diff --git a/bip.conf.1 b/bip.conf.1
index 694e12b..76a553a 100644
--- a/bip.conf.1
+++ b/bip.conf.1
@@ -246,6 +246,12 @@ allows a "ssh-like" private key generation scheme. Note that in basic mode:
 \fBssl_check_store\fP (default: \fBnot set\fP)
 This repository is browsed by BIP when a SSL certificate or CA check is needed.
 
+.TP
+\fBssl_client_certfile\fP (default: \fBnot set\fP)
+Some networks (OFTC at least) allow you to authenticate to nickserv services
+using a client side certificate. Make this variable point to the .pem file to
+use this feature.
+
 .SH CONNECTION SUB-SECTION
 
 Each connection section associates a user to the networks he wants to connect
diff --git a/samples/bip.conf b/samples/bip.conf
index 4b86e31..81b5c87 100644
--- a/samples/bip.conf
+++ b/samples/bip.conf
@@ -85,8 +85,9 @@ user {
 	# bipmkpw
 	password = "3880f2b39b3b9cb507b052b695d2680859bfc327";
 
-	# Set this to true if you want "bip4ever" to have admin privileges on bip
-	# He'll be able to RELOAD bip and see all users' configuration (except pass)
+	# Set this to true if you want "bip4ever" to have admin privileges on
+	# bip He'll be able to RELOAD bip and see all users' configuration
+	# (except pass)
 	admin = true;
 
 	# When bip_use_notice is true, bip will send internal messages like
@@ -114,6 +115,12 @@ user {
 	# `c_rehash .' in it
 	ssl_check_store = "/home/bip4ever/.bip/trustedcerts.txt";
 
+	# Some networks (OFTC at least) allow you to authenticate to nickserv
+	# using client side certificates, see
+	# http://www.oftc.net/oftc/NickServ/CertFP
+	# This is where you put your user's certificate.
+	# ssl_client_certfile = "/home/bip4ever/.bip/bip4ever_client_auth.pem";
+
 	# These will be the default for each connections
 	default_nick = "bip4ever";
 	default_user = "bip4ever";
diff --git a/src/bip.c b/src/bip.c
index feb63cb..6c5245c 100644
--- a/src/bip.c
+++ b/src/bip.c
@@ -684,6 +684,7 @@ static int add_user(bip_t *bip, list_t *data, struct historical_directives *hds)
 		FREE(u->default_realname);
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
 		FREE(u->ssl_check_store);
+		FREE(u->ssl_client_certfile);
 #endif
 	}
 
@@ -753,7 +754,11 @@ static int add_user(bip_t *bip, list_t *data, struct historical_directives *hds)
 		case LEX_SSL_CHECK_STORE:
 			MOVE_STRING(u->ssl_check_store, t->pdata);
 			break;
+		case LEX_SSL_CLIENT_CERTFILE:
+			MOVE_STRING(u->ssl_client_certfile, t->pdata);
+			break;
 #else
+		case LEX_SSL_CLIENT_CERTFILE:
 		case LEX_SSL_CHECK_MODE:
 		case LEX_SSL_CHECK_STORE:
 			mylog(LOG_WARN, "Found SSL option whereas bip is "
@@ -878,6 +883,7 @@ void user_kill(bip_t *bip, struct user *user)
 
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
 	MAYFREE(user->ssl_check_store);
+	MAYFREE(user->ssl_client_certfile);
 #endif
 	free(user);
 }
@@ -1522,6 +1528,9 @@ noroom:
 	bip_notify(ic, "SSL check mode '%s', stored into '%s'",
 		   checkmode2text(u->ssl_check_mode),
 		   STRORNULL(u->ssl_check_store));
+	if (u->ssl_client_certfile)
+		bip_notify(ic, "SSL client certificate stored into '%s'",
+				u->ssl_client_certfile);
 #endif
 	bip_notify(ic, "Defaults nick: %s, user: %s, realname: %s",
 		   STRORNULL(u->default_nick), STRORNULL(u->default_username),
diff --git a/src/conf.y b/src/conf.y
index 83161cd..d43b9d4 100644
--- a/src/conf.y
+++ b/src/conf.y
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ struct tuple *tuple_l_new(int type, void *p)
 
 %}
 
-%token LEX_IP LEX_EQ LEX_PORT LEX_CSS LEX_SEMICOLON LEX_CONNECTION LEX_NETWORK LEX_LBRA LEX_RBRA LEX_USER LEX_NAME LEX_NICK LEX_SERVER LEX_PASSWORD LEX_SRCIP LEX_HOST LEX_VHOST LEX_SOURCE_PORT LEX_NONE LEX_COMMENT LEX_BUNCH LEX_REALNAME LEX_SSL LEX_SSL_CHECK_MODE LEX_SSL_CHECK_STORE LEX_CHANNEL LEX_KEY LEX_LOG_ROOT LEX_LOG_FORMAT LEX_LOG_LEVEL LEX_BACKLOG_LINES LEX_BACKLOG_NO_TIMESTAMP LEX_BACKLOG LEX_LOG LEX_LOG_SYSTEM LEX_LOG_SYNC_INTERVAL LEX_FOLLOW_NICK LEX_ON_CONNECT_SEND LEX_AWAY_NICK LEX_PID_FILE LEX_IGN_FIRST_NICK LEX_ALWAYS_BACKLOG LEX_BLRESET_ON_TALK LEX_DEFAULT_USER LEX_DEFAULT_NICK LEX_DEFAULT_REALNAME LEX_NO_CLIENT_AWAY_MSG LEX_BL_MSG_ONLY LEX_ADMIN LEX_BIP_USE_NOTICE LEX_CSS_PEM
+%token LEX_IP LEX_EQ LEX_PORT LEX_CSS LEX_SEMICOLON LEX_CONNECTION LEX_NETWORK LEX_LBRA LEX_RBRA LEX_USER LEX_NAME LEX_NICK LEX_SERVER LEX_PASSWORD LEX_SRCIP LEX_HOST LEX_VHOST LEX_SOURCE_PORT LEX_NONE LEX_COMMENT LEX_BUNCH LEX_REALNAME LEX_SSL LEX_SSL_CHECK_MODE LEX_SSL_CHECK_STORE LEX_SSL_CLIENT_CERTFILE LEX_CHANNEL LEX_KEY LEX_LOG_ROOT LEX_LOG_FORMAT LEX_LOG_LEVEL LEX_BACKLOG_LINES LEX_BACKLOG_NO_TIMESTAMP LEX_BACKLOG LEX_LOG LEX_LOG_SYSTEM LEX_LOG_SYNC_INTERVAL LEX_FOLLOW_NICK LEX_ON_CONNECT_SEND LEX_AWAY_NICK LEX_PID_FILE LEX_IGN_FIRST_NICK LEX_ALWAYS_BACKLOG LEX_BLRESET_ON_TALK LEX_DEFAULT_USER LEX_DEFAULT_NICK LEX_DEFAULT_REALNAME LEX_NO_CLIENT_AWAY_MSG LEX_BL_MSG_ONLY LEX_ADMIN LEX_BIP_USE_NOTICE LEX_CSS_PEM
 
 %union {
 	int number;
@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@ usr_command:
 			LEX_SSL_CHECK_MODE, $3); }
 	   | LEX_SSL_CHECK_STORE LEX_EQ LEX_STRING { $$ = tuple_s_new(
 			LEX_SSL_CHECK_STORE, $3); }
+	   | LEX_SSL_CLIENT_CERTFILE LEX_EQ LEX_STRING { $$ = tuple_s_new(
+			LEX_SSL_CLIENT_CERTFILE, $3); }
 	   | LEX_DEFAULT_USER LEX_EQ LEX_STRING {
 		   $$ = tuple_s_new(LEX_DEFAULT_USER, $3); }
 	   | LEX_DEFAULT_NICK LEX_EQ LEX_STRING {
diff --git a/src/connection.c b/src/connection.c
index bf8246c..053c54c 100644
--- a/src/connection.c
+++ b/src/connection.c
@@ -1057,6 +1057,14 @@ connection_t *accept_new(connection_t *cn)
 				connection_free(conn);
 				return NULL;
 			}
+			if (!SSL_CTX_use_certificate_chain_file(sslctx,
+						conf_ssl_certfile))
+				mylog(LOG_WARN, "SSL: Unable to load "
+						"certificate file");
+			if (!SSL_CTX_use_PrivateKey_file(sslctx,
+						conf_ssl_certfile,
+						SSL_FILETYPE_PEM))
+				mylog(LOG_WARN, "SSL: Unable to load key file");
 		}
 
 		conn->ssl_h = SSL_new(sslctx);
@@ -1154,14 +1162,8 @@ prng_end:
 
 	/* allocated by function */
 	ctx = SSL_CTX_new(SSLv23_method());
-	if (!SSL_CTX_use_certificate_chain_file(ctx,conf_ssl_certfile))
-		mylog(LOG_WARN, "SSL: Unable to load certificate file");
-	if (!SSL_CTX_use_PrivateKey_file(ctx, conf_ssl_certfile,
-				SSL_FILETYPE_PEM))
-		mylog(LOG_WARN, "SSL: Unable to load key file");
-
 	SSL_CTX_set_session_cache_mode(ctx, SSL_SESS_CACHE_BOTH);
-	SSL_CTX_set_timeout(ctx,(long)60);
+	SSL_CTX_set_timeout(ctx, (long)60);
 	SSL_CTX_set_options(ctx, SSL_OP_ALL);
 
 	return ctx;
@@ -1321,7 +1323,7 @@ static int SSLize(connection_t *cn, int *nc)
 
 static connection_t *_connection_new_SSL(char *dsthostname, char *dstport,
 		char *srchostname, char *srcport, int check_mode,
-		char *check_store, int timeout)
+		char *check_store, char *ssl_client_certfile, int timeout)
 {
 	connection_t *conn;
 
@@ -1330,6 +1332,7 @@ static connection_t *_connection_new_SSL(char *dsthostname, char *dstport,
 		mylog(LOG_ERROR, "SSL context initialization failed");
 		return conn;
 	}
+
 	conn->cert = NULL;
 	conn->ssl_check_mode = check_mode;
 
@@ -1368,6 +1371,18 @@ static connection_t *_connection_new_SSL(char *dsthostname, char *dstport,
 		fatal("Unknown SSL cert check mode.");
 	}
 
+	if (ssl_client_certfile) {
+		if (!SSL_CTX_use_certificate_chain_file(conn->ssl_ctx_h,
+					ssl_client_certfile))
+			mylog(LOG_WARN, "SSL: Unable to load certificate file");
+		else if (!SSL_CTX_use_PrivateKey_file(conn->ssl_ctx_h,
+					ssl_client_certfile, SSL_FILETYPE_PEM))
+			mylog(LOG_WARN, "SSL: Unable to load key file");
+		else
+			mylog(LOG_INFO, "SSL: using %s pem file as client SSL "
+					"certificate", ssl_client_certfile);
+	}
+
 	conn->ssl_h = SSL_new(conn->ssl_ctx_h);
 	if (conn->ssl_h == NULL) {
 		mylog(LOG_ERROR, "Unable to allocate SSL structures");
@@ -1392,7 +1407,7 @@ static connection_t *_connection_new_SSL(char *dsthostname, char *dstport,
 
 connection_t *connection_new(char *dsthostname, int dstport, char *srchostname,
 		int srcport, int ssl, int ssl_check_mode, char *ssl_check_store,
-		int timeout)
+		char *ssl_client_certfile, int timeout)
 {
 	char dstportbuf[20], srcportbuf[20], *tmp;
 #ifndef HAVE_LIBSSL
@@ -1412,7 +1427,8 @@ connection_t *connection_new(char *dsthostname, int dstport, char *srchostname,
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
 	if (ssl)
 		return _connection_new_SSL(dsthostname, dstportbuf, srchostname,
-				tmp, ssl_check_mode, ssl_check_store, timeout);
+				tmp, ssl_check_mode, ssl_check_store,
+				ssl_client_certfile, timeout);
 	else
 #endif
 		return _connection_new(dsthostname, dstportbuf, srchostname,
diff --git a/src/connection.h b/src/connection.h
index 84c1a63..cb53ac1 100644
--- a/src/connection.h
+++ b/src/connection.h
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ typedef struct connection {
 
 connection_t *connection_new(char *dsthostname, int dstport, char *srchostname,
 		int srcport, int ssl, int ssl_check_mode,
-		char *ssl_check_store,int timeout);
+		char *ssl_check_store, char *ssl_client_certfile, int timeout);
 connection_t *listen_new(char *hostname, int port, int ssl);
 connection_t *accept_new(connection_t *cn);
 void connection_free(connection_t *cn);
diff --git a/src/irc.c b/src/irc.c
index d0ff2d9..a7e5fff 100644
--- a/src/irc.c
+++ b/src/irc.c
@@ -2053,6 +2053,7 @@ connection_t *irc_server_connect(struct link *link)
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
 				link->network->ssl, link->ssl_check_mode,
 				link->user->ssl_check_store,
+				link->user->ssl_client_certfile,
 #else
 				0, 0, NULL,
 #endif
@@ -2470,9 +2471,12 @@ struct link *irc_link_new()
 
 void link_kill(bip_t *bip, struct link *link)
 {
-	list_remove(&bip->conn_list, CONN(link->l_server));
-	server_cleanup(link->l_server);
-	irc_server_free(link->l_server);
+	/* in case in never got connected */
+	if (link->l_server) {
+		list_remove(&bip->conn_list, CONN(link->l_server));
+		server_cleanup(link->l_server);
+		irc_server_free(link->l_server);
+	}
 	while (link->l_clientc) {
 		struct link_client *lc = link->l_clientv[0];
 		if (lc == bip->reloading_client)
diff --git a/src/irc.h b/src/irc.h
index eb831d6..575eefa 100644
--- a/src/irc.h
+++ b/src/irc.h
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ struct user {
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBSSL
 	int ssl_check_mode;
 	char *ssl_check_store;
+	char *ssl_client_certfile;
 #endif
 
 	hash_t connections;
diff --git a/src/lex.l b/src/lex.l
index 8516068..97f04c1 100644
--- a/src/lex.l
+++ b/src/lex.l
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ list_t *parse_conf(FILE *file, int *err)
 "ssl"		        { return LEX_SSL; }
 "ssl_check_mode"        { return LEX_SSL_CHECK_MODE; }
 "ssl_check_store"       { return LEX_SSL_CHECK_STORE; }
+"ssl_client_certfile"   { return LEX_SSL_CLIENT_CERTFILE; }
 "key"			{ return LEX_KEY; }
 "channel"		{ return LEX_CHANNEL; }
 "log_level"		{ return LEX_LOG_LEVEL; }