diff --git a/lib/vtls/openssl.c b/lib/vtls/openssl.c
index 90e4c2b32a3cc551775a380ccdfe7f3cb74e21ad..8600c61846b192a724894d93f463f7ebbdef31b1 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/openssl.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/openssl.c
@@ -2644,8 +2644,10 @@ static CURLcode servercert(struct connectdata *conn,
 
   connssl->server_cert = SSL_get_peer_certificate(connssl->handle);
   if(!connssl->server_cert) {
-    if(strict)
-      failf(data, "SSL: couldn't get peer certificate!");
+    if(!strict)
+      return CURLE_OK;
+
+    failf(data, "SSL: couldn't get peer certificate!");
     return CURLE_PEER_FAILED_VERIFICATION;
   }