diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 2c00e9fd..de128572 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/peterbourgon/diskv/v3 v3.0.1
 	github.com/pkg/errors v0.9.1
 	github.com/schollz/jsonstore v1.1.0
-	github.com/smallstep/go-attestation v0.4.4-0.20241119153605-2306d5b464ca
+	github.com/smallstep/go-attestation v0.4.9
 	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.11.1
 	go.uber.org/mock v0.6.0
 	golang.org/x/crypto v0.50.0
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 3db95143..d76c8ffb 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -758,8 +758,10 @@ github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.2.0/go.mod h1:LxeOpSwHxABJmUn/MG1IvRgCAasNZTLOkJPx
 github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.4.2/go.mod h1:tLMulIdttU9McNUspp0xgXVQah82FyeX6MwdIuYE2rE=
 github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.6.0/go.mod h1:7uNnSEd1DgxDLC74fIahvMZmmYsHGZGEOFrfsX/uA88=
 github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.7.0/go.mod h1:yWOB1SBYBC5VeMP7gHvWumXLIWorT60ONWic61uBYv0=
-github.com/smallstep/go-attestation v0.4.4-0.20241119153605-2306d5b464ca h1:VX8L0r8vybH0bPeaIxh4NQzafKQiqvlOn8pmOXbFLO4=
-github.com/smallstep/go-attestation v0.4.4-0.20241119153605-2306d5b464ca/go.mod h1:vNAduivU014fubg6ewygkAvQC0IQVXqdc8vaGl/0er4=
+github.com/smallstep/go-attestation v0.4.8 h1:yX7oiDFYlXywl+9Hss1RvhcSyPB7q9mFmGZSNhEfi1Q=
+github.com/smallstep/go-attestation v0.4.8/go.mod h1:vNAduivU014fubg6ewygkAvQC0IQVXqdc8vaGl/0er4=
+github.com/smallstep/go-attestation v0.4.9 h1:/fVmzB8A8tk7B2PCGPlszWzyl/GDcEQbynqcg2PMaZ0=
+github.com/smallstep/go-attestation v0.4.9/go.mod h1:vNAduivU014fubg6ewygkAvQC0IQVXqdc8vaGl/0er4=
 github.com/smartystreets/assertions v0.0.0-20180927180507-b2de0cb4f26d/go.mod h1:OnSkiWE9lh6wB0YB77sQom3nweQdgAjqCqsofrRNTgc=
 github.com/smartystreets/assertions v1.0.0/go.mod h1:kHHU4qYBaI3q23Pp3VPrmWhuIUrLW/7eUrw0BU5VaoM=
 github.com/smartystreets/go-aws-auth v0.0.0-20180515143844-0c1422d1fdb9/go.mod h1:SnhjPscd9TpLiy1LpzGSKh3bXCfxxXuqd9xmQJy3slM=
diff --git a/kms/tpmkms/tpmkms.go b/kms/tpmkms/tpmkms.go
index f766e4e0..08f982cf 100644
--- a/kms/tpmkms/tpmkms.go
+++ b/kms/tpmkms/tpmkms.go
@@ -195,6 +195,9 @@ func ParseTPMOptions(u *uri.URI) []tpm.NewTPMOption {
 	if storageDirectory := u.Get("storage-directory"); storageDirectory != "" {
 		opts = append(opts, tpm.WithStore(storage.NewDirstore(storageDirectory)))
 	}
+	if u.Get("store-location") == "machine" {
+		opts = append(opts, tpm.WithMachineKey())
+	}
 	return opts
 }
 
diff --git a/tpm/ak.go b/tpm/ak.go
index 82903b51..e450eb6e 100644
--- a/tpm/ak.go
+++ b/tpm/ak.go
@@ -286,8 +286,10 @@ func (t *TPM) DeleteAK(ctx context.Context, name string) (err error) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed deleting AK %q because %d key(s) exist that were attested by it", name, len(keys))
 	}
 
+	var attestErr error
 	if err := t.attestTPM.DeleteKey(ak.Data); err != nil { // TODO: we could add a DeleteAK to go-attestation; under the hood it's loaded the same as a key though.
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed deleting AK %q: %w", name, err)
+		// Preserve the PCP error but still clean up file-store metadata below.
+		attestErr = fmt.Errorf("failed deleting AK %q: %w", name, err)
 	}
 
 	if err := t.store.DeleteAK(name); err != nil {
@@ -298,7 +300,7 @@ func (t *TPM) DeleteAK(ctx context.Context, name string) (err error) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed persisting storage: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	return
+	return attestErr
 }
 
 // AttestationParameters returns information about the AK, typically used to
diff --git a/tpm/internal/key/key.go b/tpm/internal/key/key.go
index cd9141d1..a3a11ead 100644
--- a/tpm/internal/key/key.go
+++ b/tpm/internal/key/key.go
@@ -106,6 +106,10 @@ type CreateConfig struct {
 	// Size is used to specify the bit size of the key or elliptic curve. For
 	// example, '256' is used to specify curve P-256.
 	Size int
+	// MachineKey instructs the Windows NCrypt PCP provider to create the key in
+	// the machine (local machine) key store rather than the current user store.
+	// Only relevant on Windows; ignored on other platforms.
+	MachineKey bool
 }
 
 func (c *CreateConfig) Validate() error {
diff --git a/tpm/internal/key/key_windows.go b/tpm/internal/key/key_windows.go
index 65636a6d..7c2bda7d 100644
--- a/tpm/internal/key/key_windows.go
+++ b/tpm/internal/key/key_windows.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func create(_ io.ReadWriteCloser, keyName string, config CreateConfig) ([]byte, error) {
-	pcp, err := openPCP()
+	pcp, err := openPCP(config.MachineKey)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to open PCP: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/tpm/internal/key/pcp_windows.go b/tpm/internal/key/pcp_windows.go
index 3626d9a6..455d2711 100644
--- a/tpm/internal/key/pcp_windows.go
+++ b/tpm/internal/key/pcp_windows.go
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ const (
 	// The below is documented in this Microsoft whitepaper:
 	// https://github.com/Microsoft/TSS.MSR/blob/master/PCPTool.v11/Using%20the%20Windows%208%20Platform%20Crypto%20Provider%20and%20Associated%20TPM%20Functionality.pdf
 	ncryptOverwriteKeyFlag = 0x80
+	// ncryptMachineKeyFlag instructs NCrypt to create or open a key in the
+	// machine (local machine) key store rather than the current user key store.
+	ncryptMachineKeyFlag uint32 = 0x00000020
 	// Key usage value for generic keys
 	nCryptPropertyPCPKeyUsagePolicyGeneric = 0x3
 	// Key usage value for AKs.
@@ -282,7 +285,8 @@ func getNCryptBufferProperty(hnd uintptr, field string) ([]byte, error) {
 
 // winPCP represents a reference to the Platform Crypto Provider.
 type winPCP struct {
-	hProv uintptr
+	hProv      uintptr
+	machineKey bool
 }
 
 // Close releases all resources managed by the Handle.
@@ -301,8 +305,13 @@ func (h *winPCP) newKey(name string, alg string, length uint32, policy uint32) (
 		return 0, nil, nil, err
 	}
 
+	var flags uint32
+	if h.machineKey {
+		flags = ncryptMachineKeyFlag
+	}
+
 	// Create a persistent RSA key of the specified name.
-	r, _, msg := nCryptCreatePersistedKey.Call(h.hProv, uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&kh)), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&utf16RSA[0])), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&utf16Name[0])), 0, 0)
+	r, _, msg := nCryptCreatePersistedKey.Call(h.hProv, uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&kh)), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&utf16RSA[0])), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&utf16Name[0])), 0, uintptr(flags))
 	if r != 0 {
 		if tpmErr := maybeWinErr(r); tpmErr != nil {
 			msg = tpmErr
@@ -491,10 +500,13 @@ func decodeKeyBlob(keyBlob []byte) ([]byte, []byte, error) {
 }
 
 // openPCP initializes a reference to the Microsoft PCP provider.
+// Pass machineKey=true to create and open keys in the machine (local machine)
+// key store rather than the current user key store.
 // The Caller is expected to call Close() when they are done.
-func openPCP() (*winPCP, error) {
+func openPCP(machineKey bool) (*winPCP, error) {
 	var err error
 	var h winPCP
+	h.machineKey = machineKey
 	pname, err := windows.UTF16FromString(pcpProviderName)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/tpm/key.go b/tpm/key.go
index b8c267b3..45b7f54c 100644
--- a/tpm/key.go
+++ b/tpm/key.go
@@ -186,8 +186,9 @@ func (t *TPM) CreateKey(ctx context.Context, name string, config CreateKeyConfig
 	}
 
 	createConfig := internalkey.CreateConfig{
-		Algorithm: config.Algorithm,
-		Size:      config.Size,
+		Algorithm:  config.Algorithm,
+		Size:       config.Size,
+		MachineKey: t.options.attestConfig.MachineKey,
 	}
 	if err := t.validate(&createConfig); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid key creation parameters: %w", err)
@@ -386,8 +387,12 @@ func (t *TPM) DeleteKey(ctx context.Context, name string) (err error) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed getting key %q: %w", name, err)
 	}
 
+	var attestErr error
 	if err := t.attestTPM.DeleteKey(key.Data); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed deleting key %q: %w", name, err)
+		// Preserve the PCP error but still clean up file-store metadata below.
+		// On Windows the PCP key may be inaccessible when the reset command runs
+		// in a different session than the agent service that created the key.
+		attestErr = fmt.Errorf("failed deleting key %q: %w", name, err)
 	}
 
 	if err := t.store.DeleteKey(name); err != nil {
@@ -398,7 +403,7 @@ func (t *TPM) DeleteKey(ctx context.Context, name string) (err error) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed persisting storage: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	return
+	return attestErr
 }
 
 // Signer returns a crypto.Signer backed by the Key.
diff --git a/tpm/tpm.go b/tpm/tpm.go
index bd0dde01..a3c1de7b 100644
--- a/tpm/tpm.go
+++ b/tpm/tpm.go
@@ -96,6 +96,17 @@ func WithCommandChannel(commandChannel CommandChannel) NewTPMOption {
 	}
 }
 
+// WithMachineKey configures the TPM to create and open keys in the machine
+// (local machine) key store rather than the current user key store. On Windows
+// this causes NCRYPT_MACHINE_KEY_FLAG to be passed to NCrypt key operations.
+// This option has no effect on non-Windows platforms.
+func WithMachineKey() NewTPMOption {
+	return func(o *options) error {
+		o.attestConfig.MachineKey = true
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // WithCapabilities explicitly sets the capabilities rather
 // than acquiring them from the TPM directly. The primary use
 // for this option is to ease testing different TPM capabilities.
@@ -241,6 +252,7 @@ func (t *TPM) initializeCommandChannel() error {
 		t.attestConfig = &attest.OpenConfig{
 			TPMVersion:     t.options.attestConfig.TPMVersion,
 			CommandChannel: t.commandChannel,
+			MachineKey:     t.options.attestConfig.MachineKey,
 		}
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -275,6 +287,7 @@ func (t *TPM) initializeCommandChannel() error {
 	t.attestConfig = &attest.OpenConfig{
 		TPMVersion:     t.options.attestConfig.TPMVersion,
 		CommandChannel: t.commandChannel,
+		MachineKey:     t.options.attestConfig.MachineKey,
 	}
 
 	return nil