diff --git a/examples/fetch.v b/examples/fetch.v
index e1a7132acc..9b804da92e 100644
--- a/examples/fetch.v
+++ b/examples/fetch.v
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import net.http
 
 fn main() {
 	resp := http.get('https://vlang.io/utc_now') or {
-		println('failed to fetch data from the server')
+		eprintln('Failed to fetch data from the server. Error: $err')
 		return
 	}
 
diff --git a/vlib/net/http/backend_nix.c.v b/vlib/net/http/backend_nix.c.v
index 1243442a0d..06112b408f 100644
--- a/vlib/net/http/backend_nix.c.v
+++ b/vlib/net/http/backend_nix.c.v
@@ -13,11 +13,41 @@ const (
 fn (req &Request) ssl_do(port int, method Method, host_name string, path string) ?Response {
 	// ssl_method := C.SSLv23_method()
 	ctx := C.SSL_CTX_new(C.TLS_method())
+	defer {
+		if ctx != 0 {
+			C.SSL_CTX_free(ctx)
+		}
+	}
 	C.SSL_CTX_set_verify_depth(ctx, 4)
 	flags := C.SSL_OP_NO_SSLv2 | C.SSL_OP_NO_SSLv3 | C.SSL_OP_NO_COMPRESSION
 	C.SSL_CTX_set_options(ctx, flags)
-	mut res := C.SSL_CTX_load_verify_locations(ctx, c'random-org-chain.pem', 0)
+	// Support client certificates:
+	mut res := 0
+	if req.verify != '' {
+		res = C.SSL_CTX_load_verify_locations(ctx, &char(req.verify.str), 0)
+		if req.validate && res != 1 {
+			return error('http: openssl: SSL_CTX_load_verify_locations failed')
+		}
+	}
+	if req.cert != '' {
+		res = C.SSL_CTX_use_certificate_file(ctx, &char(req.cert.str), C.SSL_FILETYPE_PEM)
+		if req.validate && res != 1 {
+			return error('http: openssl: SSL_CTX_use_certificate_file failed, res: $res')
+		}
+	}
+	if req.cert_key != '' {
+		res = C.SSL_CTX_use_PrivateKey_file(ctx, &char(req.cert_key.str), C.SSL_FILETYPE_PEM)
+		if req.validate && res != 1 {
+			return error('http: openssl: SSL_CTX_use_PrivateKey_file failed, res: $res')
+		}
+	}
+	// the setup is done, prepare an ssl connection from the SSL context:
 	web := C.BIO_new_ssl_connect(ctx)
+	defer {
+		if web != 0 {
+			C.BIO_free_all(web)
+		}
+	}
 	addr := host_name + ':' + port.str()
 	res = C.BIO_set_conn_hostname(web, addr.str)
 	ssl := &openssl.SSL(0)
@@ -25,16 +55,24 @@ fn (req &Request) ssl_do(port int, method Method, host_name string, path string)
 	preferred_ciphers := 'HIGH:!aNULL:!kRSA:!PSK:!SRP:!MD5:!RC4'
 	res = C.SSL_set_cipher_list(voidptr(ssl), &char(preferred_ciphers.str))
 	if res != 1 {
-		println('http: openssl: cipher failed')
+		return error('http: openssl: SSL_set_cipher_list failed, res: $res')
 	}
 	res = C.SSL_set_tlsext_host_name(voidptr(ssl), host_name.str)
 	res = C.BIO_do_connect(web)
 	if res != 1 {
-		return error('cannot connect the endpoint')
+		return error('http: openssl: BIO_do_connect failed, res: $res')
 	}
 	res = C.BIO_do_handshake(web)
-	C.SSL_get_peer_certificate(voidptr(ssl))
+	pcert := C.SSL_get_peer_certificate(voidptr(ssl))
+	defer {
+		if pcert != 0 {
+			C.X509_free(pcert)
+		}
+	}
 	res = C.SSL_get_verify_result(voidptr(ssl))
+	if req.validate && res != C.X509_V_OK {
+		return error('http: openssl: SSL_get_verify_result failed, res: $res')
+	}
 	// /////
 	req_headers := req.build_request_headers(method, host_name, path)
 	$if trace_http_request ? {
@@ -60,12 +98,6 @@ fn (req &Request) ssl_do(port int, method Method, host_name string, path string)
 		}
 		unsafe { content.write_ptr(bp, len) }
 	}
-	if web != 0 {
-		C.BIO_free_all(web)
-	}
-	if ctx != 0 {
-		C.SSL_CTX_free(ctx)
-	}
 	response_text := content.str()
 	$if trace_http_response ? {
 		eprintln('< $response_text')
diff --git a/vlib/net/http/http.v b/vlib/net/http/http.v
index 7bdc5e2bd7..3b4852f6e6 100644
--- a/vlib/net/http/http.v
+++ b/vlib/net/http/http.v
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ pub mut:
 	cookies    map[string]string
 	user_agent string = 'v.http'
 	verbose    bool
+	//
+	validate bool   // set this to true, if you want to stop requests, when their certificates are found to be invalid
+	verify   string // the path to a rootca.pem file, containing trusted CA certificate(s)
+	cert     string // the path to a cert.pem file, containing client certificate(s) for the request
+	cert_key string // the path to a key.pem file, containing private keys for the client certificate(s)
 }
 
 pub fn new_request(method Method, url_ string, data string) ?Request {
@@ -119,6 +124,10 @@ pub fn fetch(config FetchConfig) ?Response {
 		user_agent: config.user_agent
 		user_ptr: 0
 		verbose: config.verbose
+		validate: config.validate
+		verify: config.verify
+		cert: config.cert
+		cert_key: config.cert_key
 	}
 	res := req.do() ?
 	return res
diff --git a/vlib/net/http/request.v b/vlib/net/http/request.v
index 4664659ade..d6c53c38f0 100644
--- a/vlib/net/http/request.v
+++ b/vlib/net/http/request.v
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ pub mut:
 	// time = -1 for no timeout
 	read_timeout  i64 = 30 * time.second
 	write_timeout i64 = 30 * time.second
+	//
+	validate bool // when true, certificate failures will stop further processing
+	verify   string
+	cert     string
+	cert_key string
 }
 
 fn (mut req Request) free() {
diff --git a/vlib/net/openssl/c.v b/vlib/net/openssl/c.v
index dedba2a94a..e744c3a616 100644
--- a/vlib/net/openssl/c.v
+++ b/vlib/net/openssl/c.v
@@ -63,10 +63,14 @@ fn C.SSL_CTX_set_options(ctx &C.SSL_CTX, options int)
 
 fn C.SSL_CTX_set_verify_depth(s &C.SSL_CTX, depth int)
 
-fn C.SSL_CTX_load_verify_locations(ctx &C.SSL_CTX, ca_file &char, ca_path &char) int
+fn C.SSL_CTX_load_verify_locations(ctx &C.SSL_CTX, const_file &char, ca_path &char) int
 
 fn C.SSL_CTX_free(ctx &C.SSL_CTX)
 
+fn C.SSL_CTX_use_certificate_file(ctx &C.SSL_CTX, const_file &char, file_type int) int
+
+fn C.SSL_CTX_use_PrivateKey_file(ctx &C.SSL_CTX, const_file &char, file_type int) int
+
 fn C.SSL_new(&C.SSL_CTX) &C.SSL
 
 fn C.SSL_set_fd(ssl &C.SSL, fd int) int
@@ -77,6 +81,8 @@ fn C.SSL_set_cipher_list(ctx &SSL, str &char) int
 
 fn C.SSL_get_peer_certificate(ssl &SSL) &C.X509
 
+fn C.X509_free(const_cert &C.X509)
+
 fn C.ERR_clear_error()
 
 fn C.SSL_get_error(ssl &C.SSL, ret int) int