@@ -82,18 +82,14 @@ class http_connection(object):

         cafile = cfg.ca_certs_file

         if cafile == "":

             cafile = None

-        certfile = cfg.ssl_client_cert_file

-        if certfile == "":

-            certfile = None

-        keyfile = cfg.ssl_client_key_file

-        if keyfile == "":

-            keyfile = None

+        certfile = cfg.ssl_client_cert_file or None

+        keyfile = cfg.ssl_client_key_file or None # the key may be embedded into cert file

         debug(u"Using ca_certs_file %s", cafile)

         debug(u"Using ssl_client_cert_file %s", certfile)

         debug(u"Using ssl_client_key_file %s", keyfile)

-        if keyfile is not None and certfile is not None:

+        if certfile is not None:

             context = http_connection._ssl_client_auth_context(certfile, keyfile, cfg.check_ssl_certificate, cafile)

         elif cfg.check_ssl_certificate:

             context = http_connection._ssl_verified_context(cafile)