diff --git a/libqpdf/QPDFCrypto_gnutls.cc b/libqpdf/QPDFCrypto_gnutls.cc
index ce38095..beababc 100644
--- a/libqpdf/QPDFCrypto_gnutls.cc
+++ b/libqpdf/QPDFCrypto_gnutls.cc
@@ -11,9 +11,17 @@ QPDFCrypto_gnutls::QPDFCrypto_gnutls() :
     encrypt(false),
     cbc_mode(false),
     aes_key_data(nullptr),
-    aes_key_len(0)
+    aes_key_len(0),
+    fips_mode(gnutls_fips140_mode_enabled())
 {
     memset(digest, 0, sizeof(digest));
+
+    if (fips_mode) {
+        // Relax FIPS mode for the lifetime of this object
+        gnutls_fips140_set_mode(
+            GNUTLS_FIPS140_LAX,
+            GNUTLS_FIPS140_SET_MODE_THREAD);
+    }
 }
 
 QPDFCrypto_gnutls::~QPDFCrypto_gnutls()
@@ -26,6 +34,13 @@ QPDFCrypto_gnutls::~QPDFCrypto_gnutls()
     }
     aes_key_data = nullptr;
     aes_key_len = 0;
+
+    if (fips_mode) {
+        // Restore saved FIPS mode
+        gnutls_fips140_set_mode(
+            static_cast<gnutls_fips_mode_t>(fips_mode),
+            GNUTLS_FIPS140_SET_MODE_THREAD);
+    }
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDFCrypto_gnutls.hh b/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDFCrypto_gnutls.hh
index 00f2585..84061c2 100644
--- a/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDFCrypto_gnutls.hh
+++ b/libqpdf/qpdf/QPDFCrypto_gnutls.hh
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ class QPDFCrypto_gnutls: public QPDFCryptoImpl
     char digest[64];
     unsigned char const* aes_key_data;
     size_t aes_key_len;
+    unsigned fips_mode;
 };
 
 #endif // QPDFCRYPTO_GNUTLS_HH