diff --git a/background_process.admin.inc b/background_process.admin.inc
index 40a3248..0bdf9ec 100755
--- a/background_process.admin.inc
+++ b/background_process.admin.inc
@@ -68,6 +68,13 @@ function background_process_settings_form() {
     '#default_value' => variable_get('background_process_default_service_host', 'default'),
   );
 
+  $form['background_process_ssl_verification'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'checkbox',
+    '#title' => t('SSL verification'),
+    '#description' => t("Don't turn this off on production environments, as it will raise security issues"),
+    '#default_value' => variable_get('background_process_ssl_verification', TRUE),
+  );
+
   $methods = module_invoke_all('service_group');
   $options = background_process_get_service_groups();
   foreach ($options as $key => &$value) {
diff --git a/background_process.module b/background_process.module
index b717202..49c30a8 100755
--- a/background_process.module
+++ b/background_process.module
@@ -1070,6 +1070,14 @@ function background_process_http_request($url, array $options = array()) {
     return _background_process_http_request_result($result);
   }
 
+  // Set default context to enable/disable SSL verification.
+  $default_context = stream_context_create(array(
+    'ssl' => array(
+      'verify_peer' => variable_get('background_process_ssl_verification', TRUE),
+      'verify_peer_name' => variable_get('background_process_ssl_verification', TRUE),
+    ),
+  ));
+
   // Merge the default options.
   $options += array(
     'headers' => array(),
@@ -1077,7 +1085,7 @@ function background_process_http_request($url, array $options = array()) {
     'data' => NULL,
     'max_redirects' => 3,
     'timeout' => variable_get('background_process_connection_timeout', BACKGROUND_PROCESS_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT),
-    'context' => NULL,
+    'context' => $default_context,
     'blocking' => FALSE,
     'postpone' => FALSE,
   );