diff --git a/crypto/cipher-gcrypt.c.inc b/crypto/cipher-gcrypt.c.inc
index 3aab08a1a9..a6a0117717 100644
--- a/crypto/cipher-gcrypt.c.inc
+++ b/crypto/cipher-gcrypt.c.inc
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ bool qcrypto_cipher_supports(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
                              QCryptoCipherMode mode)
 {
     switch (alg) {
-    case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES_RFB:
+    case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES:
     case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_3DES:
     case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_AES_128:
     case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_AES_192:
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ static QCryptoCipher *qcrypto_cipher_ctx_new(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
     }
 
     switch (alg) {
-    case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES_RFB:
+    case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES:
         gcryalg = GCRY_CIPHER_DES;
         break;
     case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_3DES:
@@ -257,17 +257,7 @@ static QCryptoCipher *qcrypto_cipher_ctx_new(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
     }
     ctx->blocksize = gcry_cipher_get_algo_blklen(gcryalg);
 
-    if (alg == QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES_RFB) {
-        /* We're using standard DES cipher from gcrypt, so we need
-         * to munge the key so that the results are the same as the
-         * bizarre RFB variant of DES :-)
-         */
-        uint8_t *rfbkey = qcrypto_cipher_munge_des_rfb_key(key, nkey);
-        err = gcry_cipher_setkey(ctx->handle, rfbkey, nkey);
-        g_free(rfbkey);
-    } else {
-        err = gcry_cipher_setkey(ctx->handle, key, nkey);
-    }
+    err = gcry_cipher_setkey(ctx->handle, key, nkey);
     if (err != 0) {
         error_setg(errp, "Cannot set key: %s", gcry_strerror(err));
         goto error;
diff --git a/crypto/cipher-nettle.c.inc b/crypto/cipher-nettle.c.inc
index fc6f40c026..24cc61f87b 100644
--- a/crypto/cipher-nettle.c.inc
+++ b/crypto/cipher-nettle.c.inc
@@ -235,11 +235,11 @@ static const struct QCryptoCipherDriver NAME##_driver_xts = {   \
     DEFINE_XTS(NAME, TYPE, BLEN, ENCRYPT, DECRYPT)
 
 
-typedef struct QCryptoNettleDESRFB {
+typedef struct QCryptoNettleDES {
     QCryptoCipher base;
     struct des_ctx key;
     uint8_t iv[DES_BLOCK_SIZE];
-} QCryptoNettleDESRFB;
+} QCryptoNettleDES;
 
 static void des_encrypt_native(const void *ctx, size_t length,
                                uint8_t *dst, const uint8_t *src)
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ static void des_decrypt_native(const void *ctx, size_t length,
     des_decrypt(ctx, length, dst, src);
 }
 
-DEFINE_ECB_CBC_CTR(qcrypto_nettle_des_rfb, QCryptoNettleDESRFB,
+DEFINE_ECB_CBC_CTR(qcrypto_nettle_des, QCryptoNettleDES,
                    DES_BLOCK_SIZE, des_encrypt_native, des_decrypt_native)
 
 
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ bool qcrypto_cipher_supports(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
                              QCryptoCipherMode mode)
 {
     switch (alg) {
-    case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES_RFB:
+    case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES:
     case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_3DES:
     case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_AES_128:
     case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_AES_192:
@@ -480,32 +480,28 @@ static QCryptoCipher *qcrypto_cipher_ctx_new(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
     }
 
     switch (alg) {
-    case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES_RFB:
+    case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES:
         {
-            QCryptoNettleDESRFB *ctx;
+            QCryptoNettleDES *ctx;
             const QCryptoCipherDriver *drv;
-            uint8_t *rfbkey;
 
             switch (mode) {
             case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_MODE_ECB:
-                drv = &qcrypto_nettle_des_rfb_driver_ecb;
+                drv = &qcrypto_nettle_des_driver_ecb;
                 break;
             case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_MODE_CBC:
-                drv = &qcrypto_nettle_des_rfb_driver_cbc;
+                drv = &qcrypto_nettle_des_driver_cbc;
                 break;
             case QCRYPTO_CIPHER_MODE_CTR:
-                drv = &qcrypto_nettle_des_rfb_driver_ctr;
+                drv = &qcrypto_nettle_des_driver_ctr;
                 break;
             default:
                 goto bad_cipher_mode;
             }
 
-            ctx = g_new0(QCryptoNettleDESRFB, 1);
+            ctx = g_new0(QCryptoNettleDES, 1);
             ctx->base.driver = drv;
-
-            rfbkey = qcrypto_cipher_munge_des_rfb_key(key, nkey);
-            des_set_key(&ctx->key, rfbkey);
-            g_free(rfbkey);
+            des_set_key(&ctx->key, key);
 
             return &ctx->base;
         }
diff --git a/crypto/cipher.c b/crypto/cipher.c
index 068b2fb867..1f5528be49 100644
--- a/crypto/cipher.c
+++ b/crypto/cipher.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ static const size_t alg_key_len[QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG__MAX] = {
     [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_AES_128] = 16,
     [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_AES_192] = 24,
     [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_AES_256] = 32,
-    [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES_RFB] = 8,
+    [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES] = 8,
     [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_3DES] = 24,
     [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_CAST5_128] = 16,
     [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_SERPENT_128] = 16,
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ static const size_t alg_block_len[QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG__MAX] = {
     [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_AES_128] = 16,
     [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_AES_192] = 16,
     [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_AES_256] = 16,
-    [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES_RFB] = 8,
+    [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES] = 8,
     [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_3DES] = 8,
     [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_CAST5_128] = 8,
     [QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_SERPENT_128] = 16,
@@ -107,9 +107,9 @@ qcrypto_cipher_validate_key_length(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
     }
 
     if (mode == QCRYPTO_CIPHER_MODE_XTS) {
-        if (alg == QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES_RFB
-                || alg == QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_3DES) {
-            error_setg(errp, "XTS mode not compatible with DES-RFB/3DES");
+        if (alg == QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES ||
+            alg == QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_3DES) {
+            error_setg(errp, "XTS mode not compatible with DES/3DES");
             return false;
         }
         if (nkey % 2) {
@@ -132,24 +132,6 @@ qcrypto_cipher_validate_key_length(QCryptoCipherAlgorithm alg,
     return true;
 }
 
-#if defined(CONFIG_GCRYPT) || defined(CONFIG_NETTLE)
-static uint8_t *
-qcrypto_cipher_munge_des_rfb_key(const uint8_t *key,
-                                 size_t nkey)
-{
-    uint8_t *ret = g_new0(uint8_t, nkey);
-    size_t i;
-    for (i = 0; i < nkey; i++) {
-        uint8_t r = key[i];
-        r = (r & 0xf0) >> 4 | (r & 0x0f) << 4;
-        r = (r & 0xcc) >> 2 | (r & 0x33) << 2;
-        r = (r & 0xaa) >> 1 | (r & 0x55) << 1;
-        ret[i] = r;
-    }
-    return ret;
-}
-#endif /* CONFIG_GCRYPT || CONFIG_NETTLE */
-
 #ifdef CONFIG_GCRYPT
 #include "cipher-gcrypt.c.inc"
 #elif defined CONFIG_NETTLE
diff --git a/qapi/crypto.json b/qapi/crypto.json
index 7116ae9a46..6b3fadabac 100644
--- a/qapi/crypto.json
+++ b/qapi/crypto.json
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
 # @aes-128: AES with 128 bit / 16 byte keys
 # @aes-192: AES with 192 bit / 24 byte keys
 # @aes-256: AES with 256 bit / 32 byte keys
-# @des-rfb: RFB specific variant of single DES. Do not use except in VNC.
+# @des: DES with 56 bit / 8 byte keys. Do not use except in VNC.
 # @3des: 3DES(EDE) with 192 bit / 24 byte keys (since 2.9)
 # @cast5-128: Cast5 with 128 bit / 16 byte keys
 # @serpent-128: Serpent with 128 bit / 16 byte keys
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
 { 'enum': 'QCryptoCipherAlgorithm',
   'prefix': 'QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG',
   'data': ['aes-128', 'aes-192', 'aes-256',
-           'des-rfb', '3des',
+           'des', '3des',
            'cast5-128',
            'serpent-128', 'serpent-192', 'serpent-256',
            'twofish-128', 'twofish-192', 'twofish-256']}
diff --git a/tests/unit/test-crypto-cipher.c b/tests/unit/test-crypto-cipher.c
index 7dca7b26e4..d9d9d078ff 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test-crypto-cipher.c
+++ b/tests/unit/test-crypto-cipher.c
@@ -155,28 +155,28 @@ static QCryptoCipherTestData test_data[] = {
          * in single AES block, and gives identical
          * ciphertext in ECB and CBC modes
          */
-        .path = "/crypto/cipher/des-rfb-ecb-56-one-block",
-        .alg = QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES_RFB,
+        .path = "/crypto/cipher/des-ecb-56-one-block",
+        .alg = QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES,
         .mode = QCRYPTO_CIPHER_MODE_ECB,
-        .key = "0123456789abcdef",
+        .key = "80c4a2e691d5b3f7",
         .plaintext = "70617373776f7264",
         .ciphertext = "73fa80b66134e403",
     },
     {
         /* See previous comment */
-        .path = "/crypto/cipher/des-rfb-cbc-56-one-block",
-        .alg = QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES_RFB,
+        .path = "/crypto/cipher/des-cbc-56-one-block",
+        .alg = QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES,
         .mode = QCRYPTO_CIPHER_MODE_CBC,
-        .key = "0123456789abcdef",
+        .key = "80c4a2e691d5b3f7",
         .iv = "0000000000000000",
         .plaintext = "70617373776f7264",
         .ciphertext = "73fa80b66134e403",
     },
     {
-        .path = "/crypto/cipher/des-rfb-ecb-56",
-        .alg = QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES_RFB,
+        .path = "/crypto/cipher/des-ecb-56",
+        .alg = QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES,
         .mode = QCRYPTO_CIPHER_MODE_ECB,
-        .key = "0123456789abcdef",
+        .key = "80c4a2e691d5b3f7",
         .plaintext =
             "6bc1bee22e409f96e93d7e117393172a"
             "ae2d8a571e03ac9c9eb76fac45af8e51"
diff --git a/ui/vnc.c b/ui/vnc.c
index 0e5fcb278f..af02522e84 100644
--- a/ui/vnc.c
+++ b/ui/vnc.c
@@ -2733,6 +2733,19 @@ static void authentication_failed(VncState *vs)
     vnc_client_error(vs);
 }
 
+static void
+vnc_munge_des_rfb_key(unsigned char *key, size_t nkey)
+{
+    size_t i;
+    for (i = 0; i < nkey; i++) {
+        uint8_t r = key[i];
+        r = (r & 0xf0) >> 4 | (r & 0x0f) << 4;
+        r = (r & 0xcc) >> 2 | (r & 0x33) << 2;
+        r = (r & 0xaa) >> 1 | (r & 0x55) << 1;
+        key[i] = r;
+    }
+}
+
 static int protocol_client_auth_vnc(VncState *vs, uint8_t *data, size_t len)
 {
     unsigned char response[VNC_AUTH_CHALLENGE_SIZE];
@@ -2757,9 +2770,10 @@ static int protocol_client_auth_vnc(VncState *vs, uint8_t *data, size_t len)
     pwlen = strlen(vs->vd->password);
     for (i=0; i<sizeof(key); i++)
         key[i] = i<pwlen ? vs->vd->password[i] : 0;
+    vnc_munge_des_rfb_key(key, sizeof(key));
 
     cipher = qcrypto_cipher_new(
-        QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES_RFB,
+        QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES,
         QCRYPTO_CIPHER_MODE_ECB,
         key, G_N_ELEMENTS(key),
         &err);
@@ -4045,9 +4059,9 @@ void vnc_display_open(const char *id, Error **errp)
             goto fail;
         }
         if (!qcrypto_cipher_supports(
-                QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES_RFB, QCRYPTO_CIPHER_MODE_ECB)) {
+                QCRYPTO_CIPHER_ALG_DES, QCRYPTO_CIPHER_MODE_ECB)) {
             error_setg(errp,
-                       "Cipher backend does not support DES RFB algorithm");
+                       "Cipher backend does not support DES algorithm");
             goto fail;
         }
     }
