diff --git a/__init__.py b/__init__.py
index 5376c16..d6a2865 100755
--- a/__init__.py
+++ b/__init__.py
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ def run_phenny(config):
     def connect(config): 
         import bot
         p = bot.Phenny(config)
-        p.run(config.host, config.port, config.ssl, config.ipv6)
+        p.run(config.host, config.port, config.ssl, config.ipv6,
+              config.ca_certs)
 
     try: Watcher()
     except Exception as e:
diff --git a/irc.py b/irc.py
index 2a31ec4..854e884 100755
--- a/irc.py
+++ b/irc.py
@@ -114,8 +114,13 @@ class Bot(asynchat.async_chat):
                     cafile=self.ca_certs)
                 sock = context.wrap_socket(sock, server_hostname=hostname)
             except:
+                if self.ca_certs is None:
+                    # default to standard path on most non-EL distros
+                    ca_certs = "/etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt"
+                else:
+                    ca_certs = self.ca_certs
                 sock = ssl.wrap_socket(sock, ssl_version=ssl.PROTOCOL_TLSv1,
-                        cert_reqs=ssl.CERT_OPTIONAL, ca_certs=self.ca_certs)
+                        cert_reqs=ssl.CERT_OPTIONAL, ca_certs=ca_certs)
         # FIXME: this doesn't work with SSL enabled
         #sock.setblocking(False)
         self.set_socket(sock)
diff --git a/phenny b/phenny
index 1d5ce00..802cd68 100755
--- a/phenny
+++ b/phenny
@@ -156,6 +156,9 @@ def main(argv=None):
  
         if not hasattr(module, 'ssl'):
             module.ssl = False
+
+        if not hasattr(module, 'ca_certs'):
+            module.ca_certs = None
  
         if not hasattr(module, 'ipv6'):
             module.ipv6 = False