diff --git a/src/feature/dirparse/microdesc_parse.c b/src/feature/dirparse/microdesc_parse.c
index 8ad9626377..165945e392 100644
--- a/src/feature/dirparse/microdesc_parse.c
+++ b/src/feature/dirparse/microdesc_parse.c
@@ -177,8 +177,8 @@ microdescs_parse_from_string(const char *s, const char *eos,
                "Relay's onion key had invalid exponent.");
       goto next;
     }
-    router_set_rsa_onion_pkey(tok->key, &md->onion_pkey,
-                              &md->onion_pkey_len);
+    md->onion_pkey = tor_memdup(tok->object_body, tok->object_size);
+    md->onion_pkey_len = tok->object_size;
     crypto_pk_free(tok->key);
 
     if ((tok = find_opt_by_keyword(tokens, K_ONION_KEY_NTOR))) {
diff --git a/src/feature/dirparse/routerparse.c b/src/feature/dirparse/routerparse.c
index 2249ab7cbc..358f6e44e8 100644
--- a/src/feature/dirparse/routerparse.c
+++ b/src/feature/dirparse/routerparse.c
@@ -588,8 +588,8 @@ router_parse_entry_from_string(const char *s, const char *end,
              "Relay's onion key had invalid exponent.");
     goto err;
   }
-  router_set_rsa_onion_pkey(tok->key, &router->onion_pkey,
-                            &router->onion_pkey_len);
+  router->onion_pkey = tor_memdup(tok->object_body, tok->object_size);
+  router->onion_pkey_len = tok->object_size;
   crypto_pk_free(tok->key);
 
   if ((tok = find_opt_by_keyword(tokens, K_ONION_KEY_NTOR))) {