diff --git a/keystoneclient/middleware/s3_token.py b/keystoneclient/middleware/s3_token.py
index f35b1545e..59dd331b5 100644
--- a/keystoneclient/middleware/s3_token.py
+++ b/keystoneclient/middleware/s3_token.py
@@ -33,11 +33,12 @@ This WSGI component:
 
 """
 
-import httplib
 import logging
 import urllib
 import webob
 
+import requests
+
 from keystoneclient.openstack.common import jsonutils
 
 
@@ -105,16 +106,26 @@ class S3Token(object):
         self.logger.debug('Starting the %s component' % PROTOCOL_NAME)
         self.reseller_prefix = conf.get('reseller_prefix', 'AUTH_')
         # where to find the auth service (we use this to validate tokens)
-        self.auth_host = conf.get('auth_host')
-        self.auth_port = int(conf.get('auth_port', 35357))
-        self.auth_protocol = conf.get('auth_protocol', 'https')
-        if self.auth_protocol == 'http':
-            self.http_client_class = httplib.HTTPConnection
-        else:
-            self.http_client_class = httplib.HTTPSConnection
+
+        auth_host = conf.get('auth_host')
+        auth_port = int(conf.get('auth_port', 35357))
+        auth_protocol = conf.get('auth_protocol', 'https')
+
+        self.request_uri = '%s://%s:%s' % (auth_protocol, auth_host, auth_port)
+
         # SSL
-        self.cert_file = conf.get('certfile')
-        self.key_file = conf.get('keyfile')
+        insecure = conf.get('insecure', False)
+        cert_file = conf.get('certfile')
+        key_file = conf.get('keyfile')
+
+        if insecure:
+            self.verify = False
+        elif cert_file and key_file:
+            self.verify = (cert_file, key_file)
+        elif cert_file:
+            self.verify = cert_file
+        else:
+            self.verify = None
 
     def deny_request(self, code):
         error_table = {
@@ -132,33 +143,22 @@ class S3Token(object):
 
     def _json_request(self, creds_json):
         headers = {'Content-Type': 'application/json'}
-        if self.auth_protocol == 'http':
-            conn = self.http_client_class(self.auth_host, self.auth_port)
-        else:
-            conn = self.http_client_class(self.auth_host,
-                                          self.auth_port,
-                                          self.key_file,
-                                          self.cert_file)
         try:
-            conn.request('POST', '/v2.0/s3tokens',
-                         body=creds_json,
-                         headers=headers)
-            response = conn.getresponse()
-            output = response.read()
-        except Exception as e:
+            response = requests.post('%s/v2.0/s3tokens' % self.request_uri,
+                                     headers=headers, data=creds_json,
+                                     verify=self.verify)
+        except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
             self.logger.info('HTTP connection exception: %s' % e)
             resp = self.deny_request('InvalidURI')
             raise ServiceError(resp)
-        finally:
-            conn.close()
 
-        if response.status < 200 or response.status >= 300:
+        if response.status_code < 200 or response.status_code >= 300:
             self.logger.debug('Keystone reply error: status=%s reason=%s' %
-                              (response.status, response.reason))
+                              (response.status_code, response.reason))
             resp = self.deny_request('AccessDenied')
             raise ServiceError(resp)
 
-        return (response, output)
+        return response
 
     def __call__(self, environ, start_response):
         """Handle incoming request. authenticate and send downstream."""
@@ -225,23 +225,23 @@ class S3Token(object):
         #              identified and not doing a second query and just
         #              pass it through to swiftauth in this case.
         try:
-            resp, output = self._json_request(creds_json)
+            resp = self._json_request(creds_json)
         except ServiceError as e:
             resp = e.args[0]
             msg = 'Received error, exiting middleware with error: %s'
-            self.logger.debug(msg % (resp.status))
+            self.logger.debug(msg % (resp.status_code))
             return resp(environ, start_response)
 
         self.logger.debug('Keystone Reply: Status: %d, Output: %s' % (
-                          resp.status, output))
+                          resp.status_code, resp.content))
 
         try:
-            identity_info = jsonutils.loads(output)
+            identity_info = resp.json()
             token_id = str(identity_info['access']['token']['id'])
             tenant = identity_info['access']['token']['tenant']
         except (ValueError, KeyError):
             error = 'Error on keystone reply: %d %s'
-            self.logger.debug(error % (resp.status, str(output)))
+            self.logger.debug(error % (resp.status_code, str(resp.content)))
             return self.deny_request('InvalidURI')(environ, start_response)
 
         req.headers['X-Auth-Token'] = token_id
diff --git a/keystoneclient/tests/test_s3_token_middleware.py b/keystoneclient/tests/test_s3_token_middleware.py
index 1f550d060..7362f84eb 100644
--- a/keystoneclient/tests/test_s3_token_middleware.py
+++ b/keystoneclient/tests/test_s3_token_middleware.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 import httpretty
 import mock
+import requests
 import testtools
 import webob
 
@@ -120,6 +121,24 @@ class S3TokenMiddlewareTestGood(S3TokenMiddlewareTestBase):
         path = req.environ['PATH_INFO']
         self.assertTrue(path.startswith('/v1/AUTH_FORCED_TENANT_ID'))
 
+    @mock.patch.object(requests, 'post')
+    def test_insecure(self, MOCK_REQUEST):
+        self.middleware = (
+            s3_token.filter_factory({'insecure': True})(FakeApp()))
+
+        MOCK_REQUEST.return_value = utils.TestResponse({
+            'status_code': 201,
+            'text': jsonutils.dumps(GOOD_RESPONSE)})
+
+        req = webob.Request.blank('/v1/AUTH_cfa/c/o')
+        req.headers['Authorization'] = 'access:signature'
+        req.headers['X-Storage-Token'] = 'token'
+        req.get_response(self.middleware)
+
+        self.assertTrue(MOCK_REQUEST.called)
+        mock_args, mock_kwargs = MOCK_REQUEST.call_args
+        self.assertIs(mock_kwargs['verify'], False)
+
 
 class S3TokenMiddlewareTestBad(S3TokenMiddlewareTestBase):
     def setUp(self):