diff --git a/src/event/ngx_event_openssl.c b/src/event/ngx_event_openssl.c
index 1607814ce..a2f6a25c5 100644
--- a/src/event/ngx_event_openssl.c
+++ b/src/event/ngx_event_openssl.c
@@ -2108,6 +2108,35 @@ ngx_ssl_get_serial_number(ngx_connection_t *c, ngx_pool_t *pool, ngx_str_t *s)
 }
 
 
+ngx_int_t
+ngx_ssl_get_client_verify(ngx_connection_t *c, ngx_pool_t *pool, ngx_str_t *s)
+{
+    X509  *cert;
+
+    if (SSL_get_verify_result(c->ssl->connection) != X509_V_OK) {
+        s->len = sizeof("FAILED") - 1;
+        s->data = (u_char *) "FAILED";
+
+        return NGX_OK;
+    }
+
+    cert = SSL_get_peer_certificate(c->ssl->connection);
+
+    if (cert) {
+        s->len = sizeof("SUCCESS") - 1;
+        s->data = (u_char *) "SUCCESS";
+
+    } else {
+        s->len = sizeof("NONE") - 1;
+        s->data = (u_char *) "NONE";
+    }
+
+    X509_free(cert);
+
+    return NGX_OK;
+}
+
+
 static void *
 ngx_openssl_create_conf(ngx_cycle_t *cycle)
 {
diff --git a/src/event/ngx_event_openssl.h b/src/event/ngx_event_openssl.h
index 1e83606fd..3e496ee42 100644
--- a/src/event/ngx_event_openssl.h
+++ b/src/event/ngx_event_openssl.h
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ ngx_int_t ngx_ssl_get_issuer_dn(ngx_connection_t *c, ngx_pool_t *pool,
     ngx_str_t *s);
 ngx_int_t ngx_ssl_get_serial_number(ngx_connection_t *c, ngx_pool_t *pool,
     ngx_str_t *s);
+ngx_int_t ngx_ssl_get_client_verify(ngx_connection_t *c, ngx_pool_t *pool,
+    ngx_str_t *s);
 
 
 ngx_int_t ngx_ssl_handshake(ngx_connection_t *c);
diff --git a/src/http/modules/ngx_http_ssl_module.c b/src/http/modules/ngx_http_ssl_module.c
index c0fd6fdda..51f5465c7 100644
--- a/src/http/modules/ngx_http_ssl_module.c
+++ b/src/http/modules/ngx_http_ssl_module.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ static ngx_conf_bitmask_t  ngx_http_ssl_protocols[] = {
 static ngx_conf_enum_t  ngx_http_ssl_verify[] = {
     { ngx_string("off"), 0 },
     { ngx_string("on"), 1 },
-    { ngx_string("ask"), 2 },
+    { ngx_string("optional"), 2 },
     { ngx_null_string, 0 }
 };
 
@@ -206,6 +206,9 @@ static ngx_http_variable_t  ngx_http_ssl_vars[] = {
     { ngx_string("ssl_client_serial"), NULL, ngx_http_ssl_variable,
       (uintptr_t) ngx_ssl_get_serial_number, NGX_HTTP_VAR_CHANGEABLE, 0 },
 
+    { ngx_string("ssl_client_verify"), NULL, ngx_http_ssl_variable,
+      (uintptr_t) ngx_ssl_get_client_verify, NGX_HTTP_VAR_CHANGEABLE, 0 },
+
     { ngx_null_string, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, 0 }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/http/ngx_http_request.c b/src/http/ngx_http_request.c
index f07472b33..a1e02acaf 100644
--- a/src/http/ngx_http_request.c
+++ b/src/http/ngx_http_request.c
@@ -1524,7 +1524,7 @@ ngx_http_process_request(ngx_http_request_t *r)
 
         sscf = ngx_http_get_module_srv_conf(r, ngx_http_ssl_module);
 
-        if (sscf->verify == 1) {
+        if (sscf->verify) {
             rc = SSL_get_verify_result(c->ssl->connection);
 
             if (rc != X509_V_OK) {
@@ -1539,20 +1539,22 @@ ngx_http_process_request(ngx_http_request_t *r)
                 return;
             }
 
-            cert = SSL_get_peer_certificate(c->ssl->connection);
+            if (sscf->verify == 1) {
+                cert = SSL_get_peer_certificate(c->ssl->connection);
 
-            if (cert == NULL) {
-                ngx_log_error(NGX_LOG_INFO, c->log, 0,
-                              "client sent no required SSL certificate");
+                if (cert == NULL) {
+                    ngx_log_error(NGX_LOG_INFO, c->log, 0,
+                                  "client sent no required SSL certificate");
 
-                ngx_ssl_remove_cached_session(sscf->ssl.ctx,
+                    ngx_ssl_remove_cached_session(sscf->ssl.ctx,
                                        (SSL_get0_session(c->ssl->connection)));
 
-                ngx_http_finalize_request(r, NGX_HTTPS_NO_CERT);
-                return;
-            }
+                    ngx_http_finalize_request(r, NGX_HTTPS_NO_CERT);
+                    return;
+                }
 
-            X509_free(cert);
+                X509_free(cert);
+            }
         }
     }