diff --git a/src/security/cert/gnutls/X509Certificate_GnuTLS.cpp b/src/security/cert/gnutls/X509Certificate_GnuTLS.cpp
index 1401c991..fd1343dd 100644
--- a/src/security/cert/gnutls/X509Certificate_GnuTLS.cpp
+++ b/src/security/cert/gnutls/X509Certificate_GnuTLS.cpp
@@ -82,6 +82,12 @@ X509Certificate_GnuTLS::~X509Certificate_GnuTLS()
 }
 
 
+void* X509Certificate_GnuTLS::getInternalData()
+{
+	return &m_data->cert;
+}
+
+
 // static
 ref <X509Certificate> X509Certificate::import(utility::inputStream& is)
 {
diff --git a/src/security/cert/openssl/X509Certificate_OpenSSL.cpp b/src/security/cert/openssl/X509Certificate_OpenSSL.cpp
index 08381ae1..ff2062c1 100755
--- a/src/security/cert/openssl/X509Certificate_OpenSSL.cpp
+++ b/src/security/cert/openssl/X509Certificate_OpenSSL.cpp
@@ -151,6 +151,12 @@ X509Certificate_OpenSSL::~X509Certificate_OpenSSL()
 }
 
 
+void* X509Certificate_OpenSSL::getInternalData()
+{
+	return &m_data->cert;
+}
+
+
 // static
 ref <X509Certificate> X509Certificate_OpenSSL::importInternal(X509* cert)
 {
diff --git a/vmime/security/cert/certificate.hpp b/vmime/security/cert/certificate.hpp
index 1dc45035..05f10727 100644
--- a/vmime/security/cert/certificate.hpp
+++ b/vmime/security/cert/certificate.hpp
@@ -65,6 +65,13 @@ public:
 	  * false otherwise
 	  */
 	virtual bool equals(ref <const certificate> other) const = 0;
+
+	/** Returns a pointer to internal binary data for this certificate.
+	  * The actual type of data depends on the library used for TLS support.
+	  *
+	  * @return pointer to underlying data
+	  */
+	virtual void* getInternalData() = 0;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/vmime/security/cert/gnutls/X509Certificate_GnuTLS.hpp b/vmime/security/cert/gnutls/X509Certificate_GnuTLS.hpp
index 241ef46c..bd38342d 100644
--- a/vmime/security/cert/gnutls/X509Certificate_GnuTLS.hpp
+++ b/vmime/security/cert/gnutls/X509Certificate_GnuTLS.hpp
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ public:
 	const string getType() const;
 	int getVersion() const;
 	bool equals(ref <const certificate> other) const;
+	void* getInternalData();
 
 private:
 
diff --git a/vmime/security/cert/openssl/X509Certificate_OpenSSL.hpp b/vmime/security/cert/openssl/X509Certificate_OpenSSL.hpp
index 6855bd07..de8ad949 100644
--- a/vmime/security/cert/openssl/X509Certificate_OpenSSL.hpp
+++ b/vmime/security/cert/openssl/X509Certificate_OpenSSL.hpp
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ public:
 	const string getType() const;
 	int getVersion() const;
 	bool equals(ref <const certificate> other) const;
+	void* getInternalData();
 
 private: