diff --git a/src/key.cpp b/src/key.cpp
index 85dc9cda2b..8ef1c414c4 100644
--- a/src/key.cpp
+++ b/src/key.cpp
@@ -199,17 +199,19 @@ public:
         ECDSA_SIG *sig = ECDSA_do_sign((unsigned char*)&hash, sizeof(hash), pkey);
         if (sig == NULL)
             return false;
-        if (BN_is_odd(sig->s)) {
-            // enforce even S values, by negating the value (modulo the order) if odd
-            BN_CTX *ctx = BN_CTX_new();
-            BN_CTX_start(ctx);
-            const EC_GROUP *group = EC_KEY_get0_group(pkey);
-            BIGNUM *order = BN_CTX_get(ctx);
-            EC_GROUP_get_order(group, order, ctx);
+        BN_CTX *ctx = BN_CTX_new();
+        BN_CTX_start(ctx);
+        const EC_GROUP *group = EC_KEY_get0_group(pkey);
+        BIGNUM *order = BN_CTX_get(ctx);
+        BIGNUM *halforder = BN_CTX_get(ctx);
+        EC_GROUP_get_order(group, order, ctx);
+        BN_rshift1(halforder, order);
+        if (BN_cmp(sig->s, halforder) > 0) {
+            // enforce low S values, by negating the value (modulo the order) if above order/2.
             BN_sub(sig->s, order, sig->s);
-            BN_CTX_end(ctx);
-            BN_CTX_free(ctx);
         }
+        BN_CTX_end(ctx);
+        BN_CTX_free(ctx);
         unsigned int nSize = ECDSA_size(pkey);
         vchSig.resize(nSize); // Make sure it is big enough
         unsigned char *pos = &vchSig[0];