diff --git a/lib/krb5/principal.c b/lib/krb5/principal.c
index b7d275fa3..24e7cc7a0 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/principal.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/principal.c
@@ -63,6 +63,21 @@ host/admin@H5L.ORG
 #define princ_ncomp(P, N) ((P)->name.name_string.val[(N)])
 #define princ_realm(P) ((P)->realm)
 
+static krb5_error_code
+set_default_princ_type(krb5_principal p, NAME_TYPE defnt)
+{
+    if (princ_num_comp(p) > 1 && strcmp(princ_ncomp(p, 0), KRB5_TGS_NAME) == 0)
+        princ_type(p) = KRB5_NT_SRV_INST;
+    else if (princ_num_comp(p) > 1 && strcmp(princ_ncomp(p, 0), "host") == 0)
+        princ_type(p) = KRB5_NT_SRV_HST;
+    else if (princ_num_comp(p) == 2 &&
+             strcmp(princ_ncomp(p, 0), KRB5_WELLKNOWN_NAME) == 0)
+        princ_type(p) = KRB5_NT_WELLKNOWN;
+    else
+        princ_type(p) = defnt;
+    return 0;
+}
+
 static krb5_error_code append_component(krb5_context, krb5_principal,
                                         const char *, size_t);
 
@@ -346,13 +361,13 @@ krb5_parse_name_flags(krb5_context context,
 	ret = krb5_enomem(context);
 	goto exit;
     }
-    if (enterprise)
-	(*principal)->name.name_type = KRB5_NT_ENTERPRISE_PRINCIPAL;
-    else
-	(*principal)->name.name_type = KRB5_NT_PRINCIPAL;
     (*principal)->name.name_string.val = comp;
     princ_num_comp(*principal) = n;
     (*principal)->realm = realm;
+    if (enterprise)
+        princ_type(*principal) = KRB5_NT_ENTERPRISE_PRINCIPAL;
+    else
+        set_default_princ_type(*principal, KRB5_NT_PRINCIPAL);
     free(s);
     return 0;
 exit:
@@ -817,10 +832,10 @@ build_principal(krb5_context context,
     krb5_error_code ret;
     krb5_principal p;
 
+    *principal = NULL;
     p = calloc(1, sizeof(*p));
     if (p == NULL)
 	return krb5_enomem(context);
-    princ_type(p) = KRB5_NT_PRINCIPAL;
 
     princ_realm(p) = strdup(realm);
     if (p->realm == NULL) {
@@ -829,9 +844,10 @@ build_principal(krb5_context context,
     }
 
     ret = func(context, p, ap);
-    if (ret == 0)
+    if (ret == 0) {
 	*principal = p;
-    else
+        set_default_princ_type(p, KRB5_NT_PRINCIPAL);
+    } else
 	krb5_free_principal(context, p);
     return ret;
 }
@@ -1192,7 +1208,6 @@ krb5_principal_is_krbtgt(krb5_context context, krb5_const_principal p)
 {
     return p->name.name_string.len == 2 &&
 	strcmp(p->name.name_string.val[0], KRB5_TGS_NAME) == 0;
-
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/krb5/test_pknistkdf.c b/lib/krb5/test_pknistkdf.c
index 9fa447402..f97dddf38 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/test_pknistkdf.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/test_pknistkdf.c
@@ -244,6 +244,14 @@ test_dh2key(krb5_context context, int i, struct testcase *c)
     ret = krb5_parse_name(context, c->server, &server);
     if (ret)
 	krb5_err(context, 1, ret, "parse_name: %s", c->server);
+    /*
+     * Making krb5_build_principal*() set a reasonable default principal
+     * name type broke the test vectors here.  Rather than regenerate
+     * the vectors, and to prove that this was the issue, we coerce the
+     * name types back to their original.
+     */
+    krb5_principal_set_type(context, client, KRB5_NT_PRINCIPAL);
+    krb5_principal_set_type(context, server, KRB5_NT_PRINCIPAL);
 
     if (verbose_flag) {
 	char *str;
diff --git a/tests/gss/check-context.in b/tests/gss/check-context.in
index 24277d58a..432500555 100644
--- a/tests/gss/check-context.in
+++ b/tests/gss/check-context.in
@@ -178,8 +178,8 @@ ${context} --name-type=krb5-principal-name host/lucid.test.h5l.se@${R} || \
 echo "plain (krb5 realmless)" ; > messages.log
 ${context} --name-type=krb5-principal-name host/lucid.test.h5l.se || \
 	{ eval "$testfailed"; }
-echo "plain (krb5 realmless short-form should fail)" ; > messages.log
-${context} --name-type=krb5-principal-name host/lucid 2>/dev/null && \
+echo "plain (krb5 realmless short-form)" ; > messages.log
+${context} --name-type=krb5-principal-name host/lucid 2>/dev/null || \
 	{ eval "$testfailed"; }
 echo "creating short-form princ"
 ${kadmin} add -p p1 --use-defaults host/lucid@${R} || exit 1