+    size_t unused_bits;
+
+     /* Count the unused bits removing trailing 0s */
+    for( unused_bits = bit_offset; unused_bits < 8; unused_bits++ )
+        if( ( ( bitstring >> unused_bits ) & 0x1 ) != 0 )
+            break;
+
+     return( unused_bits );
+}
+
 int mbedtls_x509write_csr_set_key_usage( mbedtls_x509write_csr *ctx, unsigned char key_usage )
 {
     unsigned char buf[4];
     unsigned char *c;
+    size_t unused_bits;
     int ret;
 
     c = buf + 4;
 
-    if( ( ret = mbedtls_asn1_write_bitstring( &c, buf, &key_usage, 7 ) ) != 4 )
+    unused_bits = csr_get_unused_bits_for_named_bitstring( key_usage, 0 );
+    ret = mbedtls_asn1_write_bitstring( &c, buf, &key_usage, 8 - unused_bits );
+
+    if( ret < 0 )
         return( ret );
+    else if( ret < 3 || ret > 4 )
+        return( MBEDTLS_ERR_X509_INVALID_FORMAT );
 
     ret = mbedtls_x509write_csr_set_extension( ctx, MBEDTLS_OID_KEY_USAGE,
                                        MBEDTLS_OID_SIZE( MBEDTLS_OID_KEY_USAGE ),
-                                       buf, 4 );
+                                       c, (size_t)ret );
     if( ret != 0 )
         return( ret );
 
@@ -110,16 +129,25 @@ int mbedtls_x509write_csr_set_ns_cert_type( mbedtls_x509write_csr *ctx,
 {
     unsigned char buf[4];
     unsigned char *c;
+    size_t unused_bits;
     int ret;
 
     c = buf + 4;
 
-    if( ( ret = mbedtls_asn1_write_bitstring( &c, buf, &ns_cert_type, 8 ) ) != 4 )
+    unused_bits = csr_get_unused_bits_for_named_bitstring( ns_cert_type, 0 );
+    ret = mbedtls_asn1_write_bitstring( &c,
+                                        buf,
+                                        &ns_cert_type,
+                                        8 - unused_bits );
+
+    if( ret < 0 )
+        return( ret );
+    else if( ret < 3 || ret > 4 )
         return( ret );
 
     ret = mbedtls_x509write_csr_set_extension( ctx, MBEDTLS_OID_NS_CERT_TYPE,
                                        MBEDTLS_OID_SIZE( MBEDTLS_OID_NS_CERT_TYPE ),
-                                       buf, 4 );
+                                       c, (size_t)ret );
     if( ret != 0 )
         return( ret );