diff --git a/scripts/imgtool/image.py b/scripts/imgtool/image.py
index 9946a2595..88293b1c3 100644
--- a/scripts/imgtool/image.py
+++ b/scripts/imgtool/image.py
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ def __init__(self, version=None, header_size=IMAGE_HEADER_SIZE,
                  overwrite_only=False, endian="little", load_addr=0,
                  rom_fixed=None, erased_val=None, save_enctlv=False,
                  security_counter=None, max_align=None,
-                 non_bootable=False):
+                 non_bootable=False, not_quite_encryption=False):
 
         if load_addr and rom_fixed:
             raise click.UsageError("Can not set rom_fixed and load_addr at the same time")
@@ -288,6 +288,7 @@ def __init__(self, version=None, header_size=IMAGE_HEADER_SIZE,
         self.enctlv_len = 0
         self.max_align = max(DEFAULT_MAX_ALIGN, align) if max_align is None else int(max_align)
         self.non_bootable = non_bootable
+        self.not_quite_encryption = not_quite_encryption
 
         if self.max_align == DEFAULT_MAX_ALIGN:
             self.boot_magic = bytes([
@@ -713,6 +714,8 @@ def add_header(self, enckey, protected_tlv_size, compression_flags, aes_length=1
                 flags |= IMAGE_F['ENCRYPTED_AES128']
             else:
                 flags |= IMAGE_F['ENCRYPTED_AES256']
+        elif self.not_quite_encryption:
+                flags |= IMAGE_F['ENCRYPTED_AES128']
         if self.load_addr != 0:
             # Indicates that this image should be loaded into RAM
             # instead of run directly from flash.
diff --git a/scripts/imgtool/main.py b/scripts/imgtool/main.py
index 03d46c907..b1fa987b7 100755
--- a/scripts/imgtool/main.py
+++ b/scripts/imgtool/main.py
@@ -370,6 +370,9 @@ def convert(self, value, param, ctx):
               help='Enable image compression using specified type. '
                    'Will fall back without image compression automatically '
                    'if the compression increases the image size.')
+@click.option('--not-quite-encryption', default=False, is_flag=True,
+              help='Set encryption flag without applying encryption.'
+                   'Doesn\'t apply when encryption is trully used.')
 @click.option('-c', '--clear', required=False, is_flag=True, default=False,
               help='Output a non-encrypted image with encryption capabilities,'
                    'so it can be installed in the primary slot, and encrypted '
@@ -449,8 +452,9 @@ def sign(key, public_key_format, align, version, pad_sig, header_size,
          dependencies, load_addr, hex_addr, erased_val, save_enctlv,
          security_counter, boot_record, custom_tlv, rom_fixed, max_align,
          clear, fix_sig, fix_sig_pubkey, sig_out, user_sha, is_pure,
-         vector_to_sign, non_bootable):
+         vector_to_sign, non_bootable, not_quite_encryption):
 
+    print("not quite ", not_quite_encryption )
     if confirm:
         # Confirmed but non-padded images don't make much sense, because
         # otherwise there's no trailer area for writing the confirmed status.
@@ -462,7 +466,7 @@ def sign(key, public_key_format, align, version, pad_sig, header_size,
                       endian=endian, load_addr=load_addr, rom_fixed=rom_fixed,
                       erased_val=erased_val, save_enctlv=save_enctlv,
                       security_counter=security_counter, max_align=max_align,
-                      non_bootable=non_bootable)
+                      non_bootable=non_bootable, not_quite_encryption=not_quite_encryption)
     compression_tlvs = {}
     img.load(infile)
     key = load_key(key) if key else None