diff --git a/kmipclient/src/Key.cpp b/kmipclient/src/Key.cpp
index c84bc31..a67bf47 100644
--- a/kmipclient/src/Key.cpp
+++ b/kmipclient/src/Key.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ namespace kmipclient {
         return std::make_unique<X509Certificate>(
             core_key.value(), core_key.attributes()
         );
-      case KeyType::UNSET:
       default:
         throw kmipcore::KmipException(
             "Unsupported key type in core->client conversion"
diff --git a/kmipcore/include/kmipcore/key.hpp b/kmipcore/include/kmipcore/key.hpp
index 285488b..6045570 100644
--- a/kmipcore/include/kmipcore/key.hpp
+++ b/kmipcore/include/kmipcore/key.hpp
@@ -14,13 +14,7 @@
 namespace kmipcore {
 
   /** @brief Key object families represented by @ref Key. */
-  enum class KeyType {
-    UNSET,
-    SYMMETRIC_KEY,
-    PUBLIC_KEY,
-    PRIVATE_KEY,
-    CERTIFICATE
-  };
+  enum class KeyType { SYMMETRIC_KEY, PUBLIC_KEY, PRIVATE_KEY, CERTIFICATE };
 
   /**
    * Minimal crypto key representation as KMIP spec sees it.
@@ -46,9 +40,6 @@ namespace kmipcore {
     )
       : ManagedObject(value, std::move(attrs)), key_type(k_type) {}
 
-    /** @brief Constructs an empty key object. */
-    Key() = default;
-
     Key(const Key &) = default;
     Key &operator=(const Key &) = default;
     Key(Key &&) noexcept = default;
@@ -61,7 +52,7 @@ namespace kmipcore {
     [[nodiscard]] size_t size() const noexcept { return value_.size(); }
 
   private:
-    KeyType key_type = KeyType::UNSET;
+    KeyType key_type;
   };
 
 }  // namespace kmipcore
diff --git a/kmipcore/src/kmip_requests.cpp b/kmipcore/src/kmip_requests.cpp
index b60c380..9f5fbd7 100644
--- a/kmipcore/src/kmip_requests.cpp
+++ b/kmipcore/src/kmip_requests.cpp
@@ -233,7 +233,6 @@ namespace kmipcore {
               KMIP_NOT_IMPLEMENTED,
               "Certificate registration is not yet supported"
           );
-        case KeyType::UNSET:
         default:
           throw KmipException(
               KMIP_INVALID_FIELD, "Unsupported key type for Register"
@@ -250,7 +249,6 @@ namespace kmipcore {
           return KMIP_OBJTYPE_PUBLIC_KEY;
         case KeyType::CERTIFICATE:
           return KMIP_OBJTYPE_CERTIFICATE;
-        case KeyType::UNSET:
         default:
           throw KmipException(
               KMIP_INVALID_FIELD, "Unsupported key type for Register"