if self.opts['minion_sign_messages']:
            log.trace('Signing event to be published onto the bus.')
            minion_privkey_path = os.path.join(self.opts['pki_dir'], 'minion.pem')
            sig = salt.crypt.sign_message(minion_privkey_path, salt.serializers.msgpack.serialize(load))
            load['sig'] = sig