diff --git a/src/client/mod.rs b/src/client/mod.rs
index 2e77984e23..43befdbca8 100644
--- a/src/client/mod.rs
+++ b/src/client/mod.rs
@@ -25,12 +25,10 @@ use std::iter::Extend;
 use url::UrlParser;
 use url::ParseError as UrlError;
 
-use openssl::ssl::VerifyCallback;
-
 use header::{Headers, Header, HeaderFormat};
 use header::common::{ContentLength, Location};
 use method::Method;
-use net::{NetworkConnector, HttpConnector};
+use net::{NetworkConnector, HttpConnector, ContextVerifier};
 use status::StatusClass::Redirection;
 use {Url, Port, HttpResult};
 use HttpError::HttpUriError;
@@ -49,15 +47,15 @@ pub struct Client<C> {
     redirect_policy: RedirectPolicy,
 }
 
-impl Client<HttpConnector> {
+impl<'v> Client<HttpConnector<'v>> {
 
     /// Create a new Client.
-    pub fn new() -> Client<HttpConnector> {
+    pub fn new() -> Client<HttpConnector<'v>> {
         Client::with_connector(HttpConnector(None))
     }
 
     /// Set the SSL verifier callback for use with OpenSSL.
-    pub fn set_ssl_verifier(&mut self, verifier: VerifyCallback) {
+    pub fn set_ssl_verifier(&mut self, verifier: ContextVerifier<'v>) {
         self.connector = HttpConnector(Some(verifier));
     }
 
diff --git a/src/net.rs b/src/net.rs
index 0be3e8ed99..8d4dea9172 100644
--- a/src/net.rs
+++ b/src/net.rs
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ use std::raw::{self, TraitObject};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use uany::UnsafeAnyExt;
-use openssl::ssl::{Ssl, SslStream, SslContext, VerifyCallback};
-use openssl::ssl::SslVerifyMode::{SslVerifyPeer, SslVerifyNone};
+use openssl::ssl::{Ssl, SslStream, SslContext};
+use openssl::ssl::SslVerifyMode::SslVerifyNone;
 use openssl::ssl::SslMethod::Sslv23;
 use openssl::ssl::error::{SslError, StreamError, OpenSslErrors, SslSessionClosed};
 use openssl::x509::X509FileType;
@@ -309,9 +309,12 @@ impl NetworkStream for HttpStream {
 
 /// A connector that will produce HttpStreams.
 #[allow(missing_copy_implementations)]
-pub struct HttpConnector(pub Option<VerifyCallback>);
+pub struct HttpConnector<'v>(pub Option<ContextVerifier<'v>>);
 
-impl NetworkConnector for HttpConnector {
+/// A method that can set verification methods on an SSL context
+pub type ContextVerifier<'v> = Box<FnMut(&mut SslContext) -> ()+'v>;
+
+impl<'v> NetworkConnector for HttpConnector<'v> {
     type Stream = HttpStream;
 
     fn connect(&mut self, host: &str, port: Port, scheme: &str) -> IoResult<HttpStream> {
@@ -325,7 +328,9 @@ impl NetworkConnector for HttpConnector {
                 debug!("https scheme");
                 let stream = try!(TcpStream::connect(addr));
                 let mut context = try!(SslContext::new(Sslv23).map_err(lift_ssl_error));
-                self.0.as_ref().map(|cb| context.set_verify(SslVerifyPeer, Some(*cb)));
+                if let Some(ref mut verifier) = self.0 {
+                    verifier(&mut context);
+                }
                 let ssl = try!(Ssl::new(&context).map_err(lift_ssl_error));
                 try!(ssl.set_hostname(host).map_err(lift_ssl_error));
                 let stream = try!(SslStream::new(&context, stream).map_err(lift_ssl_error));