diff --git a/backend/backend.go b/backend/backend.go
index eaf94107..4618d05f 100644
--- a/backend/backend.go
+++ b/backend/backend.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package backend
 import (
 	"crypto"
 	"crypto/x509"
+	"crypto/x509/pkix"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"encoding/pem"
 	"errors"
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/foxboron/go-uefi/authenticode"
 	"github.com/foxboron/go-uefi/efivar"
@@ -33,7 +35,6 @@ type KeyBackend interface {
 	Signer() crypto.Signer
 	Certificate() *x509.Certificate
 	Type() BackendType
-	Description() string
 }
 
 type KeyHierarchy struct {
@@ -50,16 +51,19 @@ func (k *KeyHierarchy) GetConfig(keydir string) *config.Keys {
 			Privkey: filepath.Join(keydir, "PK/PK.key"),
 			Pubkey:  filepath.Join(keydir, "PK/PK.pem"),
 			Type:    string(k.PK.Type()),
+			Subject: k.PK.Certificate().Subject.String(),
 		},
 		KEK: &config.KeyConfig{
 			Privkey: filepath.Join(keydir, "KEK/KEK.key"),
 			Pubkey:  filepath.Join(keydir, "KEK/KEK.pem"),
 			Type:    string(k.KEK.Type()),
+			Subject: k.KEK.Certificate().Subject.String(),
 		},
 		Db: &config.KeyConfig{
 			Privkey: filepath.Join(keydir, "db/db.key"),
 			Pubkey:  filepath.Join(keydir, "db/db.pem"),
 			Type:    string(k.Db.Type()),
+			Subject: k.Db.Certificate().Subject.String(),
 		},
 	}
 }
@@ -127,11 +131,11 @@ func (k *KeyHierarchy) RotateKeyWithBackend(hier hierarchy.Hierarchy, backend Ba
 	var err error
 	switch hier {
 	case hierarchy.PK:
-		k.PK, err = createKey(k.state, string(backend), hier, k.PK.Description())
+		k.PK, err = createKey(k.state, k.state.Config.Keys.PK, hier)
 	case hierarchy.KEK:
-		k.KEK, err = createKey(k.state, string(backend), hier, k.KEK.Description())
+		k.KEK, err = createKey(k.state, k.state.Config.Keys.KEK, hier)
 	case hierarchy.Db:
-		k.Db, err = createKey(k.state, string(backend), hier, k.Db.Description())
+		k.Db, err = createKey(k.state, k.state.Config.Keys.Db, hier)
 	}
 	return err
 }
@@ -190,19 +194,18 @@ func (k *KeyHierarchy) SignFile(hier hierarchy.Hierarchy, peBinary *authenticode
 	return peBinary.Bytes(), nil
 }
 
-func createKey(state *config.State, backend string, hier hierarchy.Hierarchy, desc string) (KeyBackend, error) {
-	if desc == "" {
-		desc = hier.Description()
-	}
-	switch backend {
+func createKey(state *config.State, key *config.KeyConfig, hier hierarchy.Hierarchy) (KeyBackend, error) {
+	subject := parseSubject(key.Subject, hier)
+
+	switch key.Type {
 	case "file", "":
-		return NewFileKey(hier, desc)
+		return NewFileKey(hier, subject)
 	case "tpm":
-		return NewTPMKey(state.TPM, desc)
+		return NewTPMKey(state.TPM, subject)
 	case "yubikey":
-		return NewYubikeyKey(state.Yubikey, hier)
+		return NewYubikeyKey(state.Yubikey, subject)
 	default:
-		return NewFileKey(hier, desc)
+		return NewFileKey(hier, subject)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -211,17 +214,17 @@ func CreateKeys(state *config.State) (*KeyHierarchy, error) {
 	var err error
 
 	c := state.Config
-	hier.PK, err = createKey(state, c.Keys.PK.Type, hierarchy.PK, c.Keys.PK.Description)
+	hier.PK, err = createKey(state, c.Keys.PK, hierarchy.PK)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	hier.KEK, err = createKey(state, c.Keys.KEK.Type, hierarchy.KEK, c.Keys.KEK.Description)
+	hier.KEK, err = createKey(state, c.Keys.KEK, hierarchy.KEK)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	hier.Db, err = createKey(state, c.Keys.Db.Type, hierarchy.Db, c.Keys.Db.Description)
+	hier.Db, err = createKey(state, c.Keys.Db, hierarchy.Db)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -337,3 +340,55 @@ func InitBackendFromKeys(state *config.State, priv, pem []byte, hier hierarchy.H
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown key backend: %s", t)
 	}
 }
+
+func parseSubject(subj string, hier hierarchy.Hierarchy) pkix.Name {
+	var subject pkix.Name
+
+	if subj != "" {
+		subject = pkix.Name{}
+
+		fields := strings.SplitSeq(subj, "/")
+		for field := range fields {
+			if field == "" {
+				continue
+			}
+			kv := strings.SplitN(field, "=", 2)
+			if len(kv) != 2 {
+				continue
+			}
+			key := strings.ToUpper(strings.TrimSpace(kv[0]))
+			value := strings.TrimSpace(kv[1])
+
+			switch key {
+			case "C":
+				subject.Country = append(subject.Country, value)
+			case "O":
+				subject.Organization = append(subject.Organization, value)
+			case "OU":
+				subject.OrganizationalUnit = append(subject.OrganizationalUnit, value)
+			case "L":
+				subject.Locality = append(subject.Locality, value)
+			case "ST":
+				subject.Province = append(subject.Province, value)
+			case "CN":
+				subject.CommonName = value
+			case "SERIALNUMBER":
+				subject.SerialNumber = value
+			default:
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Basic sanity: CN must be supplied
+		if subject.CommonName == "" {
+			panic("subject has no common name")
+		}
+	} else {
+		// return default
+		subject = pkix.Name{
+			Country:    []string{"WW"},
+			CommonName: hier.Description(),
+		}
+	}
+
+	return subject
+}
diff --git a/backend/file.go b/backend/file.go
index 7319fd38..7bb58e65 100644
--- a/backend/file.go
+++ b/backend/file.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ type FileKey struct {
 	privkey *rsa.PrivateKey
 }
 
-func NewFileKey(_ hierarchy.Hierarchy, desc string) (*FileKey, error) {
+func NewFileKey(_ hierarchy.Hierarchy, subject pkix.Name) (*FileKey, error) {
 	serialNumberLimit := new(big.Int).Lsh(big.NewInt(1), 128)
 	serialNumber, _ := rand.Int(rand.Reader, serialNumberLimit)
 	c := x509.Certificate{
@@ -36,9 +36,7 @@ func NewFileKey(_ hierarchy.Hierarchy, desc string) (*FileKey, error) {
 		SignatureAlgorithm: x509.SHA256WithRSA,
 		NotBefore:          time.Now(),
 		NotAfter:           time.Now().AddDate(5, 0, 0),
-		Subject: pkix.Name{
-			CommonName: desc,
-		},
+		Subject:            subject,
 	}
 	priv, err := rsa.GenerateKey(rand.Reader, RSAKeySize)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -116,7 +114,6 @@ func FileKeyFromBytes(keyb, pemb []byte) (*FileKey, error) {
 func (f *FileKey) Type() BackendType              { return f.keytype }
 func (f *FileKey) Certificate() *x509.Certificate { return f.cert }
 func (f *FileKey) Signer() crypto.Signer          { return f.privkey }
-func (f *FileKey) Description() string            { return f.Certificate().Subject.SerialNumber }
 
 func (f *FileKey) PrivateKeyBytes() []byte {
 	privateKeyBytes, err := x509.MarshalPKCS8PrivateKey(f.privkey)
diff --git a/backend/tpm.go b/backend/tpm.go
index e71e848a..e4bfbff7 100644
--- a/backend/tpm.go
+++ b/backend/tpm.go
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ type TPMKey struct {
 	tpm     func() transport.TPMCloser
 }
 
-func NewTPMKey(tpmcb func() transport.TPMCloser, desc string) (*TPMKey, error) {
+func NewTPMKey(tpmcb func() transport.TPMCloser, subject pkix.Name) (*TPMKey, error) {
 	rwc := tpmcb()
 	key, err := keyfile.NewLoadableKey(rwc, tpm2.TPMAlgRSA, 2048, []byte(nil),
-		keyfile.WithDescription(desc),
+		keyfile.WithDescription(subject.String()),
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -44,9 +44,7 @@ func NewTPMKey(tpmcb func() transport.TPMCloser, desc string) (*TPMKey, error) {
 		SignatureAlgorithm: x509.SHA256WithRSA,
 		NotBefore:          time.Now(),
 		NotAfter:           time.Now().AddDate(5, 0, 0),
-		Subject: pkix.Name{
-			CommonName: desc,
-		},
+		Subject:            subject,
 	}
 
 	pubkey, err := key.PublicKey()
@@ -78,7 +76,6 @@ func NewTPMKey(tpmcb func() transport.TPMCloser, desc string) (*TPMKey, error) {
 
 func (t *TPMKey) Type() BackendType              { return t.keytype }
 func (t *TPMKey) Certificate() *x509.Certificate { return t.cert }
-func (t *TPMKey) Description() string            { return t.TPMKey.Description }
 
 func (t *TPMKey) Signer() crypto.Signer {
 	s, err := t.TPMKey.Signer(t.tpm(), []byte(nil), []byte(nil))
diff --git a/backend/yubikey.go b/backend/yubikey.go
index 0c3eb13d..6b2840e8 100644
--- a/backend/yubikey.go
+++ b/backend/yubikey.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/foxboron/sbctl/config"
-	"github.com/foxboron/sbctl/hierarchy"
 	"github.com/foxboron/sbctl/logging"
 
 	"github.com/go-piv/piv-go/v2/piv"
@@ -41,7 +40,7 @@ type Yubikey struct {
 	touchPolicy   piv.TouchPolicy
 }
 
-func NewYubikeyKey(yubikeyReader *config.YubikeyReader, hier hierarchy.Hierarchy) (*Yubikey, error) {
+func NewYubikeyKey(yubikeyReader *config.YubikeyReader, subject pkix.Name) (*Yubikey, error) {
 	cert, err := yubikeyReader.GetPIVKeyCert()
 	if err != nil {
 		if !errors.Is(err, piv.ErrNotFound) {
@@ -107,16 +106,10 @@ func NewYubikeyKey(yubikeyReader *config.YubikeyReader, hier hierarchy.Hierarchy
 		SignatureAlgorithm: x509.SHA256WithRSA,
 		NotBefore:          time.Now(),
 		NotAfter:           time.Now().AddDate(20, 0, 0),
-		Subject: pkix.Name{
-			Country:    []string{hier.Description()},
-			CommonName: hier.Description(),
-		},
+		Subject:            subject,
 	}
 
-	logging.Println(fmt.Sprintf("Creating %s (%s) key...\nPlease press Yubikey to confirm presence for RSA4096 MD5: %x",
-		hier.Description(),
-		hier.String(),
-		md5sum(ykCert.PublicKey)))
+	logging.Println(fmt.Sprintf("Please press Yubikey to confirm presence for RSA4096 MD5: %x", md5sum(ykCert.PublicKey)))
 	derBytes, err := x509.CreateCertificate(rand.Reader, &c, &c, ykCert.PublicKey, priv)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -183,8 +176,6 @@ func (f *Yubikey) Signer() crypto.Signer {
 	return priv.(crypto.Signer)
 }
 
-func (f *Yubikey) Description() string { return f.Certificate().Subject.SerialNumber }
-
 // save YubiKey data to file
 func (f *Yubikey) PrivateKeyBytes() []byte {
 	yubiData := YubikeyData{
diff --git a/cmd/sbctl/create-keys.go b/cmd/sbctl/create-keys.go
index 59b9273e..a5f6e011 100644
--- a/cmd/sbctl/create-keys.go
+++ b/cmd/sbctl/create-keys.go
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ var (
 	KEKKeytype       string
 	DbKeytype        string
 	PKKeytype        string
+	PKSubject        string
+	KEKSubject       string
+	DbSubject        string
 	OverwriteYubikey bool
 )
 
@@ -80,6 +83,15 @@ func RunCreateKeys(state *config.State) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if PKSubject != "" {
+		state.Config.Keys.PK.Subject = PKSubject
+	}
+	if KEKSubject != "" {
+		state.Config.Keys.KEK.Subject = KEKSubject
+	}
+	if DbSubject != "" {
+		state.Config.Keys.Db.Subject = DbSubject
+	}
 	// if any keytype is yubikey close it appropriately at the end
 	if Keytype == "yubikey" || PKKeytype == "yubikey" || KEKKeytype == "yubikey" || DbKeytype == "yubikey" {
 		defer state.Yubikey.Close()
@@ -119,6 +131,9 @@ func createKeysCmdFlags(cmd *cobra.Command) {
 	f.StringVarP(&PKKeytype, "pk-keytype", "", "", "PK key type (default: file)")
 	f.StringVarP(&KEKKeytype, "kek-keytype", "", "", "KEK key type (default: file)")
 	f.StringVarP(&DbKeytype, "db-keytype", "", "", "db key type (default: file)")
+	f.StringVarP(&PKSubject, "pk-subj", "", "", "Distinguished name for Platform Key certificate (openssl style, e.g. /CN=Platform Key/C=WW/)")
+	f.StringVarP(&KEKSubject, "kek-subj", "", "", "Distinguished name for Key Exchange Key certificate (openssl style, e.g. /CN=Key Exchange Key/C=WW/)")
+	f.StringVarP(&DbSubject, "db-subj", "", "", "Distinguished name for Database Key certificate (openssl style, e.g. /CN=Database Key/C=WW/)")
 }
 
 func init() {
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 1c83070c..99c4d0c5 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ type FileConfig struct {
 }
 
 type KeyConfig struct {
-	Privkey     string `json:"privkey"`
-	Pubkey      string `json:"pubkey"`
-	Type        string `json:"type"`
-	Description string `json:"description,omitempty"`
+	Privkey string `json:"privkey"`
+	Pubkey  string `json:"pubkey"`
+	Type    string `json:"type"`
+	Subject string `json:"subject,omitempty"`
 }
 
 type Keys struct {
@@ -88,16 +88,19 @@ func MkConfig(dir string) *Config {
 			Privkey: path.Join(conf.Keydir, "PK", "PK.key"),
 			Pubkey:  path.Join(conf.Keydir, "PK", "PK.pem"),
 			Type:    "file",
+			Subject: "/CN=Platform Key/C=WW/",
 		},
 		KEK: &KeyConfig{
 			Privkey: path.Join(conf.Keydir, "KEK", "KEK.key"),
 			Pubkey:  path.Join(conf.Keydir, "KEK", "KEK.pem"),
 			Type:    "file",
+			Subject: "/CN=Key Exchange Key/C=WW/",
 		},
 		Db: &KeyConfig{
 			Privkey: path.Join(conf.Keydir, "db", "db.key"),
 			Pubkey:  path.Join(conf.Keydir, "db", "db.pem"),
 			Type:    "file",
+			Subject: "/CN=Database Key/C=WW/",
 		},
 	}
 	return conf
diff --git a/docs/sbctl.conf.5.txt b/docs/sbctl.conf.5.txt
index c001f001..f7080cef 100644
--- a/docs/sbctl.conf.5.txt
+++ b/docs/sbctl.conf.5.txt
@@ -111,6 +111,16 @@ Options
         +
         Default: file
 
+    *subject:* distinguished name ;;
+        Distinguished name to be used for the creation of certificates.
+        +
+        Needs to be given in openssl fashion.
+        +
+        Default:
+            * *pk:* /CN=Platform Key/C=WW/
+            * *kek:* /CN=Key Exchange Key/C=WW/
+            * *db*: /CN=Database Key/C=WW/
+
 
 Example
 -------
@@ -135,14 +145,17 @@ An example of a /etc/sbctl/sbctl.conf file with the default values.
         privkey: /var/lib/sbctl/keys/PK/PK.key
         pubkey: /var/lib/sbctl/keys/PK/PK.pem
         type: file
+        subject: /CN=Platform Key/C=WW/
       kek:
         privkey: /var/lib/sbctl/keys/KEK/KEK.key
         pubkey: /var/lib/sbctl/keys/KEK/KEK.pem
         type: file
+        subject: /CN=Key Exchange Key/C=WW/
       db:
         privkey: /var/lib/sbctl/keys/db/db.key
         pubkey: /var/lib/sbctl/keys/db/db.pem
         type: file
+        subject: /CN=Database Key/C=WW/
 
 See Also
 --------