diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 51f80a3..9f7822e 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -161,8 +161,8 @@
           <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
           <version>3.15.0</version>
           <configuration>
-            <source>1.8</source>
-            <target>1.8</target>
+            <source>21</source>
+            <target>21</target>
             <fork>true</fork>
             <compilerArgs>
               <arg>-XDcompilePolicy=simple</arg>
diff --git a/src/com/google/cose/AkpKey.java b/src/com/google/cose/AkpKey.java
index 14b54fd..ffd2544 100644
--- a/src/com/google/cose/AkpKey.java
+++ b/src/com/google/cose/AkpKey.java
@@ -33,43 +33,39 @@
 /** Abstract class for generic AKP key */
 public abstract class AkpKey extends CoseKey {
 
-  public static final String PROVIDER = "Conscrypt";
+  public static final String CONSCRYPT_PROVIDER = "Conscrypt";
 
   protected byte[] publicKeyBytes;
-  protected byte[] privateKeyBytes;
 
   AkpKey(DataItem cborKey) throws CborException, CoseException {
     super(cborKey);
-    populateKeyFromCbor();
-  }
-
-  void populateKeyFromCbor() throws CborException, CoseException {
     if (getKeyType() != Headers.KEY_TYPE_AKP) {
       throw new CoseException("Expecting KEY_TYPE_AKP (type 7), found type " + getKeyType());
     }
-
     if (getAlgorithm() == null) {
       throw new CoseException("Algorithm is required for AKP keys.");
     }
 
     Algorithm algorithm = Algorithm.fromCoseAlgorithmId(getAlgorithm());
 
-    if (!isAkpAlgorithm(algorithm)) {
+    if (algorithm == null || !isAkpAlgorithm(algorithm)) {
       throw new CoseException(
-          "Expecting an AKP signing algorithm, found " + algorithm.getJavaAlgorithmId());
-    }
-
-    if (labels.containsKey(Headers.KEY_PARAMETER_AKP_PUB)) {
-      publicKeyBytes = CborUtils.asByteString(labels.get(Headers.KEY_PARAMETER_AKP_PUB)).getBytes();
-    }
-    if (labels.containsKey(Headers.KEY_PARAMETER_AKP_PRIV)) {
-      privateKeyBytes =
-          CborUtils.asByteString(labels.get(Headers.KEY_PARAMETER_AKP_PRIV)).getBytes();
+          "Expecting an AKP signing algorithm, found "
+              + (algorithm != null ? algorithm.getJavaAlgorithmId() : getAlgorithm()));
     }
+    populateKeyFromCbor();
+  }
 
-    if (publicKeyBytes == null && privateKeyBytes == null) {
+  void populateKeyFromCbor() throws CborException, CoseException {
+    if (!labels.containsKey(Headers.KEY_PARAMETER_AKP_PUB)) {
       throw new CoseException(CoseException.MISSING_KEY_MATERIAL_EXCEPTION_MESSAGE);
     }
+    byte[] keyMaterial =
+        CborUtils.asByteString(labels.get(Headers.KEY_PARAMETER_AKP_PUB)).getBytes();
+    if (keyMaterial.length == 0) {
+      throw new CoseException("Could not decode public key. Expected key material.");
+    }
+    publicKeyBytes = keyMaterial;
   }
 
   void verifyAlgorithmAllowedByKey(Algorithm algorithm) throws CborException, CoseException {
@@ -89,8 +85,7 @@ public byte[] getPublicKeyBytes() {
 
   /** Recursive builder to build out the AKP key and its subclasses. */
   abstract static class Builder<T extends Builder<T>> extends CoseKey.Builder<T> {
-    protected byte[] publicKey;
-    protected byte[] privateKey;
+    private byte[] publicKey;
 
     @Override
     void verifyKeyMaterialPresentAndComplete() throws CoseException {
@@ -108,7 +103,7 @@ void verifyKeyMaterialPresentAndComplete() throws CoseException {
     }
 
     boolean isKeyMaterialPresent() {
-      return publicKey != null || privateKey != null;
+      return publicKey != null && publicKey.length != 0;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -117,25 +112,15 @@ protected Map compile() throws CoseException {
 
       Map cborKey = super.compile();
 
-      if (publicKey != null) {
+      if (publicKey != null && publicKey.length != 0) {
         cborKey.put(new NegativeInteger(Headers.KEY_PARAMETER_AKP_PUB), new ByteString(publicKey));
       }
-      if (privateKey != null) {
-        cborKey.put(
-            new NegativeInteger(Headers.KEY_PARAMETER_AKP_PRIV), new ByteString(privateKey));
-      }
       return cborKey;
     }
 
     @CanIgnoreReturnValue
     public T withPublicKey(byte[] publicKey) {
-      this.publicKey = Arrays.copyOf(publicKey, publicKey.length);
-      return self();
-    }
-
-    @CanIgnoreReturnValue
-    public T withPrivateKey(byte[] privateKey) {
-      this.privateKey = Arrays.copyOf(privateKey, privateKey.length);
+      this.publicKey = (publicKey != null) ? Arrays.copyOf(publicKey, publicKey.length) : null;
       return self();
     }
   }
@@ -147,6 +132,6 @@ public static boolean isAkpAlgorithm(Algorithm algorithm) {
   }
 
   public static boolean isConscryptProvider(String provider) {
-    return Objects.equals(provider, PROVIDER);
+    return Objects.equals(provider, CONSCRYPT_PROVIDER);
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/com/google/cose/AkpSigningKey.java b/src/com/google/cose/AkpSigningKey.java
index cfae65e..62a7eb8 100644
--- a/src/com/google/cose/AkpSigningKey.java
+++ b/src/com/google/cose/AkpSigningKey.java
@@ -17,12 +17,15 @@
 package com.google.cose;
 
 import co.nstant.in.cbor.CborException;
+import co.nstant.in.cbor.model.ByteString;
 import co.nstant.in.cbor.model.DataItem;
 import co.nstant.in.cbor.model.Map;
+import co.nstant.in.cbor.model.NegativeInteger;
 import com.google.cose.exceptions.CoseException;
 import com.google.cose.utils.Algorithm;
 import com.google.cose.utils.CborUtils;
 import com.google.cose.utils.Headers;
+import com.google.errorprone.annotations.CanIgnoreReturnValue;
 import java.security.InvalidKeyException;
 import java.security.KeyFactory;
 import java.security.KeyPair;
@@ -36,9 +39,12 @@
 import java.security.spec.EncodedKeySpec;
 import java.security.spec.InvalidKeySpecException;
 import java.util.Arrays;
+import org.bouncycastle.crypto.params.MLDSAParameters;
+import org.bouncycastle.crypto.params.MLDSAPrivateKeyParameters;
 
 /** Implements AKP COSE_Key spec for signing purposes. */
 public final class AkpSigningKey extends AkpKey {
+  private byte[] privateKeyBytes;
 
   public AkpSigningKey(DataItem cborKey) throws CborException, CoseException {
     super(cborKey);
@@ -50,6 +56,52 @@ public AkpSigningKey(DataItem cborKey) throws CborException, CoseException {
     }
   }
 
+  @Override
+  void populateKeyFromCbor() throws CborException, CoseException {
+    privateKeyBytes = getPrivateKeyBytesFromCbor();
+    publicKeyBytes = getPublicKeyBytesFromCbor();
+  }
+
+  private byte[] getPrivateKeyBytesFromCbor() throws CborException, CoseException {
+    if (!labels.containsKey(Headers.KEY_PARAMETER_AKP_PRIV)) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    byte[] keyMaterial =
+        CborUtils.asByteString(labels.get(Headers.KEY_PARAMETER_AKP_PRIV)).getBytes();
+    if (keyMaterial.length == 0) {
+      throw new CoseException("Could not decode private key. Expected key material.");
+    }
+    return keyMaterial;
+  }
+
+  private byte[] getPublicKeyBytesFromCbor() throws CborException, CoseException {
+    if (labels.containsKey(Headers.KEY_PARAMETER_AKP_PUB)) {
+      byte[] keyMaterial =
+          CborUtils.asByteString(labels.get(Headers.KEY_PARAMETER_AKP_PUB)).getBytes();
+      if (keyMaterial.length == 0) {
+        throw new CoseException("Could not decode public key. Expected key material.");
+      }
+      return keyMaterial;
+    }
+    if (privateKeyBytes == null) {
+      throw new CoseException(CoseException.MISSING_KEY_MATERIAL_EXCEPTION_MESSAGE);
+    }
+    Algorithm algorithm = Algorithm.fromCoseAlgorithmId(getAlgorithm());
+    MLDSAParameters mldsaParameters =
+        switch (algorithm) {
+          case SIGNING_ALGORITHM_MLDSA_44 -> MLDSAParameters.ml_dsa_44;
+          case SIGNING_ALGORITHM_MLDSA_65 -> MLDSAParameters.ml_dsa_65;
+          case SIGNING_ALGORITHM_MLDSA_87 -> MLDSAParameters.ml_dsa_87;
+          default ->
+              throw new CoseException("Unsupported algorithm: " + algorithm.getJavaAlgorithmId());
+        };
+    try {
+      return new MLDSAPrivateKeyParameters(mldsaParameters, privateKeyBytes).getPublicKey();
+    } catch (RuntimeException e) {
+      throw new CoseException("Error while generating public key from private key bytes.", e);
+    }
+  }
+
   public static AkpSigningKey parse(byte[] keyBytes) throws CborException, CoseException {
     DataItem dataItem = CborUtils.decode(keyBytes);
     return decode(dataItem);
@@ -121,6 +173,7 @@ public static AkpSigningKey generateKey(Algorithm algorithm, String provider)
 
   /** Implements builder for AkpSigningKey. */
   public static class Builder extends AkpKey.Builder<Builder> {
+    private byte[] privateKey;
 
     @Override
     public Builder self() {
@@ -128,9 +181,8 @@ public Builder self() {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public AkpSigningKey build() throws CborException, CoseException {
-      Map cborKey = compile();
-      return new AkpSigningKey(cborKey);
+    boolean isKeyMaterialPresent() {
+      return (privateKey != null && privateKey.length != 0) || super.isKeyMaterialPresent();
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -138,10 +190,26 @@ public Builder withOperations(Integer... operations) throws CoseException {
       if (!Arrays.stream(operations)
           .allMatch(
               op -> op == Headers.KEY_OPERATIONS_SIGN || op == Headers.KEY_OPERATIONS_VERIFY)) {
-          throw new CoseException("Signing key only supports Sign or Verify operations.");
+        throw new CoseException("Signing key only supports Sign or Verify operations.");
       }
       return super.withOperations(operations);
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public AkpSigningKey build() throws CborException, CoseException {
+      Map cborKey = compile();
+      if (privateKey != null && privateKey.length != 0) {
+        cborKey.put(
+            new NegativeInteger(Headers.KEY_PARAMETER_AKP_PRIV), new ByteString(privateKey));
+      }
+      return new AkpSigningKey(cborKey);
+    }
+
+    @CanIgnoreReturnValue
+    public Builder withPrivateKey(byte[] privateKey) {
+      this.privateKey = (privateKey != null) ? Arrays.copyOf(privateKey, privateKey.length) : null;
+      return this;
+    }
   }
 
   public static Builder builder() {
@@ -196,6 +264,9 @@ public byte[] sign(Algorithm algorithm, byte[] message, String provider)
 
   public void verify(Algorithm algorithm, byte[] message, byte[] signature, String provider)
       throws CborException, CoseException {
+    if (publicKeyBytes == null || publicKeyBytes.length == 0) {
+      throw new CoseException("Missing key material for verification.");
+    }
     verifyAlgorithmMatchesKey(algorithm);
     verifyAlgorithmAllowedByKey(algorithm);
     verifyOperationAllowedByKey(Headers.KEY_OPERATIONS_VERIFY);
@@ -234,7 +305,7 @@ public void verify(Algorithm algorithm, byte[] message, byte[] signature, String
         | InvalidKeyException
         | InvalidKeySpecException
         | SignatureException e) {
-      throw new CoseException("Error while verifying ", e);
+      throw new CoseException("Error while verifying message.", e);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/com/google/cose/utils/Algorithm.java b/src/com/google/cose/utils/Algorithm.java
index 432edf8..e4392ec 100644
--- a/src/com/google/cose/utils/Algorithm.java
+++ b/src/com/google/cose/utils/Algorithm.java
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 import co.nstant.in.cbor.model.Number;
 import co.nstant.in.cbor.model.UnsignedInteger;
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableMap;
-import com.google.cose.exceptions.CoseException;
 
 /**
  * Algorithms to be used by cose library.
@@ -73,10 +72,7 @@ public Number getCoseAlgorithmId() {
     return new UnsignedInteger(coseAlgorithmId);
   }
 
-  public static Algorithm fromCoseAlgorithmId(int coseAlgorithmId) throws CoseException {
-    if (!REVERSE_LOOKUP_MAP.containsKey(coseAlgorithmId)) {
-      throw new CoseException("Expecting a valid COSE algorithm, found " + coseAlgorithmId);
-    }
+  public static Algorithm fromCoseAlgorithmId(int coseAlgorithmId) {
     return REVERSE_LOOKUP_MAP.get(coseAlgorithmId);
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/com/google/cose/AkpSigningKeyTest.java b/test/com/google/cose/AkpSigningKeyTest.java
index 4cf2477..6667c0d 100644
--- a/test/com/google/cose/AkpSigningKeyTest.java
+++ b/test/com/google/cose/AkpSigningKeyTest.java
@@ -208,6 +208,30 @@ public void testParseKeyFailureMissingKeyMaterial() throws CborException, CoseEx
     assertThat(exception).hasMessageThat().startsWith("Missing key material");
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testEmptyPrivateKeyBytes() throws CborException, CoseException {
+    final String cborString = "A301070338302140";
+    CoseException exception =
+        assertThrows(
+            CoseException.class,
+            () -> AkpSigningKey.parse(TestUtilities.hexStringToByteArray(cborString)));
+    assertThat(exception)
+        .hasMessageThat()
+        .isEqualTo("Could not decode private key. Expected key material.");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testEmptyPublicKeyBytes() throws CborException, CoseException {
+    final String cborString = "A301070338302040";
+    CoseException exception =
+        assertThrows(
+            CoseException.class,
+            () -> AkpSigningKey.parse(TestUtilities.hexStringToByteArray(cborString)));
+    assertThat(exception)
+        .hasMessageThat()
+        .isEqualTo("Could not decode public key. Expected key material.");
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void testParseKeyFailureWrongKeyOperation() throws CborException, CoseException {
     final String cborString =
@@ -327,7 +351,6 @@ public void testGenerateKeyMLDSA65() throws CborException, CoseException {
 
   @Test
   public void testGenerateKeyMLDSA87() throws CborException, CoseException {
-    System.out.println("provider: " + PROVIDER);
     AkpSigningKey key = AkpSigningKey.generateKey(Algorithm.SIGNING_ALGORITHM_MLDSA_87, PROVIDER);
     assertThat(key).isNotNull();
     assertThat(key.getKeyType()).isEqualTo(Headers.KEY_TYPE_AKP);
@@ -379,7 +402,7 @@ public void testSignAndVerifyWithExplicitProvider() throws CborException, CoseEx
     byte[] message = TestUtilities.CONTENT_BYTES;
     AkpSigningKey key = AkpSigningKey.generateKey(Algorithm.SIGNING_ALGORITHM_MLDSA_65, PROVIDER);
 
-    String provider = AkpKey.PROVIDER;
+    String provider = AkpKey.CONSCRYPT_PROVIDER;
     byte[] signature = key.sign(Algorithm.SIGNING_ALGORITHM_MLDSA_65, message, provider);
     assertThat(signature).isNotNull();
 
@@ -393,7 +416,7 @@ public void testSignAndVerifyFailureNullProvider() throws CborException, CoseExc
     AkpSigningKey key = AkpSigningKey.generateKey(algorithm, PROVIDER);
     assertThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, () -> key.sign(algorithm, message, null));
 
-    String provider = AkpKey.PROVIDER;
+    String provider = AkpKey.CONSCRYPT_PROVIDER;
     byte[] signature = key.sign(algorithm, message, provider);
     assertThrows(
         IllegalArgumentException.class, () -> key.verify(algorithm, message, signature, null));
diff --git a/test/com/google/cose/utils/CborUtilsTest.java b/test/com/google/cose/utils/CborUtilsTest.java
index 496a345..05590ac 100644
--- a/test/com/google/cose/utils/CborUtilsTest.java
+++ b/test/com/google/cose/utils/CborUtilsTest.java
@@ -1,3 +1,19 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2026 Google LLC
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *  https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
 package com.google.cose.utils;
 
 import co.nstant.in.cbor.CborException;
@@ -115,7 +131,8 @@ public void testAsByteStringPositive() throws CborException {
 
   @Test
   public void testAsByteStringNegativeWrongType() {
-    Assert.assertThrows(CborException.class, () -> CborUtils.asByteString(new UnicodeString("not bytes")));
+    Assert.assertThrows(
+        CborException.class, () -> CborUtils.asByteString(new UnicodeString("not bytes")));
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -141,7 +158,8 @@ public void testAsIntegerPositive() throws CborException {
 
   @Test
   public void testAsIntegerNegativeWrongType() {
-    Assert.assertThrows(CborException.class, () -> CborUtils.asInteger(new UnicodeString("not a number")));
+    Assert.assertThrows(
+        CborException.class, () -> CborUtils.asInteger(new UnicodeString("not a number")));
   }
 
   @Test