diff --git a/wolfcrypt/src/ecc.c b/wolfcrypt/src/ecc.c
index 9e1a64e605..b61082bf47 100644
--- a/wolfcrypt/src/ecc.c
+++ b/wolfcrypt/src/ecc.c
@@ -10883,6 +10883,13 @@ int wc_ecc_import_private_key_ex(const byte* priv, word32 privSz,
         if (ret == 0) {
             ret = mp_read_radix(order, key->dp->order, MP_RADIX_HEX);
         }
+    #ifdef WOLFSSL_SM2
+        /* SM2 curve: private key must be less than order-1. */
+        if ((ret == 0) && (key->idx != ECC_CUSTOM_IDX) &&
+                (ecc_sets[key->idx].id == ECC_SM2P256V1)) {
+            ret = mp_sub_d(order, 1, order);
+        }
+    #endif
         if ((ret == 0) && (mp_cmp(key->k, order) != MP_LT)) {
             ret = ECC_PRIV_KEY_E;
         }