diff --git a/src/sbin/lorax b/src/sbin/lorax
index b687b2c3..f6ed58ea 100755
--- a/src/sbin/lorax
+++ b/src/sbin/lorax
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ def main(args):
     optional.add_option("--add-arch-template-var", dest="add_arch_template_vars",
             action="append", help="Set variable for architecture-specific image",
             default=[])
+    optional.add_option("--noverifyssl", action="store_true", default=False,
+                        help="Do not verify SSL certificates")
 
     # add the option groups to the parser
     parser.add_option_group(required)
@@ -196,7 +198,8 @@ def main(args):
     os.mkdir(yumtempdir)
 
     yb = get_yum_base_object(installtree, opts.source, opts.mirrorlist,
-                             yumtempdir, opts.proxy, opts.excludepkgs)
+                             yumtempdir, opts.proxy, opts.excludepkgs,
+                             not opts.noverifyssl)
 
     if yb is None:
         print("error: unable to create the yumbase object", file=sys.stderr)
@@ -233,7 +236,8 @@ def main(args):
 
 
 def get_yum_base_object(installroot, repositories, mirrorlists=[],
-                        tempdir="/var/tmp", proxy=None, excludepkgs=[]):
+                        tempdir="/var/tmp", proxy=None, excludepkgs=[],
+                        sslverify=True):
 
     def sanitize_repo(repo):
         """Convert bare paths to file:/// URIs, and silently reject protocols unhandled by yum"""
@@ -271,6 +275,9 @@ def get_yum_base_object(installroot, repositories, mirrorlists=[],
     if proxy:
         data["proxy"] = proxy
 
+    if sslverify == False:
+        data["sslverify"] = "0"
+
     if excludepkgs:
         data["exclude"] = " ".join(excludepkgs)