diff --git a/src/Encrypt.php b/src/Encrypt.php
index 479a12bd..a9d83697 100644
--- a/src/Encrypt.php
+++ b/src/Encrypt.php
@@ -38,9 +38,41 @@ public function __construct($options = null)
         $this->setAdapter($options);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the adapter instance
+     *
+     * @throws Exception\RuntimeException
+     * @throws Exception\InvalidArgumentException
+     * @return Encrypt\EncryptionAlgorithmInterface
+     */
+    public function getAdapterInstance()
+    {
+        if ($this->adapter instanceof Encrypt\EncryptionAlgorithmInterface) {
+            return $this->adapter;
+        }
+
+        $adapter = $this->adapter;
+        $options = $this->getOptions();
+        if (!class_exists($adapter)) {
+            $adapter = 'Zend\\Filter\\Encrypt\\' . ucfirst($adapter);
+            if (!class_exists($adapter)) {
+                throw new Exception\RuntimeException(sprintf(
+                    '%s unable to load adapter; class "%s" not found',
+                    __METHOD__,
+                    $this->adapter
+                ));
+            }
+        }
+
+        $this->adapter = new $adapter($options);
+        if (!$this->adapter instanceof Encrypt\EncryptionAlgorithmInterface) {
+            throw new Exception\InvalidArgumentException("Encryption adapter '" . $adapter . "' does not implement Zend\\Filter\\Encrypt\\EncryptionAlgorithmInterface");
+        }
+        return $this->adapter;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns the name of the set adapter
-     * @todo inconsitent: get adapter should return the adapter and not the name
      *
      * @return string
      */
diff --git a/test/DecryptTest.php b/test/DecryptTest.php
index a6719783..43fd4eab 100644
--- a/test/DecryptTest.php
+++ b/test/DecryptTest.php
@@ -116,9 +116,11 @@ public function testSettingAdapterManually()
         $filter = new DecryptFilter();
         $filter->setAdapter('Openssl');
         $this->assertEquals('Openssl', $filter->getAdapter());
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('Zend\Filter\Encrypt\EncryptionAlgorithmInterface', $filter->getAdapterInstance());
 
         $filter->setAdapter('BlockCipher');
         $this->assertEquals('BlockCipher', $filter->getAdapter());
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('Zend\Filter\Encrypt\EncryptionAlgorithmInterface', $filter->getAdapterInstance());
 
         $this->setExpectedException('\Zend\Filter\Exception\InvalidArgumentException', 'does not implement');
         $filter->setAdapter('\\ZendTest\\Filter\\TestAdapter');
diff --git a/test/EncryptTest.php b/test/EncryptTest.php
index 07d524ac..98e44db4 100644
--- a/test/EncryptTest.php
+++ b/test/EncryptTest.php
@@ -126,9 +126,11 @@ public function testSettingAdapterManually()
         $filter = new EncryptFilter();
         $filter->setAdapter('Openssl');
         $this->assertEquals('Openssl', $filter->getAdapter());
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('Zend\Filter\Encrypt\EncryptionAlgorithmInterface', $filter->getAdapterInstance());
 
         $filter->setAdapter('BlockCipher');
         $this->assertEquals('BlockCipher', $filter->getAdapter());
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('Zend\Filter\Encrypt\EncryptionAlgorithmInterface', $filter->getAdapterInstance());
 
         $this->setExpectedException('Zend\Filter\Exception\InvalidArgumentException', 'does not implement');
         $filter->setAdapter('\ZendTest\Filter\TestAdapter2');